OPERATION MANUALFor the Administration of the NF-JLEP Fellowship Program
April 2015

Operation Manual April 2015 (updated in November 2019)
For the Administration of the NF-JLEP Fellowship Program

Published by the Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research
Roppongi Grand Tower, 34th Fl.,
3-2-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-6234 Japan
Tel. +81-3-5797-8402
Fax +81-3-5570-6032
nf-jlep@tkfd.or.jp https://www.nf-jlep.org/

CONTENTS
NF-JLEP Fellowship Program Administration (Figure) .......................................................... 2
Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 3
I. Aims ...................................................................................................................................... 3
II. Structure .............................................................................................................................. 4
III. Operations ......................................................................................................................... 4
1. Basic Documents ...................................................................................................... 4(1) Agreement ........................................................................................................... 5(2) Memorandum of Understanding ..................................................................... 5
2. Program Administration ......................................................................................... 5(1) Annual Budget and Program Schedule ............................................................. 6(2) Announcement and Screening .......................................................................... 6(3) Reporting ............................................................................................................. 7(4) Administrative Expenses ................................................................................... 8(5) Language of Documentation ............................................................................. 8

IV. Revision of Agreement .................................................................................................... 8

Attachments
1. List of Fellowship Nominees (Form) ............................................................................... 9
2. Profiles of Nominees (Sample) ....................................................................................... 11
3. Annual Program Report (Form) ..................................................................................... 12
4. Memorandum of Understanding (Sample) .................................................................. 13

NF-JLEP Fellowship Program Administration(NF-JLEP Association
Secretariat)

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INTRODUCTION
This document is intended for NF-JLEP institutions that have opted to pursue a new
financial scheme (called the “NF-JLEP Fellowship Program”) under which the Tokyo
Foundation for Policy Research—rather than the NF-JLEP institution—is responsible
for endowment management. It contains practical information and provides guidance
for the efficient and effective operation of the Program. (Questions and comments
should be addressed to the Leadership Development section of the Tokyo Foundation
for Policy Research, which is responsible for the overall management of both the“new” NF-JLEP Fellowship Program and the existing NF-JLEP. Contact information isprovided at the end of the document.)

I. AIMSThe NF-JLEP Fellowship Program inherits the philosophy of NF-JLEP (the blanket
term for the following Japanese language programs: Nippon Foundation Fund forJapanese Language Education, Nippon Foundation Fellowship Fund for Japanese
Language Education, and the Sasakawa Fellowship Fund for Japanese Language
Education), under which endowments have been presented to universities andconsortia worldwide by The Nippon Foundation since 1994. The endowments havebeen invested by the NF-JLEP institutions to generate income, which has been used for
activities aimed at enhancing the quality of Japanese-language education abroad.
Under the new financial scheme, each NF-JLEP institution no longer needs toundertake endowment management. Instead, The Nippon Foundation provides theTokyo Foundation for Policy Research with funds that the Tokyo Foundation for Policy
Research invests to award NF-JLEP fellowships directly to students 1. While the new
NF-JLEP Fellowship Program is financed differently, it will be administered inaccordance with the same NF-JLEP values and aims.
One hallmark of the new Program is the commitment each NF-JLEP institution is asked
to make in achieving the Program’s goals, that is, to enhance the quality of Japaneselanguage education outside Japan by supporting outstanding students who arecommitted to either the study or teaching of the Japanese language. The focus of the new
Program will be the provision of fellowships to support individual academic endeavors.

Specific programs to be supported under the new NF-JLEP Fellowship Program will be specified in theAgreement to be signed with each institution.

