Apply to Research Internship

Students in undergraduate program or recently graduated interested in joining the OIST PhD program may undertake educational activity at OIST as a Research Intern. A research internship at OIST provides students with experience working in a research environment under the direction of OIST faculty.

Research Intern places are awarded twice a year on a competitive basis. Selection is highly competitive, and depends on suitability of the intended research, academic background, available funding and space. Not all available positions will necessarily be filled.

Candidates are considered for admission without regard to gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability, medical condition, race, ethnicity, ancestry, culture, national origin, religion, or marital status. Applications from women and minorities are strongly encouraged.

Application Procedure

  1. Applications to the program must be made through the online form.
  2. You can only submit your application after at least one recommendation letter is received in the application system.
  3. You will receive an auto-notification that your application has been received. (Please check your settings to ensure you can receive emails from @oist.jp domain.)
  4. Following the application period, applications will be screened and selection will be completed.
  5. The result announcement will be posted on your application platform 3 months after the application deadline. You will receive a notification when the result is posted. (In some cases, applicants’ email services/settings prevent receipt of our notifications. Please confirm that your inbox is able to receive emails from @oist.jp domain.)
  6. Following final confirmation of internship offers, all necessary arrangements will be made, in cooperation with the interns. Your cooperation is required for timely completion of logistics to begin the internship, including possible visa preparations and other necessary Japanese government documentation.

Eligibility

Those eligible to apply for the OIST Research Internship Program include excellent students who are in the final 2 years of the undergraduate or Masters programs in universities, colleges, junior colleges, and vocational schools in Japan or overseas, or graduates of such institutions. Currently enrolled students must have approval from their home institution. Academic background of applicants should be appropriate to their desired host unit(s) at OIST.Application Deadline

Application RoundDesired Starting Date RangeApplication PeriodResult Announcement
Round 1Starting between October – MarchMarch 15th – April 15th, 23:59 (JST UTC+9)July
Round 2Starting between April – SeptemberSeptember 15th -October 15th, 23:59 (JST UTC+9)January

*Due to COVID-19, arrivals of students residing outside of Japan is subjected to the international travel restrictions. Under current requirements, foreign residents will have to do 14 days self-quarantine after arriving to Japan. Upon arrival, all students are required to undertake PCR testing prior to starting the program.  There will be no fee for this.

Therefore, please note that your departure date for OIST will be:

Foreign residents: about 3 weeks prior to internship start date
Residents in Japan: about 3 days prior to internship start dateRequired Application Materials

You will need to open an account in order to apply to the program. Be sure to remember your username and password. You may complete the application all at once or in multiple sessions. Please fill out and submit the following materials to apply for the program:

1) Curriculum Vitae Sheet

Please upload your CV on the online application form.

2) Statement of Interest

The Statement of Interest form is provided on the online application form.

Please write a 400-word statement including the following points:

  • How does OIST and your desired research unit(s) fit with your current expertise and skill set? If you are interested in multiple research units, please explain your interest and fit for each briefly within one single statement.
  • What do you hope to accomplish at OIST?
  • How does a research internship at OIST fit into your overall career plans/aspirations?

3) Academic Transcript

Scanned copies of your current academic transcript and any other transcript from your past degree  (BSc, MSc, etc.)

  • An English explanation is required for transcripts that are not written in English.

4) Recommendation Letter

A letter of reference from an academic or research professional familiar with your work is required. Each applicant is required to have at least one and no more than three letters of recommendation from appropriate referees. The application system will ask your referee directly for the letter(s), using the email contact details that you provide in the web application form. Please obtain the consent of your referee before submitting their details in the form. We do not accept any letters via email from applicants. Applicants will be automatically notified within the application system when OIST receives a recommendation letter.

5) ID Photo

Upload a recent photo, showing your face from the front in standard passport orientation.

Application form

Once you have obtained/ prepared all the documents above, please apply to the program through thisĀ APPLICATION FORM

The OIST Graduate School offers education and research opportunities through our Research Intern program. The duration of the internship is typically from 2 to 6 months. These short-term placements give students the opportunity to gain experience in a particular laboratory or to learn a specific technique. Interns will work under the direction of a Professor and contribute to the research activities of OIST.

Internships may begin and end at any time during the year, with two application periods. For details about the application process and deadlines, please see the section “Apply to Research Internship.”

Support

OIST will provide the following support for successful applicants.

Internship Allowance

  • JPY 2,400 per working day (taxable and weekends excluded)  

Commuting Allowance

  • OIST Shuttle Bus Pass

Travel Expenses

  • One direct round-trip air ticket (travel date will be closest date to the term of placement)

Overnight Accommodation

  • Furnished apartment on or off campus

Other Support

OIST will also assist in visa acquisition, insurance procedures, and local registration. This will only be provided for the student. Therefore, this does not pertain to the dependents and family members of the student.

Regulations

Applicants who intend to import biological or hazardous material for their research are urged to insure that such import is in compliance with all regulations of their home country, any country of transit, and of Japan, and to complete all necessary paperwork for importation well ahead of time.

Detailed regulations pertaining to matters of payment, intellectual property rights, attendance, health and safety, and other matters have been drawn up and will be made available to successful applicants.

Download OIST Research Internship program flyer.

See FAQ

For more information please open this link

https://admissions.oist.jp/oist-research-internship-program-description

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