Kochi University of Technology Kami Japan Special Scholarship Program for Ph.D. Students

The Special Scholarship Program (SSP) is for doctoral candidates and is project-based. It is offered by Kochi University of Technology (KUT) through a list of SSP research projects. The program is conducted in the Doctoral Program within the Department of Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, with English used as the medium of study.

Applicants must choose one research project from the SSP Research Project List and seek permission from that project leader before a formal application. Enrollment is available for April and October intake, and no more than three SSP students can be enrolled concurrently for each project leader.

Eligibility requires permission from the preferred project leader and meeting academic, education-length, age, research-intent, and English-proficiency conditions. Admission decisions are made after screening of submitted documents, a web interview, and an examination in the specialized subject required for the selected research project. Applicants may be rejected before the interview and written examination.

Scholarship support runs for one term and can be extended in one-term increments up to a total of three terms, unless the university terminates SSP student status for stated reasons. SSP students must work 50 hours per month on the specified research project at the university and report study and research achievements to the dean of the Graduate School of Engineering at the end of each semester, with evaluation of the submitted report.

• Must be a doctoral candidate and apply for a project-based SSP research project.
• Must obtain permission from the leader of the applicant’s preferred SSP project to apply for that project.
• Must hold a degree from an accredited institution comparable to the master’s degree offered at KUT after completion of education spanning more than 18 years, or be scheduled to acquire such a degree before KUT enrollment.
• Must be aged 35 or under at the time of enrollment, in principle.
• Must have an excellent academic record and strong bachelor’s and master’s degrees from reputable universities.
• Must have the intention, adequate knowledge, and research skill to work in the research project.
• Must have high English proficiency: TOEFL iBT 72; IELTS 5.5; CEFR B2; or CET6.
• Completion requirement for SSP students (to complete the doctoral program and acquire a doctoral degree): publication of two or more high level peer-reviewed papers required by at least two months before the completion of the program.
• To be enrolled if still working toward a master’s degree: must produce a verified original master’s degree certificate in English or Japanese from the applicant’s university before enrollment can be completed.

• Exemption from the entrance examination fee: 30,000 yen.
• Exemption from the enrollment fee: 300,000 yen.
• Tuition fee exemption: 535,800 yen per year.
• Monthly salary for research project work: 150,000 yen per month.
• Taxes: must pay some amount of taxes from the salary.
• Travel and initial living costs: 150,000 yen (provided only to international applicants living outside Japan who have, or have the intention to acquire, “Student” status of Japanese residence at the time of entry into Japan).

1. Choose one research project from the SSP Research Project List.
2. Send a completed Online Pre-Application Request to the leader of the preferred project via the KUT Online Pre-Application Request Form.
3. Send the pre-application request at least 6 weeks before the formal application deadline (formal deadline is given in the admission schedule).
4. After receiving permission from the project leader, complete all required documents and submit them to KUT by post.
5. Ensure the submitted documents reach KUT by the deadline.
6. Admission selection is based on screening of the documents, a web interview, and an exam in the specialized subject required for the selected research project.

• List of required SSP application documents: null