OIST Internship in Japan (Fully Funded) (Spring 2027)

Applications are open for the OIST Research Internship in Japan for the Spring 2027 intake. This is a fully funded internship for international students, with a duration of 3 to 6 months. The internship is hosted at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) and will run from April 1st, 2027, to September 30th, 2027. Interns will work under the guidance of an OIST supervisor.

This is a fully funded program. Benefits include an internship allowance of 2,400 JPY per day, a community allowance (OIST Shuttle Bus Pass), one direct round-trip air ticket for travel expenses, furnished on or off-campus housing, and administrative support including visa assistance.

This internship is open to international students from any country, with no nationality restrictions. Applicants must be currently enrolled in their last two years of a bachelor's degree, enrolled in any year of a master's degree, or have recently graduated with a bachelor's or master's degree from a university, college, junior college, or vocational school (in Japan or overseas). If you will be in your final two years of a bachelor's degree by the start of the proposed internship, you are also eligible. Currently enrolled students must obtain approval from their home institution. The academic background of applicants should be appropriate to their desired host unit(s) at OIST. Current or graduated PhD students are not eligible. No IELTS or TOEFL test is required.

Required documents include an updated Curriculum Vitae, a Statement of Interest, a Letter of Recommendation, Academic Transcripts, and an ID Photo. All documents must be prepared in English and saved as PDF files for online submission. An application fee of 3,000 JPY is required and is non-refundable.

Applications must be submitted through the online application form on the official OIST website. You will need to create an account to apply. Prepare all required documents in English, save them as PDF files, 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. It is recommended to use a computer for the online application.

The minimum duration for the internship is 4 months (120 days), and the maximum is 6 months within one period of internship. The schedule is tentative and subject to change. This program is intended for individuals who need more research experience and are interested in potentially joining OIST's PhD Program in the future.