Research Support

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Research Software

If you need software to analyze your data, etc., there are several options that APU offers all students access to, free of charge. Please check the "Software" section at the bottom of the IT Basic Support page for a list of everything currently offered by the university and how to use and/or install them on your own device.

Research Subsidy

The Research Support Subsidy endeavors to support the research activities of APU graduate students. It is expected that graduate students who make use of this subsidy will use their research findings to produce an academic paper that is not only worthy of a graduate degree but also academically relevant and recognized on an international level.

	Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University Field Research Subsidy for Master’s Student	Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University Academic Conference Presentation Subsidy for Ph.D. Students
Purpose	The purpose of this fund is to encourage Master's students research activities and to assist field research associated with their research.	The purpose of this fund is to encourage doctoral students to conduct research from a broad perspective, promote collaboration in research activities, and support and encourage the presentation of research outcomes at academic conferences both domestically and internationally.
Eligibility	(1)Regular students enrolled in a Masterʼs program. (2)Not currently on a leave of absence or suspended. (3)Not in receipt of 100,000 JPY or more from external research funds in AY2026, and has willingness to use any external funds prior to the subsidy.	(1)Regular students enrolled in a Doctoral program. (2)Not currently on a leave of absence or suspended. (3)Not in receipt of 100,000 JPY or more from external research funds in AY2026, and has willingness to use any external funds prior to the subsidy.
Subsidy Amount	Actual expenses up to 75,000 JPY per person, per semester for the accepted activity	Actual expenses up to 100,000 JPY per person, per year for the accepted activity
Eligible Expenses	Expenses incurred for field research and conference presentations. Travel expenses (transportation and accommodation) incurred for field research and conference presentations Visa fees incurred in connection with field research and conference presentations Conference presentation participation fees Expenses incurred during activities such as field research (costs related to data collection, such as honoraria for focus group participants and interviewees; costs for purchasing specialized software and databases necessary for the research; conference participation fees including those for presenting research results; publication fees; proofreading fees; and costs associated with presenting papers at academic events, i.e., expenses for dissemination of the research).	Expenses incurred for conference presentations Travel expenses incurred for conference presentations (transportation and accommodation) Visa fees incurred in connection with conference presentations Conference presentation participation fees Expenses incurred during research activities such as field research necessary for preparing conference presentations (costs related to data collection, such as honoraria for focus group participants and interviewees; purchase costs for specialized software and databases required for research; conference participation fees including those for presenting research results; publication fees; proofreading fees; and costs related to presenting papers at academic events—expenses for dissemination of research).
Additional Details	The eligible time period for conducting research activities will be April 2026-Februray 28, 2027. Activities that were completed before the application was made will also be eligible, though there is no guarantee that they will be approved. In principle, the execution of research funds will be in accordance with the Research Funds Usage Guidebook. In addition, support will not be granted if receipts and other necessary documents are not submitted or if another personʼs credit card was used. Students must submit a report on the research activities conducted using this subsidy. In addition, students who utilize this scheme will be encouraged to actively present their research outcomes at AP Conferences or similar venues.
Application Guidelines	The "APU Research Funds Usage Guidebook" is APU's rules for using any research fund. Some of the wording (such as which forms to submit) is specific to faculty so you can ignore that, but the rules will govern explicitly what expenses are acceptable. The "Guidelines for the Research Support Subsidies" document explains information specific to this Research Subsidy, including deadlines and allowed uses. Research Funds Usage Guidebook AY2026 Guidelines for the AY2026 Research Support Subsidies
Application Forms	https://en.apu.ac.jp/gradinfo/other/forms/#all
Contact	Research Subsidy Team, Academic Office Email: ro-grad@apu.ac.jp

Research Ethics and Compliance Training

APU offers training programs on Research Ethics and Compliance to support the responsible and ethical conduct of research and to ensure adherence to relevant rules and regulations. All Doctoral students, and Master’s students are required to take the Research Ethics and Compliance Training programs before beginning research.
Please read this document to learn how to take the training and submit your completion certificate.

Research Involving Human Subjects (Research Compliance/Ethics Review Committee)

APU has a Research Compliance/Ethics Review Committee. There have been an increasing number of cases in which publishers require you to submit a "Letter of Acceptance from the Ethics Review Committee of the University" when publishing your paper or research achievements in an academic journal or book. You are encouraged to use this checklist before submitting your application to the Committee. Please be sure to consult with your supervisor or the Outreach and Research Office regarding the need to apply to the Committee before starting your research. Please note that reviews cannot be conducted once the research has begun or at the time of publication.

Contact: Outreach and Research Office, Liaison and Research Management Team
E-mail: reo@apu.ac.jp

Faculty Database

APU has developed a faculty database that allows APU faculty to publicize their research activities within Japan and across the world. Making our latest research results and research projects public is useful for developing partnerships with industry, promoting human resource exchange, and advancing collaborative research projects.
The contents of the Faculty Database are not only displayed on APU’s homepage, but also made available to the Japan Science and Technology Agency’s (JST) researchmap.