International Affairs Fellowship in Japan 2015-16

Deadline: October 31, 2014

Applications are now open for the 2015-16 International Affairs Fellowship in Japan. The Council on Foreign Relations IA Fellowship seeks to strengthen mutual understanding and cooperation between the rising generations of leaders in the United States and Japan.

Selected mid-career U.S. citizens will be provided with the opportunity to expand their professional horizons by spending a period of research or other professional activity in Japan. Fellows are drawn from academia, business, government, media, NGOs, and think tanks.

Fellowship Award

The duration of the fellowship is between three and twelve months. The program awards a stipend in yen, which covers travel and living expenses in Japan. Fellows are considered independent contractors rather than employees of CFR, and are not eligible for employment benefits, including health insurance.

Eligibility

• The IAF-J is only open to U.S. citizens between the ages of 27 and 45 years.
• Applicants without substantial prior experience in Japan will be primarily considered, although the selection committee has made exceptions when it considered that the fellowship would allow an individual to add a significant new dimension to his or her career.
• Knowledge of the Japanese language is not a requirement.

Section Criteria

Fellows are selected on the basis of

• academic and professional accomplishments and promise
• the merits and feasibility of their specific research or action proposals
• character and personal qualities conducive to promoting cross-cultural communication and cooperation
• the contribution that the proposed research or professional activity will make to the applicant’s individual career development.

How to Apply

Interested candidates who meet the program’s eligibility requirements can apply online.

Candidates who are selected as IAF-J finalists will be notified between December and January, with finalist interviews scheduled in Washington, DC, and New York City between January and February. Official selections and announcement of IAF-J awards will be made between February and March.

For more information, visit International Affairs Fellowship in Japan.