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II. STRUCTURE
The NF-JLEP Fellowship Program is a collaborative undertaking among the following
organizations:
The Nippon Foundation
The Nippon Foundation is the founder of NF-JLEP. The Foundation was established in
1962 to contribute to maritime development, support domestic social welfare andvolunteer initiatives, and promote international cooperation with a focus on improving
basic human needs, developing human resources, and encouraging international
collaboration.
The Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research
The Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research provides NF-JLEP fellowships under the
new financial scheme. It is responsible for overall program management, including
collaboration with the Management Committees of NF-JLEP institutions in selecting
fellowship recipients and disbursing NF-JLEP fellowships.
NF-JLEP Institutions (NF-JLEP Management Committees)
An NF-JLEP institution operates the NF-JLEP Fellowship Program through an NFJLEP Management Committee, consisting of a chairperson and committee members.
The Management Committee is responsible for sound program operations at each
institution, including:(1) Operation of the NF-JLEP Fellowship Program (see Section III)(2) Reporting to and communicating with the Tokyo Foundation for Policy Researchon the status of program operations (see Section III)
(3) Cooperation and collaboration with the Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research on
various NF-JLEP-related programs and activities

III. OPERATIONS
1. Basic Documents
There are two basic documents: (1) an Agreement between each NF-JLEP institution
and the Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research (for “Category A” institutions thatjoined the new financial scheme by March 2018) or between each NF-JLEP institution,4

the Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research, and The Nippon Foundation (for “Category
B” institutions joining the new financial scheme after April 2018) 2 and a Memorandumof Understanding between the Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research and individual
fellowship recipients.
(1) Agreement
The Agreement shall include the following information:(a) Name of Program at Each Institution
Each NF-JLEP institution will use the name, “NF-JLEP Fellowship Program.”(b) Eligibility
Fellowships are awarded to outstanding students enrolled in degree programs at
NF-JLEP institutions who are committed to Japanese-language education outside ofJapan.
(c) Fellowship Amount per Institution
The Agreement specifies the maximum total amount provided annually as
fellowships per institution (the same for all institutions).
(d) Fellowship Amount per Student
The amount of fellowship awarded per student at an NF-JLEP institution shall beagreed upon annually in writing, based on consultation between the NF-JLEP
institution and the Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research. Please refer to “Budget”
in 2-(1) of page 6 for details.
(2) Memorandum of Understanding
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will be signed between the Tokyo
Foundation for Policy Research and individual recipients before fellowships are
disbursed.
2. Program Administration
The NF-JLEP Management Committee is responsible for (1) submitting an annual
Until March 2018, institutions returned their NF-JLEP funds to the donor, The Nippon Foundation, andnew scheme Agreements were signed by only two parties—the NF-JLEP institution and the Tokyo
Foundation for Policy Research. Since April 2018, the Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research has become
the direct recipient of NF-JLEP funds from institutions joining the new scheme. This change required that
The Nippon Foundation also become a signatory to the Agreement to confirm that it endorses this action.

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budget and program schedule to the Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research, (2)announcing a call for applications and sending a list of nominees to the Foundation, (3)implementing an orientation program for and maintaining communication withfellows, and (4) submitting an Annual Program Report to the Foundation.
(1) Annual Budget and Program Schedule
Before announcing a call for applications, the Management Committee is asked tosubmit a budget and program schedule for the coming year to the Tokyo Foundation
for Policy Research early enough so that they can be confirmed by the Foundation andagreed upon between the Management Committee and the Foundation.
BudgetThe budget should include information on: (1) the amount of fellowship to beawarded per student, (2) total number of fellowships, and (3) anticipated numbersof new and renewing recipients. NF-JLEP fellowships should ideally enable thebest and brightest students to commit themselves fully to their academic
endeavors. The fellowship amount per student should be determined by the NFJLEP Management Committee with this in mind. It should therefore be comparable
to that offered by other prestigious scholarship and fellowship programs at therespective institutions.
Program Schedule
The program schedule should include dates for: (1) announcement, (2) screening of
applicants, (3) nomination of candidates to the Foundation, (4) (preferred date for)notification of the Foundation’s decision, and (5) (preferred date for) disbursementof fellowships to individual students.
(2) Announcement and Screening
The process of screening fellowship applicants must be open and transparent. The NFJLEP Management Committee should announce a call for applications in ways that arereadily accessible to eligible students using posters, fliers, websites, institutional andlocal newsletters, and other means, and screen applicants on a competitive basis. The
announcement should include the name of the Program (“NF-JLEP Fellowship
Program”) and the Program’s aims. The Management Committee is also asked to
inform applicants that successful applicants need to conclude a Memorandum ofUnderstanding (III-1-(2)) with the Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research and to submit

