NAOJ OPPORTUNITIES

III. Doctoral Course at the Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI)

As the host institute of the Astronomical Science Program of the Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies at SOKENDAI, NAOJ provides education and research guidance for graduate students, and welcomes international students.

More details about SOKENDAI can be found at the websites below.

Described below are scholarship and financial aid programs for international students accepted to NAOJ. (Please check the application requirements when applying as some programs do not allow duplicate grant awards.)

1. NAOJ Junior Fellowship

The NAOJ Junior Fellowship is intended for students with exceptional research abilities and motivations for pursuing a career in research.

Students applying to SOKENDAI are automatically considered for this scholarship program. Recipients are selected based on the results of their entrance examinations.

The scholarship benefits include:

  • Admission fees
  • Tuition fees
  • Monthly allowance of 150,000 JPY
  • Travel expenses

More details about the NAOJ Junior Fellowship can be found at the website below.

Application Guidelines for NAOJ Junior Fellow

2. NAOJ Associate Researcher Support System

The Associate Researcher Support System is designed for SOKENDAI students belonging to the Astronomical Science Program with outstanding academic records to work on NAOJ’s research projects in order to develop their research abilities as young scientists. It also aims to provide an opportunity for these students to gain experience on how they can conduct research effectively and enrich their research environments.

If you wish to become an Associate Researcher, you need to apply for this program after your admission to SOKENDAI. Recipients are selected based on their submitted research plans and are further categorized into three ranks. They will receive monthly research support funding ranging from 60,000 to 100,000 JPY, depending on which category they fall into.

More details about this system can be found on the application guidelines delivered after the admission.

3. Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarships

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) offers scholarships for excellent international students who wish to study in graduate courses at Japanese universities as research students. SOKENDAI accepts international students selected for this program. This program is only available for those with the nationality of a country that has diplomatic relations with Japan.

Successful candidates are provided with the following benefits until the end of their course (but not exceeding the standard course duration for a Ph.D. degree).

  • Scholarship
  • Round-Trip Airfare
  • Educational Fees (tuition, admission, and exam fees)

More details about the Japanese Government Scholarships can be found at the relates websites below.

To receive a MEXT Scholarship, applicants must submit their applications and be selected before being admitted to SOKENDAI. Those who are applying for other scholarship programs are not eligible to this program.

There are the following three ways to apply for this program.

(A) Embassy Recommendation

To receive an Embassy Recommendation, applicants must first apply to the Japanese Embassy or Consulate in their home country. Then, after an evaluation process, selected candidates are recommended to MEXT, which carries out the final selection.

More details about Embassy Recommendation can be found at the related websites below.

(B) University Recommendation

To receive a University Recommendation, applicants must first apply to SOKENDAI. Then, after an evaluation process, selected candidates are recommended to MEXT, which carries out the final selection.

More details about University Recommendation can be found at the relates websites below.

(C) International Priority Graduate Programs (PGP)

International Priority Graduate Programs (PGP) are intended for international students who wish to enroll in a special program adopted by MEXT. As in the case of “University Recommendation,” applicants must go through an evaluation process conducted by SOKENDAI before receiving a recommendation to MEXT, which carries out the final selection.

More details about PGP can be found at the related websites below.