Those who are currently enrolled in their last two years of a bachelor's degree, enrolled in any year of a master's degree, or those who have graduated with a bachelor's or master's degree and are interested in joining the OIST PhD program may undertake educational activity at OIST as a Research Intern. A research internship at OIST gives students experience working in a research environment directed by 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. For detailed explanations of the internship, please see Research Intern Details.

OIST strives to create and maintain an inclusive, equitable, and diverse environment that does not discriminate against 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 other underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged.

For more details, please refer to the OIST Graduate School Three Policies.

Selection Schedule

 

Application Round

Application Deadline

Result Announcement

Period of internship
Spring 2025 Internship October 15, 2024,
23:59 (JST UTC+9)		 Late December 2024

Between April 1, 2025
– September 30, 2025
Fall 2025 Internship April 15, 2025,
23:59 (JST UTC+9)		 Late June 2025

Between October 1, 2025
– March 31, 2026

*Starting from the Spring 2025 Internship, the internship period must be between 3 to 6 months consecutively.
*The schedule is tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility

Those who are currently enrolled in their last two years of a bachelor's degree, enrolled in any year of a master's degree in universities, colleges, junior colleges, and vocational schools in Japan or overseas, or those who have graduated with a bachelor's or master's degree, are eligible to apply for the Research Internship at OIST.

Currently enrolled students must have approval from their home institution. The academic background of applicants should be appropriate to their desired host unit(s) at OIST.

Research Interns who belong to a Japanese university/institution are required to prepare and bring their own insurances when accepted to the OIST Research Internship program. Acceptable insurances are the combination of Gakkensai and Gakkenbai, or other insurances with similar coverage.

Application Procedure

We only accept application documents online. To apply for the program, you must create an account.
Please prepare all required documents in English, save them as a PDF file, and upload them to the application website. You can complete the application in one session or save your progress and return to finish it later.

The application for the Spring 2025 Internship has now been closed. Unsubmitted applications will not be transferred to the next application round.
If you are applying for the Fall 2025 Internship and future rounds, please await further announcements regarding the updated online application form. We expect the next application round to open in mid-December 2024.

Note: We recommend using a computer when preparing the online application. If you prefer using a mobile device, please make sure to have the latest operating system for the application website to work properly.

Required Documents

Scanned copies of your current academic transcript and any other transcript from your past degree (BSc, MSc, etc.) along with completed diploma (BSc, MSc, etc.) in PDF format.

  • A scan of an unofficial transcript or other record of grades may be uploaded to the application website.
  • English explanation is required for transcripts that are not written in English.
  • If you have not graduated and do not have a diploma yet, please upload a certificate of enrollment from your institution, preferably indicating your expected graduation date.

This should be no more than 400 words (2500 characters) and should address 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?

Each applicant is required to have at least one and no more than three letters of recommendation from appropriate academic recommenders. One is the minimum requirement, but as a rule, it is very helpful for the admissions committee to have more than one letter.

Please ensure you obtain permission and confirm that you have the correct email address before entering contact information. Your recommender will receive an automatic message from OIST requesting them to submit a recommendation letter. Recommenders must follow the instructions provided in the email. OIST does not accept recommendation letters submitted directly by applicants.

Please be considerate of your recommenders and ensure they have ample time to submit their recommendation letters before the application deadline. OIST does not grant any deadline extensions.

OIST declines to disclose any submitted recommendation letters. To ensure the objectivity of the evaluation, recommendation letters will remain confidential, and applicants will not be permitted to view the letters submitted.

You can only submit your application after at least one recommendation letter is received in the application system.

The application system requires applicants to provide their passport number and upload a scan of the passport photo page. It is essential for applicants from outside Japan to have a valid passport for travel to Japan. Ensure that you include your passport details during the application process.

If you do not have a passport at the time of application, you can upload other government-issued identification documents instead. However, if you are selected for the program, OIST will need a copy of your valid passport immediately to prepare your visa application and travel arrangement.

Please upload a recent photo taken within the last three months, showing your face from the front in standard passport orientation.