1. Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures
  2. School of Languages, Cultures and Societies
  3. Scholarships
  4. Sasakawa postgraduate studentships in Japanese studies

Sasakawa postgraduate studentships in Japanese studies

  • UK/International: All regions
  • Summary: As part of the five-year programme designed to support the study of Japan in the UK at postgraduate level, which the Nippon Foundation and the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation re-launched in 2018, East Asian Studies at the University of Leeds invites applications from suitably qualified candidates who wish to pursue a taught MA programme in Film Studies with a focus on Japanese cinema, a MA by research (MAR) in Japanese Studies or a PhD in Japanese Studies starting October 2023. For the taught MA programme in Film Studies, the successful candidate will need to take the module on Transnational East Asian Cinemas and their MA dissertation needs to be focused on Japanese film.
  • Value - what money is on offer: £10,000
  • Who is eligible: These scholarships are available for students studying either MA Film Studies with a focus on Japanese cinema, MA by Research in Japanese Studies or a PhD in Japanese studies. The Sasakawa Postgraduate studentships are open to both UK and international students. In general, non-UK nationals intending to do a MA or a MAR are eligible only if they are settled in the UK or have been ordinarily resident for at least three years immediately preceding the start of their MA or MAR course. This does not apply to PhD studentship candidates.
  • Deadline: Friday 3 March 2023

How to apply

Please e-mail your personal statement and CV to Dr Irena Hayter (i.hayter@leeds.ac.uk) by 3 March 2023. Candidates will be notified of the outcome of their applications early to mid-June 2023.

Applicants wishing to be considered for these studentships should apply for a place to study (MA, MAR or PhD) at the School of Languages, Cultures and Societies at the University of Leeds no later than 3 March 2022. They should note on the application form that they are applying for the Sasakawa Postgraduate Studentship in Japanese Studies. Prospective applicants need to provide a personal statement and a detailed CV by the same deadline. The personal statement should be written in Arial point 11, single-spaced, and should not exceed two pages of A4. Applicants should include the following:

  • reasons for application: please suggest reasons why you are a suitable candidate for the studentships;
  • extent of funding from other sources: the funding/scholarships you are in competition for, or have secured already;
  • research to be undertaken: research interests, extent to which the research is Japan-related,
  • anticipated dissertation title and a 300-word research proposal (for students intending to undertake a PhD; students already enrolled in a PhD programme should include a progress report on their project);
  • future academic or career plans;
  • any other relevant information in support of your application.

Further information

The Sasakawa Postgraduate Studentships are worth £10,000 and they are tenable for one year only; it is possible, however, to reapply the following year up to a maximum of three years (for those studying for a PhD) or four years (for students pursuing MA or MAR, and then PhD). The studentships can be held together with other partial funding, but not with a full scholarship (fees and maintenance) by other UK or international funding bodies. Any aspect of Japanese studies or any discipline subject where the primary focus is on Japan will be considered. Prior knowledge of the Japanese language is not a condition.

Further information about this scholarship is available on our Research opportunities webpage.

Information about the MAR and PhD programmes in East Asian Studies at the University of Leeds and instructions how to apply are available here:
https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/languages-ma-research-mar

https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/languages-research-degrees/doc/doctor-philosophy-phd-8

For both the MAR and the PhD, we strongly advise you to contact a prospective supervisor and discuss your application. Find out more about our research and supervision expertise in Japanese studies.