UNESCO/Keizo Obuchi Young Researchers' Fellowship 2026
UNESCO with Government of Japan
Ten fellowships of up to US$10,000 for young researchers from eligible UNESCO Member States to carry out a three to nine month research stay in Japan.
- Deadline
- 30 September 2026, midnight Paris time (01:00 EAT on 1 October)
- Funding
- Up to USD 10,000
- Region
- Global
- Uganda
- Uganda eligible
- Who can apply
- Young researchers
- Career stage
- Early-career researcher
In 30 seconds
- How much: up to US$10,000.
- How many: 10 fellowships.
- Who: young researchers from eligible UNESCO Member States, including Uganda.
- Where: research is carried out in Japan, February to December 2027, for three to nine months.
- Biggest condition: you must apply through your National Commission for UNESCO, not directly.
- Due: 30 September 2026, midnight Paris time (01:00 EAT on 1 October).
What this opportunity is
The UNESCO/Keizo Obuchi Young Researchers' Fellowship is funded by the Government of Japan through the Japan Funds-in-Trust. It supports young researchers from eligible Member States, including Uganda, to undertake research in Japan.
Ten fellowships of up to US$10,000 are offered. The research period runs from February to December 2027, with individual stays of three to nine months.
The critical procedural point is the submission route: candidatures are put forward by the National Commission for UNESCO of the applicant's country, not accepted as ordinary individual submissions. National Commissions apply their own internal deadlines, which are usually earlier than the UNESCO deadline.
What it funds
- A research stay in Japan of three to nine months
- Research within the official 2026 UNESCO research fields, as listed in the current call
Eligibility
- Countries
- Eligible UNESCO Member States, including Uganda
- Submission route
- Through the National Commission for UNESCO of the applicant's country
- Host country
- Japan
- Research period
- February to December 2027, three to nine months
- Age and qualification criteria
- As stated in the official 2026 call. Do not rely on criteria from earlier rounds.
- Research fields
- As listed in the official 2026 call.
Is this a good fit for you?
Methods Bench interpretation, not official funder eligibility.
Apply if
- You meet the age and qualification criteria in the official 2026 call
- Your topic falls within the official 2026 research fields
- You can start a research stay in Japan between February and December 2027
- You can meet your National Commission's internal deadline
Probably skip if
- You cannot travel to or reside in Japan during the 2027 research period
- You intend to apply directly to UNESCO without National Commission endorsement
- Your topic falls outside the official 2026 research fields
What you need to prepare
Required by the call
- Application submitted via the National Commission for UNESCO, in the format required by the official 2026 call
How the application works
- 1Read the official 2026 call
Confirm this year's research fields and age and qualification criteria.
- 2Contact your National Commission for UNESCO
In Uganda this is the Uganda National Commission for UNESCO. Ask for their internal deadline and format.
- 3Identify a host institution in Japan
Plan a research stay of three to nine months within February to December 2027.
- 4Submit through the National Commission
Your Commission forwards endorsed candidatures to UNESCO by 30 September 2026.
Key dates
- Deadline
- 30 September 2026
- Research period begins
- 1 February 2027
- Research period ends
- 31 December 2027
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The Methods Bench take
Our editorial reading of the call. The funder remains the authoritative source.
- Best suited for
- Early-career researchers with a Japanese host contact and time to work through a National Commission nomination.
- The main hurdle
- The National Commission route. The effective deadline is your Commission's internal one, which is usually well before 30 September.
- Start early on
- Contacting the Uganda National Commission for UNESCO and securing a host institution in Japan.
- Watch out for
- Relying on eligibility rules from a previous round. Research fields and criteria are set afresh in each call.
Before you start, check
- Have I contacted my National Commission and confirmed its internal deadline?
- Do I meet the 2026 age and qualification criteria?
- Is my topic in a 2026 research field?
- Do I have a Japanese host institution?
- Can I be in Japan between February and December 2027?
Working on an application?
We can help you sharpen the research question, study design, methods, analysis plan or the full proposal. Methods Bench is independent and is not affiliated with this funder.
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