Japanese Studies - PhD Funding Opportunities 2026 Entry
Internal and external awards to support research in Japanese Studies.
Funding description
The funding support for Japanese Studies includes the Daiwa Scholarship. Any potential further funding opportunities for PhD Japanese Studies will be included here. Please be aware that Daiwa is an external award.
Daiwa Scholarships in Japanese Studies 2026
Daiwa Scholarships (PhD Japanese Studies)
Daiwa fund UK graduates on postgraduate Japan-related courses in either Japan or the UK.
Since 2015, scholarships have been awarded to 34 individuals, focusing on Japan in variety of areas such as archaeology, art, history, Japanese literature.
Key features of this scholarship
- Full tuition fees award (full-time only).
- A maintenance grant of £1,400 per month for periods spent in the UK and ¥280,000 per month for periods spent in Japan to cover accommodation and living costs while on the programme.
- The Foundation will contribute £1,000 towards the cost of one economy class return air fare between the UK and Japan in the case of Scholars who will be flying out to Japan to begin their course of study.
- The Foundation will contribute £1,000 towards the cost of one economy class return air fare per annum between the UK and Japan in the case of relevant travel being undertaken.
- Open to Home (UK) students studying on PhD Japanese Studies.
Candidates for the Daiwa Scholarships in Japanese Studies must be:
- Home (UK) students.
- Holders of (or currently completing) a degree in Japanese Studies, defined as a course focusing primarily on the study of Japan, and containing a substantial Japanese language component. Applicants who hold (or are completing) combined honours courses where Japanese accounts for at least 50% of the course are also eligible to apply.
- Holding an offer for PhD Japanese Studies, or enrolled on the programme.
The academic requirements for PhD Japanese Studies are:
- Bachelor's (Honours) degree at 2:1 or above (or overseas equivalent); and
- Master's degree in a relevant subject - with an overall average of 65% or above, a minimum mark of 65% in your dissertation and no mark below 55% (or overseas equivalent).
You should submit a programme application to PhD Japanese Studies before applying for a Daiwa Scholarship in Japanese Studies.
You must then begin your funding application directly with the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation. You will need to create an account, complete the application form and upload copies of your Bachelor's and Master's degree certificates and transcripts; evidence of Japanese language proficiency; and a photograph (headshot). You will also need to arrange for 2 academic referees to provide references to scholarships@dajf.org.uk.
- Strong Japanese language ability will be a key selection criterion.
- Of those applicants seeking funding for courses at UK universities, preference will generally be given to students who will undertake part of their studies in Japan. You do not need to be affiliated to a Japanese university, and there is no restriction on the length of the stay in Japan, but this has to comprise a valid part of the Scholar's course in some sense.
- Scholarships will not be awarded to former recipients of Daiwa Scholarships, or to the same individual more than once.
Full award details can be found on the Daiwa website: https://dajf.org.uk/scholarships/japanese-studies
The deadline for applications is Thursday, 29 January 2026.
For more information about this scholarship, please contact Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation scholarships@dajf.org.uk
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