Funding for Faculty and Instructors

page last updated August 13, 2025

Japan Studies Endowment (JSE) Annual Award for Faculty and Instructors

CJS faculty and Japanese language instructors receive an annual allowance for professional development. Expenses may be used toward Japan-related studies and research. Detailed documentation needs to be provided to UH Foundation in accordance with accounting procedures within the UHM system. Reports are also sent to The Japan Foundation.

2025 deadline: December 1 (Monday) 

Japan Studies Endowment Award for Faculty Research and Special Projects

The UH Japan Studies Endowment Committee reviews applications for the Faculty Research and Special Projects competition twice a year: October 1 and March 1. Applicants must be permanent U.S. residents and regular faculty at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. Priority for research support is given to proposals that focus on Japan and its heritage, and to faculty who have not received funding in recent years. (Requests for equipment [computers, cameras, etc.], summer salary, release time for manuscript preparation, as well as proposals for Summer Research that do not include a travel component, are normally not competitive.)

Please read the application for a complete description of the awards and their conditions and deadlines. Applications may be obtained from the following link:

Application Form (updated on Jan 31, 2025)

There are two categories of awards:

  • Faculty Research Award for CJS Faculty members ONLY: This award includes support for research projects undertaken for summer research (up to $5000) or during normal duty or a leave period* (up to $7500).
    • *The leave period includes one-semester leave without pay and one-semester sabbatical leave.
  • Special Projects Awards for the university-wide faculty (exclusions may apply): This award is for projects that do not fall under the Faculty Research Award category. These are contingent upon availability of funds. This category is open to the entire University, with the exception of individuals and projects in the fields of mathematics, physical sciences, natural sciences, medical sciences, and engineering.

Please submit applications via email or in-person:

  • Email: cjs.admin@hawaii.edu (please put “JSE Application” in the email subject line)
  • In-person: Center for Japanese Studies, Moore Hall, room 216

DEADLINES Faculty & Special Projects competitions:

  • October 1st – for award funding beginning no sooner than December 1 and no later than the following June 30.
  • March 1st – for award funding beginning no sooner than May 1 and no later than December 31.

Note:  When a filing deadline falls on the weekend, applications will be due the following Monday.

Committee review will typically take place within four weeks following a deadline.

Unless otherwise agreed, October cycle awards should be completed by the end of June of the following year and March cycle awards should be completed by December 31 of that year.

Questions regarding the awards or application procedures for the competitions may be directed by email to cjs.admin@hawaii.edu, with attention to Chair, UH Japan Studies Endowment Committee, Center for Japanese Studies, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.