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an NF-JLEP Fellowship Report (III-2-(3))—both, in principle, in English. Applicantsshould be screened on the basis of academic excellence and potential to contribute to
the promotion of Japanese-language education outside of Japan. Each institution may
use its own criteria in selecting the nominees.
Once the nominees are selected, the NF-JLEP Management Committee should send a“List of Fellowship Nominees” (Attachment 1) and “Profiles of Nominees”(Attachment 2) to the Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research. The Foundation will
review the documents and make a final selection, notify the outcome of its decision to
the Management Committee and individual nominees, and disburse the fellowships
directly to successful candidates. The number of recipients will be determined by the
maximum amount of fellowships allocated to each institution and the amount awarded
to each recipient, as set forth in the Agreement.
(Note) The Management Committee may nominate candidates to whom fellowships
are committed for more than one year (up to three years, unless otherwise agreed upon
between the Foundation and the institution). The Management Committee is requested
to report on such fellows’ progress each year, using the form for the Profiles ofNominees (Attachment 2). Once the report is approved by the Foundation, an MOU
will be signed between the fellow and the Foundation to renew the fellowship for thesecond or third year. In other words, An MOU needs to be signed for each year that afellowship is awarded. The Management Committee is kindly requested to promptly
notify the Foundation in case a renewal is no longer feasible.
(3) Reporting
Annual reports should be submitted by both the Management Committee andindividual fellows.
NF-JLEP Management Committee
All NF-JLEP institutions are required to submit an “Annual Program Report”(Attachment 3) within three months of the end of each academic year.
NF-JLEP Fellows
All NF-JLEP fellows are requested to submit a “NF-JLEP Fellowship Report”
within 30 days of the completion of the NF-JLEP fellowship period, in accordancewith Section 3 (Final Report) of the Memorandum of Understanding (Attachment 4).

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(4) Administrative Expenses
If administrative expenses are needed to undertake the above three responsibilities, theFoundation will provide administrative fees. The maximum amount of administrative
fee is specified in the Agreement.
(5) Language of Documentation
As mentioned in III-2-(2), all documents exchanged between the fellow and the Tokyo
Foundation for Policy Research will, in principle, be in English, including theMemorandum of Understanding and the NF-JLEP Fellowship Report. The
Management Committee is requested to provide appropriate assistance in case theEnglish-language skills of a fellow are inadequate to fulfill these documentation
requirements.

IV. REVISION OF AGREEMENT
If an NF-JLEP institution wishes to revise the scope of eligibility (type of student,
fellowship amount, etc.) as stipulated in the Agreement, the institution may propose an“Amendment” to be signed by the Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research and the NFJLEP institution.

***
For further information and inquiries, please contact:
NF-JLEP Association Secretariat, c/o The Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research
Roppongi Grand Tower, 34th Fl.
3-2-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-6234 Japan
Phone: +81-(0)3-5797-8402 / Fax: +81-(0)3-5570-6032
e-mail: nf-jlep@tkfd.or.jp / NF-JLEP website: www.nf-jlep.org/
Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research website: www.tokyofoundation.org/en

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9

5

4

3

2

1

#

Institution
Name

FamilynameStudent's Name

(1) Basic Information

Given name

List of Fellowship Nominees

Middle nameMale / Mr. /Female Ms.
Student's Address

Zip code Country

E-mailaddress
Starting Starting Ending
month year
month

Fellowship periodEndingyear

DegreeStatusbachelor's
or master'sor doctral
Current year
Fellowshipof yourType
programNew /Continuing
Fellowship
FellowshipamountDepartmen Research topic
t/ Faculty if applicable

