Mike Mansfield Fellowship Program 2027 – 2028

Applications are now open for the Mike Mansfield Fellowship Program 2027 to 2028 (31st Class), a funded professional fellowship that sends US federal government employees to Japan for a full year. The program is open to employees working in fields such as trade, defense, space, aviation, health, energy, education, and finance, and the deadline is November 2, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EDT.

During the program, Fellows’ home agencies keep paying their salaries and benefits, while the Mansfield Foundation provides Japanese language training, a homestay in Ishikawa Prefecture, ten months of placements in Japanese government offices, and funding for professional travel. Only US citizens who are current federal employees with at least two consecutive years of service can apply. The official program information does not mention any application fee. You can check out BS, MS, PhD and postdoc positions here.

Key Details:

• Degree Type: Professional fellowship
• Host country: Japan
• Organizer: Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation
• Sponsor: US Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
• Funding Type: Fully Funded.
• Application fee: None
• Open to all nationalities: No, US citizens only
• Application deadline: November 2, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EDT

What This Scholarship Offers:

• Your home agency keeps paying you for the whole year, so you do not lose income.
• Your agency must give you a position when you return.
• Tailored classes before departure, seven weeks of intensive study in Ishikawa, and weekly lessons in Tokyo.
• A seven week homestay with a Japanese family in Kanazawa.
• Ten months of full time work with Japanese colleagues, giving you an insider’s view of how Japan makes policy.
• The Foundation covers applicable costs for site visits, study tours, and conferences outside Tokyo.
• Limited financial help so your spouse and children can join you in Japan.
• Foundation staff help with placements, apartment hunting, and orientations.

Also Check: Postdoctoral Fellowships at Uppsala University 2027, Sweden

Eligibility Criteria:

• You are a US citizen.
• You are a US federal government employee.
• You have at least two consecutive years of federal service immediately before pre departure training begins.
• You have written approval from your home agency to apply.
• You agree to serve at least two more years in the federal government after the program.
• You are not an applicant from the US Air Force in this cycle (see the notice below).

Executive branch Fellows take part as detailees to the Mansfield Foundation. Fellows from the legislative and judicial branches take part as non detailees and do not need to submit the Agency Authorization Form.

Notice for US Air Force Applicants

The US Air Force has paused its support for the program until further notice. Air Force applicants are not eligible for selection in this cycle. Questions can be sent to Stephen Ching, Japan Country Director, USAF, at [email protected].

Japanese Language Requirement

You do not need to be fluent to apply. Your required amount of language study before departure depends on your level on the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) scale:

• ILR Level 0: Full time classes required (30 or more hours per week)
• ILR Level 1: Full time classes strongly encouraged (30 or more hours per week). Exceptional candidates with only part time approval may study 10 to 20 hours per week
• ILR Level 2: At least 10 hours per week
• ILR Level 3 or above: At least 4 hours per week

Also Check: ETH AI Center Postdoc Fellowship 2027 in Zurich, Switzerland

Programs Available:

The Fellowship is open to employees from more than 40 federal agencies, so many career fields are eligible. Based on the agencies and roles listed in the program materials, the fields include:

• Foreign Affairs and Diplomacy
• International Relations
• Defense and Security Cooperation
• Military and Defense Policy
• Space Policy and Operations
• Aviation and Air Traffic Management
• Aviation Safety and Regulation
• Transportation
• International Trade
• Economics and Finance
• Agriculture and Agricultural Trade
• Energy
• Nuclear Policy and Regulation
• Environment
• Health and Medical Devices
• Public Health and Drug Regulation
• Education and Academic Exchange
• Science and Technology
• Maritime Security and Coast Guard Operations
• Law and Justice
• Homeland Security
• Legislative and Policy Work

Why You Should Apply:

If you want a career that involves the US and Japan relationship, this is one of the strongest paths available. You spend a paid year inside the Japanese government, return with a guaranteed position, and bring back skills that few federal employees have. Past alumni now hold senior Japan roles at the National Security Council, the Office of the US Trade Representative, and the Departments of War, Commerce, Transportation, and the Treasury.

Also Check: NASA Postdoctoral Program (Fully Funded Fellowship)

Application Timeline:

• August 2026: Application opens
• November 2, 2026: Application closes at 11:59 p.m. EDT
• Mid November 2026: Invitations sent to interview candidates
• November 16 to 20, 2026: Virtual Japanese language assessments
• December 1 to 3, 2026: Interviews
• Early December 2026: Selection results announced
• January 20, 2027: Signed Three Party Agreements due
• February 1, 2027: Pre departure training begins
• July 1, 2027: Fellows begin the program in Japan
• June 30, 2028: Program ends

Contact Information:

• Program questions: [email protected]
• Portal technical problems: [email protected]
• Official website: www.mansfieldfellows.org
• Address: The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation, 1156 15th Street NW, Suite 1105, Washington, DC 20005
• Phone: (202) 347 1994

Also Check: Georg Arnhold Senior Fellowship 2028 in Brunswick, Germany

How to Apply:

1. Confirm that you meet the eligibility requirements and get written approval from your home agency.
2. Open the application portal at mansfield.embark.com/apply/2027.
3. Complete the online application form with these sections:
   • General Information
   • Professional Experience and Education
   • Japan and Foreign Culture Experiences
   • Essays and Placement Proposal, including a Personal Statement (500 words or less), a Lifestyle Adjustment Essay (300 words or less), and an Initial Placement Proposal (3 to 5 proposed placements with a 300 word summary)
4. Submit your signed Agency Authorization Form from your home agency. Legislative and judicial branch applicants can skip this step.
5. Register your recommenders in the portal. You need one letter from your current supervisor and one from another official at your home agency. A third letter from a character reference is optional. Each letter must be one page or less on agency letterhead, and recommenders cannot be related to you.
6. Make sure your recommenders submit their letters through the portal before the deadline.
7. Submit your complete application before 11:59 p.m. EDT on November 2, 2026.

Also Check: Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships 2027 in California