Sasakawa Studentships

The Japan Research Centre (JRC) is pleased to invite applications for the Sasakawa Postgraduate Studentship, made possible through the generosity of The Nippon Foundation and the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation.

SOAS can nominate up to two students for studentships of £15,000 (untaxed), which will be paid in three instalments: £5,000 at the start of Terms 1, 2 and 3.

Important information for MPhil/PhD candidates and for 2-year full-time Taught Master's candidates: This studentship is for one year only. Award holders will be welcomed to reapply in open competition for this studentship (subject to availability) in subsequent years. This scholarship can not be held with a fully-funded scholarship. Otherwise, this studentship is not a full scholarship and may be used to supplement partial funding from elsewhere.

Eligible programmes

• Any full-time Postgraduate Taught Master's Degree Programmes (new admissions, i.e. starting a Master's Degree at SOAS in September 2024) with a dissertation on a theme connected with Japan.
• Any full-time MPhil/PhD student (new admissions and current SOAS MPhil/PhD students) whose thesis topic focuses on any aspect of Japan.
• Current Master's students enrolled in Year 1 (of a two-year full-time Master's Degree at SOAS) in 2023/24 and entering Year 2 in 2024/25 are also eligible to apply.
• Part-time programmes are not eligible. Current part-time students must change to full-time status if their application is successful and they elect to accept this award.
• Please note that this scholarship cannot be held during the Extension of Writing-Up (Continuation) status.

Candidate criteria

• For Postgraduate Taught Master's Degree applicants must write their dissertation on a theme connected with Japan.  Applicants (new admissions, that is, starting in September 2024/25) should provide evidence of this in the statement of their admission application. Applicants must possess (or expect) a first class or a good upper-second class undergraduate degree (or its equivalent in the case of non-UK candidates). 
• For MPhil/PhD applicants, the research proposal must focus on Japan. Applicants (new admissions, i.e. starting in September 2024/25) should provide evidence of this in the research proposal of their admission application. Applicants must possess a first class or a good upper-second class undergraduate degree or a good merit or distinction (or equivalent) at a master's level.
• Applicants (new admissions, i.e. starting in September 2024/25) should include in their personal statement (as part of their admission application) details of their skills in Japanese, if any, and future academic or career plans. While Japanese language is not essential, it is desirable so it will be helpful if the applicants’ referees comment on their skills in Japanese in the areas of reading, composition and speaking, if applicable.
• Applicants (new admissions, i.e. starting in September 2024/25) - New scholarship applicants must have applied to SOAS but are not required to have received an offer of admissions by the scholarship deadline. An offer will need to have been received by the time the relevant panel meets to discuss scholarship applications.
• Applicants (new admissions, ie starting in September 2024/25) must meet the English language condition of their offer of admission to study at SOAS as soon as possible. If your offer is conditional on English, please arrange your English test and ensure you meet the English requirements as soon as possible.
• Please note that  this scholarship does not cover funding or even allow for Pre-sessionals. 
• Those who have already accepted full scholarships for 2022/23, 2023/24 or 2024/25 from other funding sources are not eligible.
• Postgraduate Taught Master's degree applicants must be either a UK citizen (no matter their current residency) or settled in the UK or have been ordinarily resident in the UK for at least 3 years immediately preceding the start of their Master's course.
• MPhil/PhD applicants must have completed at least one year postgraduate study at a UK institution of higher education.

Candidate assessment

Candidates will be assessed:

• On academic merit by a Selection Panel consisting of three academic members. A list of nominees will be selected by the Steering Committee of the Japanese Research Centre (JRC) and submitted to the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation which will decide all finalist awardees.
• On evidence that the primary focus of the candidate's study is Japan.
• For Postgraduate Taught Master's degree applicants only: academic references, degree results, statement, CV and other relevant information in your application will be considered to assess the above criteria.
• For MPhil/PhD only: academic references, degree results, statement, CV, research proposal and other relevant information in your application will be considered to assess the above criteria.

Scholarship application and deadline

• Scholarship applications must be received no later than 12:00pm (midday UK local time) on 11 March 2024.
• New applicants only (new admissions, starting in September 2024/25): you must also submit a complete application to your programme as soon as possible and then submit an application for the scholarship. Applicants applying for scholarships must also submit an application for admission well in advance in order to be considered. Please note that complete applications for admission can take 4 weeks to be considered by the Department, although this duration can vary depending on the time of year. You should be prepared to wait up to 6 weeks in busy periods.
• Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Notification of results

Applications are considered by an assessment committee and the tantosha are notified informally in May with formal confirmation in June. There will be inevitably be some changes in circumstances with nominations unable to take up places. In that case the assessment committee will assess other candidates from across the field of applications. 

If you have any questions in the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact us on scholarships@soas.ac.uk and we will be happy to answer.