General Notices

Applications are open for the 2026 UNESCO/Japan Young Researchers’ Fellowships Programme, also known as the UNESCO/Keizo Obuchi Research Fellowships Programme.

Ten fellowships will be awarded to qualified young researchers undertaking innovative postgraduate research in areas related to:

-          Heritage conservation and management

-          Artificial intelligence

-          Sustainable development

Successful applicants will conduct research at a university or research institution in Japan for a period of three to nine months. Each fellowship provides funding of up to US$10,000 to support approved expenses associated with the research stay.

Eligibility

Applicants must:

-          Be no more than 40 years old at the time of application

-          Hold at least a Master’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field

-          Be a national of an invited UNESCO Member State or Associate Member (Trinidad and Tobago is among the countries invited to participate in the 2026 cycle)

-          Demonstrate the required language proficiency

-          Obtain acceptance from an academic supervisor at a Japanese university or research institution

Application Information

Applications must be submitted through the applicant’s National Commission for UNESCO. Interested researchers are advised to contact their National Commission and begin preparing the required documents well ahead of the deadline.

UNESCO submission deadline: Wednesday, September 30, 2026, midnight CEST

For the application guide, research areas, proposal template and other programme documents, visit the UNESCO/Japan Young Researchers’ Fellowships Programme webpage by clicking here