Kochi University Japan TOP Admission Special Scholarship for International Students

Special Scholarship Program (SSP) is for doctoral candidates. It is a doctoral program at Kochi University of Technology, Graduate School of Engineering, Engineering Course, Department of Engineering. The scholarship provides exemptions from specified entrance examination and enrollment fees and covers tuition fee for three years, with additional payments to support living expenses and initial living/travel costs under stated conditions.

SSP is aimed at doctoral candidates who meet the listed academic, degree, age, and English proficiency conditions, and who obtain permission from a preferred SSP supervisor to apply. Applicants apply for SSP for doctoral study at Kochi University of Technology with an enrollment time of April/October. The program term is three years.

Selection is based on screening of submitted documents, interview, and an exam in the specialized subject. Applicants may be rejected before taking the interview and exam. The interview and exam may be conducted via Webex or other communication tools.

The scholarship term is three years unless the university terminates SSP student status for reasons stated in a referenced paragraph. SSP students must conduct research at Kochi University of Technology under the designated professor based on an approved research plan, report study and research achievements to the dean of the Graduate School of Engineering at the end of each semester (with evaluation), and comply with research ethics, laws, regulations, and expected student conduct.

• Doctoral candidates only
• Permission from the preferred SSP supervisor to apply
• Hold a degree from an accredited institution comparable to the master’s degree offered at Kochi University of Technology after eighteen years of education, or be scheduled to acquire such a degree before the Kochi University of Technology enrollment date
• Be 35 years old or under at the time of enrollment, in principle
• Have an excellent academic record and strong bachelor’s and master’s degrees from reputable universities
• Have the intention, adequate knowledge and research skill to study in the research field
• High English proficiency with minimum scores of TOEFL iBT 72 (Writing 17), IELTS 5.5 (Writing 5.5), CET-6, or WSK(PETS-5); applicants may not be required to submit English test score if they meet certain conditions
• Applicants must choose a maximum of two supervisors from the SSP supervisor list for pre-application and must choose only one preferred supervisor for the formal application

• Exemption from 15,000 yen entrance examination fee
• Exemption from 300,000 yen enrollment fee
• Exemption from 535,800 yen/year tuition fee for three years
• 150,000 yen/month scholarship for three years to support living expenses
• 150,000 yen provided for travel and initial living costs (given only to international applicants who are living outside Japan and who have, or have the intention to acquire, Student status of Japanese residence at the time of entry into Japan)

1. Choose a maximum of two supervisors from the SSP Supervisor List.
2. Send a complete online pre-application request to your preferred supervisors via the Kochi University of Technology online pre-application request form and obtain the supervisor’s permission to apply for the SSP program.
3. Ensure you do not make a pre-application request to more than two supervisors in a given entry period.
4. If your preferred supervisor does not reply within two weeks from submission of the online pre-application request form, your pre-application is considered rejected.
5. When your preferred supervisor contacts you, respond promptly.
6. After obtaining permission from the supervisor(s), choose only one preferred supervisor.
7. Complete all required documents and submit them to Kochi University of Technology by post so that the documents reach Kochi University of Technology by the deadline.
8. After screening of submitted documents, participate in the interview and specialized-subject exam (if scheduled).