UNESCO-Japan Young Researchers' Fellowships Programme

UNESCO and the Government of Japan are offering 10 fellowships to highly qualified young researchers from Africa, Small Island Developing States, Ukraine and Türkiye. The fellowship aims to support innovative and high-quality postgraduate research in the following areas:

Heritage conservation and management
Sustainable development
Artificial intelligence

Particular emphasis will be placed on interdisciplinary research that connects these areas with social, ethical, governance and contextual dimensions.

For detailed information about the fellowship programme, eligibility criteria, application procedures, and selection process, please visit the official UNESCO fellowship programme webpage: https://www.unesco.org/en/fellowships/keizo-obuchi

Kindly also refer to the attached documents for additional information and guidance on the fellowship programme and application process.

About the Programme

The UNESCO/Japan Young Researchers' Fellowship Programme (also known as the UNESCO/Keizo Obuchi Research Fellowships Programme) was established in 2001 under the Japanese Funds-in-Trust for the Capacity-Building of Human Resources. It aims to strengthen research capacities and foster knowledge development and exchanges in areas aligned with UNESCO's mandate.

Under the 2026 cycle, UNESCO and the Government of Japan will award 10 fellowships to highly qualified young researchers from Africa, the Small Island Developing States (SIDS), as well as Ukraine and Türkiye. The Programme is implemented by UNESCO in partnership with the Government of Japan, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, the Permanent Delegation of Japan to UNESCO and the Japanese National Commission for UNESCO, and, where appropriate, with the support of relevant host universities and research institutions in Japan.

More specifically, proposals under the 2026 cycle should fall within the following interdisciplinary research areas:

Heritage Conservation and Management
AI for Sustainable Management of Natural Resources and Climate Action
Ethical, Inclusive and Human-Centred AI for Sustainable Development
AI for Sustainable Cities, Infrastructure and Societal Resilience
AI and Education

Candidates should refer to Annex 2 of the Application Guide for the indicative sub-areas under each research area and select the one that best corresponds to the focus of their proposed research.

Fellowship Grant

Selected fellows will be awarded a fellowship grant of up to US$10,000 to support the implementation of their proposed research projects. The research will be carried out in Japanese universities or research institutions for a period ranging from 3 to 9 months, between February 2027 and December 2027, under the supervision of an academic mentor. The grant will be provided as a lump-sum contribution and is expected to cover costs directly related to the research, in accordance with the Programme provisions.

The total amount requested must not exceed the maximum fellowship grant of US$10,000, which is intended to cover exclusively costs related to international and domestic travel for the approved itinerary, accommodation, medical insurance and personal subsistence in Japan (including meals, local transportation and incidental expenses), as well as other research-related expenses, where applicable. Costs such as tuition, the purchase of equipment (including computers), publication costs, and participation in conferences are not eligible under the Programme, unless such participation can be clearly justified as an integral part of the research and makes a direct and significant contribution to the project.

Medical insurance is mandatory for all selected fellows and will be arranged by UNESCO on their behalf. The cost of medical insurance is included within the fellowship grant and will be deducted from the total fellowship amount prior to disbursement. For indicative purposes, the cost of medical insurance is estimated at approximately US$75 per month, with a total cost ranging from US$225 to US$675, depending on the proposed duration of the fellowship.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

Nationality: Be a national of one of the invited Member States or Associate Members (South Africa is included in the list of eligible African Member States).
Age: Be no more than forty (40) years old at the time of application.
Academic qualifications: Hold at least a Master's degree (or equivalent) in a field relevant to the proposed research, and demonstrate strong academic and research potential.
Language proficiency: Demonstrate sufficient proficiency in reading and writing in the language of instruction or supervision at the proposed host institution in Japan.
Host institution acceptance: Have obtained acceptance from an academic supervisor at a Japanese university or research institution, who will oversee the proposed research.

Each invited Member State or Associate Member may submit a maximum of two (2) candidates, of whom at least one (1) should be a woman.

Required Documents

The application must include the following documents:

Fellowship application form (Annex 3): duly completed in English or French, using the official UNESCO fellowship application template. Documents submitted in languages other than English or French must be accompanied by a notarised translation.
Certified copies of diplomas: Prospective diploma winners must submit official proof of student status issued by their current educational institution.
Academic transcripts: Transcripts in languages other than English or French must be accompanied by a notarised English or French translation.
Letter of recommendation from a referee familiar with the candidate's research or professional work.
Letter of acceptance from the host institution, indicating that the host institution confirms its willingness to receive the candidate and to provide the necessary supervision and research facilities in the proposed field of study.
Certificate of language proficiency: Candidates should provide proof of proficiency in the language of instruction or supervision of the proposed research. This may include an official language proficiency certificate, such as IELTS, TOEFL, JLPT or other recognised language tests, where applicable. In the absence of such a certificate, candidates must submit the UNESCO Certificate of Language Knowledge (Annex 5), duly completed, signed and stamped by a certified language institution or language tutor.
Research proposal (Annex 4): A detailed description of the proposed research work, including the budget, must be submitted in English or French using the Research Proposal Template. The proposal should not exceed 3 pages and must address the background of the research topic, scope and purpose of the proposed project, the innovative and original nature of the research and its expected contribution to the field, and justification for the choice of the host institution.

Submission of Applications

Applications must be submitted through the National Commissions for UNESCO of the candidates' respective countries. Interested applicants are encouraged to contact their National Commissions in advance to enquire about the submission and pre-selection procedures at the national level. Only applications endorsed by the National Commissions for UNESCO of the invited Member States will be considered by UNESCO.

Endorsed applications, including the letter of nomination and all required supporting documents, must be submitted by email to keizoobuchi.fellowships@unesco.org no later than 30 September 2026 (midnight, Paris time).

Incomplete applications or applications received after the deadline will not be considered. Candidates who do not meet the eligibility requirements will not be considered in the selection process.

Timeline

Launch of call for applications: 6 July 2026
Deadline for submission of applications: 30 September 2026
Evaluation and selection of candidates: October – November 2026
Award of fellowships: December 2026
Fellowship period in Japan: From February 2027 onwards, to be completed no later than December 2027

Selection Process

The evaluation of applications will be conducted by a Selection Committee composed of experts from UNESCO and the Government of Japan in the relevant fields, taking into account the merits of the candidates, as well as the quality, relevance and originality of their proposed research. The final decision of selection will be made by the Japanese authorities, based on the recommendation of the committee, with due consideration to gender equality and diversity.

The results of the selection will be communicated to successful candidates through an official Letter of Award issued by UNESCO. Candidates who have not been notified of the outcome of their application by 31 January 2027 should consider that their application was unsuccessful.

Dissemination of Research Results

Fellows are encouraged to disseminate the results of their research upon completion of the fellowship. Where appropriate, research results and related communication materials may also be shared through the Unit of National Commissions and Fellowships through relevant communication channels. No prior approval from UNESCO is required for the publication of scholarly work arising from research conducted under the Programme. In all such publications, fellows are expected to acknowledge the support of UNESCO, the UNESCO/Japan Young Researchers' Fellowships Programme, and the Government of Japan. A copy of any resulting publication should be transmitted to UNESCO for information.

Fellows will also be required to submit an interim report and a final report, at the halfway point and at the end of their fellowship respectively, outlining the progress and outcomes of their research. In addition, a one-page summary of the research outcomes at the end of the fellowship shall be provided for communication purposes by UNESCO.

UNESCO does not undertake to publish the research outputs, and no financial support will be provided for publication purposes.

Further Information

For further enquiries, contact the National Commissions and Fellowships Unit at: keizoobuchi.fellowships@unesco.org