Attachment 1-1

SWIFT code
anyBank & Address if Message

Intermediary

10
fellowship

fellowship4

5

fellowshipBank account or IBAN code

3

No:2

Yes:1

Use IBAN code?

fellowshipCountry2

Name/Bank Branch Address

Bank Name/Bank Branch

fellowship

Account Holder's Name/Address

1#

When writing on this sheet, please do NOT use accent marks or other special characters, such as umlaut (Ü)

USD

USD

USD

USD

USD

Currency(2) Bank Account Information for Disbursement of Fellowship
Please confirm that your bank is able to receive international money transfer. Otherwise, please specify an intermediatry bank information.

List of Fellowship Nominees

AmountAttachment 1-2

Attachment 2

Profiles of Nominees
1. Basic Information:
Name(Family name)(Given name)Mr. / Ms. / other

NF-JLEP institution
Department/faculty
Enrolled as 1st / 2nd /3rd (choose one) year undergraduate /Undergraduate/MA/PhD

master’s / doctoral (choose one) student
Degree expected in: (mm/yyyy)

2. Fellowship Information:
No. of times applied
Fellowship type
Fellowship period

Applying for NF-JLEP fellowship for 1st / 2nd / 3rd time (chooseone)

Scholarships (tuition, living expenses etc.) / travel grant (chooseone)

From (mm/yyyy) to (mm/yyyy)

3. About the Nominee:
Please provide below or on a separate page a brief description of the nominee, including:(1) Why the nominee is considered worthy for a NF-JLEP fellowship.

(2) The academic activities the nominee proposes to undertake during the NF-JLEP
fellowship period.

OR, if fellow is applying for NF-JLEP fellowship for 2nd or 3rd time, please provide thefollowing information:(1) Progress and evaluation of fellow’s research/study in light of his/her original plan.

(2) The academic activities the fellow proposes to undertake during the next NF-JLEP
fellowship period.

I hereby certify that all the information given above is correct to the best of my knowledge.

_____________________________
Signature__________________________Date(NF-JLEP Management Committee chair or member)

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Attachment 3

Annual Program Report
This report should be completed, signed, and submitted by a NF-JLEP Management
Committee member within three months following the end of each academic year.
Name of Institution: ________________________
Academic Year: From (month) ______ (year) ______ through (month) ______ (year) ______
Program Information
1. Overall assessment of the immediate past academic year’s NF-JLEP program and activities(e.g., positive outcomes, difficulties, and areas of improvement)
2. Positioning of NF-JLEP fellowship in terms of competitiveness and prestige, comparedwith other major fellowships/scholarships available at your institution
3. Events or activities carried out for the NF-JLEP at your institution (e.g., an award ceremony
for new fellows, discussion meetings organized by fellows)
5. Notable accomplishments by fellows (past and present)
6. List of the members of the NF-JLEP management committee. Note if there have been any
changes.
7. URL related to the NF-JLEP at your institution

This report completed by:Name:
Title:______________________________
Date________________________________
Signature

