[Call for Proposal] Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up for FY2026

The Application Procedures for the FY2026 Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up have been released.

Application Procedures at Hiyoshi Campus

1. Confirmation of Eligibility
   

   Please obtain the Application Procedures from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) website and verify your eligibility to apply. Please also check the restriction on parallel grant applications.
   Following your self-check, the administration office will also conduct a verification; please notify the Office of RD & Sponsored Projects, Hiyoshi Campus of your intention to apply by 5:00 PM on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.

2. Verification of e-Rad Registration Information
   

   To access the KAKENHI Electronic Application System, a Researcher Number, Login ID, and Password for the Cross-Ministerial Research and Development Management System (e-Rad) are required.
   If you do not have these, please submit an "ID/Password Issuance Request Form" to the Office of RD & Sponsored Projects, Hiyoshi Campus by 5:00 PM on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. If you have forgotten your password, please refer to page 27 and subsequent pages of the e-Rad Operation Manual.

3. Submission of Application and Recommendation Forms *Non-full-time researchers only
   

   At Keio University, for non-full-time researchers (Professors Emeriti, part-time lecturers, part-time project faculty members, and part-time researchers) to apply for KAKENHI, it is necessary to submit an application form and a letter of recommendation prior to applying, in accordance with the "Guidelines on the Eligibility for KAKENHI Application."
   Please review the guidelines here, fill out and affix your seal to the application and recommendation forms according to the examples provided, and submit them to the Office of RD & Sponsored Projects, Hiyoshi Campus. If your primary affiliation is with another institution, please also submit a "Letter of Approval from Primary Affiliation."

4. Preparation of the Research Proposal
   

   The Research Proposal consists of sections for direct entry into the KAKENHI Electronic Application System and sections to be uploaded as a Word file. Please prepare your Research Proposal while referring to the "Procedures for Preparing and Entering a Research Proposal" on the JSPS website. Please ensure that you obtain the latest version of the Word forms from the JSPS website.
   The Office of RD & Sponsored Projects, Hiyoshi Campus has compiled a document outlining the main checkpoints for the Research Proposal. Please use it as a reference.
   Furthermore, regarding the "Securing Research Integrity," from FY2024 onwards, applications cannot be made unless the Principal Investigator and all Co-Investigators have registered their status of pledge on e-Rad; therefore, please confirm the registration method from this PDF and take the necessary action.

5. Preliminary Review of the Research Proposal by the Office of RD & Sponsored Projects, Hiyoshi Campus
   

   The Office of RD & Sponsored Projects, Hiyoshi Campus provides a review of the "Draft 0" Research Proposal before it is transmitted (submitted) via the KAKENHI Electronic Application System.
   Please submit the PDF of your "Draft 0" Research Proposal to the Office of RD & Sponsored Projects, Hiyoshi Campus by the strict deadline of 5:00 PM on Tuesday, April 14, 2026. After the review, we will return the PDF to you with our comments.

6. Submission of the Research Proposal via the KAKENHI Electronic Application System
   

   Please review the comments from the Office of RD & Sponsored Projects, Hiyoshi Campus, make revisions as appropriate, and submit your proposal via the KAKENHI Electronic Application System by the strict deadline of 5:00 PM on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, then provide the final PDF version of the Research Proposal to our office. The Mita Office of Research Administration will compile all applications from across the university and submit them to JSPS.

JSPS Website for Call for Proposals Details

• FY2026 Call for Proposals: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
  

  Please check the following link for the Application Procedures, Research Proposal forms, and the Procedures for Preparing and Entering a Research Proposal.
  https://www.jsps.go.jp/j-grantsinaid/22_startup_support/download.html

• Operation Manual for the KAKENHI Electronic Application System (for Researchers)
  

  Japanese version：https://www-shinsei.jsps.go.jp/kaken/docs/manual1ka.pdf
  English version：https://www-shinsei.jsps.go.jp/kaken/docs/manual1ka-E.pdf