Japan Program Postdoctoral Fellowship

About the Japan Program Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Japan Program is excited to offer a postdoctoral fellowship position to junior scholars for research and writing on contemporary Japan. The fellowship supports research in a broad range of disciplines including political science, economics, sociology, law, policy studies, and international relations.

Appointments begin in the fall quarter of the academic year. The fellowships are limited to recent PhDs: applicants cannot be more than three years past the awarding of their doctoral degree when the fellowship starts. They must have degree conferral and official approval/certification no later than June 30 prior to the fellowship start date (that is, no later than June 30, 2025, for 2025-26 fellowships starting in fall 2025).

The postdoctoral fellow is required to be in residence for the duration of the appointment and to take part in Japan Program activities throughout the academic year. The fellow is also required to present their research findings in program seminars and participate in APARC’s publication program. The postdoctoral fellowship is a 10-month appointment starting October 1 with a salary of approximately $65,000 (annual rate of $78,000), commensurate with Stanford policy and set minimums, plus up to $3,000 for research expenses.

Applicant Requirements

• Applicants must be recent PhDs and cannot be more than three years past the awarding of their doctoral degree when the fellowship starts.
• Must have dissertation submission and approval for conferral by June 30, 2025.
• Certification of degree completion and conferral must be submitted no later than August 31, 2025.

Application Process

The 2025-26 Japan Program Postdoctoral Fellowship accepts applications from August 7, 2024, through December 1, 2024.

I. Fill out the following online application form:

II. Upload the following materials to the online form, in PDF format:

• Curriculum vitae
• Certification of degree completion and conferral (if applicable)
• A short research statement (not to exceed five typed pages, double-spaced) that describes the research to be undertaken including the topic, methodology, contribution to the field(s), as well as the proposed publishable product.

III. Submit the Completed Application Form

IV. Submit Letters of Recommendation

Email THREE (3) letters of recommendation (in PDF format) to aparcjpfellowship@stanford.edu. We will accept official letters of recommendation from the applicant, a dossier service, or directly from references.

Application Deadline

All applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on Sunday, December 1, 2024.

Application Confirmation

Once we have received all components of your application, including three recommendations, we will send you an email confirming the completion of your application. If you have not received this email, you may send an email checking your application status.

Note: Please be advised that Stanford University will close for winter break from December 23, 2024, through January 5, 2025, and response time to inquiries during this period may be delayed.

Contact

For questions about the Japan Program fellowship and the fellowship application process, please contact Fellowship Coordinator Kristen Lee at aparcjpfellowship@stanford.edu.

For information about being a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford, such as housing, cost of living, and other resources, please visit the website of Stanford's Office of Postdoctoral Affairs.

For questions and information related to international scholars, please visit the website of Stanford’s Bechtel International Center.