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Attachment 4

Memorandum of Understanding
20xx-xxx NF-JLEP Fellowship ProgramThis Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the NF-JLEP Fellowship Program (the“Program”) is entered into by and between the Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research (the“Foundation”) and Given name Family name (the “Fellow”), a student currently enrolled in
the bachelor's or master's or doctoral Japanese language program at the Institution name
WHEREAS:(A) The Foundation administers the Program whereby students at NF-JLEP institutions
receive fellowships to pursue an undergraduate degree.
(B) The Fellow has applied to the Program through the Institution name and been selectedby the Foundation as a Fellow under the Program.
(C) The Foundation agrees to provide a fellowship to the Fellow in accordance with theterms and conditions set forth as follows:
1. Purpose of the Fellowship: The Fellow shall use the fellowship in accordance with theInformation on Fellow’s Studies/Research (hereinafter called the “Information”) attached tothis Memorandum of Understanding.
2. Amount and Disbursement of the Fellowship: The amount of the award US$ Amount ofFellowship is not negotiable, and the Fellow may not request additional funding from theFoundation. The fellowship will be transferred to the bank account that the fellow submitted
to the NF-JLEP institution.
3. Final Report: The Fellow shall submit a narrative report to the Foundation within 30 days
after the fellowship period is completed, as stated in the Information of this MOU. The reportshall be in the format and according to the instructions provided in the NF-JLEP Fellowship
Report (hereinafter called the “Report”) attached to this MOU.
4. Alterations: If the Fellow wishes to make any changes to his/her studies or research
activities, as stated in the Information, the Fellow shall consult with and obtain prior approval
from the Foundation.
5. Refund: If the Fellow is found to have used all or part of the fellowship received from theFoundation for any purpose other than to pursue activities as stated in the Information of
the MOU, or if the Fellow is no longer capable of carrying out the activities as contemplated
in this MOU, the Fellow shall promptly, upon the Foundation’s request, repay all funds not
expended or committed for the purpose of the Program.
6. Academic Misconduct: The NF-JLEP institution shall promptly notify the Foundation
should it learn of any academic misconduct (and any penalties incurred) by the Fellow. The
Foundation may subsequently void the status of the Fellow as a fellowship recipient under
the Program and request, at its sole discretion, a refund of the fellowship in full or in13

accordance with Article 5 of this MOU.
7. Public Relations: The Fellow agrees to the inclusion of his/her name as a fellowshiprecipient in the Foundation’s annual report. The Foundation may also, with the Fellow’s
permission, post part or all of the Report on the Foundation-managed website and/or inprinted publicity materials.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto sign this MOU on the day and year set forth
below.
The Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research
Roppongi Grand Tower, 34th Floor
3-2-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-6234
Japan

By ___________________________________
Izumi Kadono
President

Date _____________________

Student’s address
Zip codeCountry
By ___________________________________
Date _____________________
Given name Middle name Family name14

Information on Fellow’s Studies/Research
The fellowship will be used by the Fellow for the following:
Period of FellowshipStarting month Starting year to Ending month Ending year
Degree Status*** year of undergraduate program
Field of Specialization
Japanese Language
Research Topic if applicable***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

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NF-JLEP Fellowship Report
Please use this form as the cover page of your Program report. The report should be signed
and submitted via email within 30 days of the completion of your NF-JLEP fellowship period.
About Yourself
Name: □Mr. □Ms.

________________________
Given name(s)Family nameInstitution attended while receiving the fellowship:
Faculty/department:
Title of master’s thesis/doctoral dissertation (if applicable):
Anticipated date of:-Submission of master’s thesis/doctoral dissertation (if applicable):(month/year)-

Graduation://(month/year)

Profile自己紹介を、300～400 字程度で述べてください。
About Your Study/Research
Amount of NF-JLEP Fellowship received:
currency)(indicateIf you received additional support from other sources, please indicate source and amount,
including tuition/fee waivers:
Source: _____________________________________

Amount: ______________ (indicate currency)

Study/Research Highlights
以下の質問のうち、いずれか（どちらでも好きな方）に、800～1000 字程度で答えてくだ
さい。
1) 修士論文または博士論文の研究について、簡潔に説明してください。研究の進捗状況によって、以下に関する記述を含みます：研究目的、過去の文献研究について、用いられる理論・モデル・仮説について、研究の結果と示唆、今後の研究予定
2) 自分の日本語学習について、専門分野、興味のあること、学習の目的、これまでの進捗などにふれて、述べてください。
Career Objectives
将来のキャリアについての目標、そしてその選択の理由を、800～1000 字程度で書いてください。
Your signature
Date of submission

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