Overview

The Special Scholarship Program (SSP) was established in 2003 to encourage the advancement of advanced research at the university by enlisting the assistance of highly qualified doctorate students. Kochi University of Technology (KUT) offers a three-year curriculum that delivers a comprehensive education in an interdisciplinary atmosphere. KUT selects roughly 15 doctoral candidates each year to focus on specific research projects. Each student studies for a doctorate in English while also assisting his/her host professor with research projects and getting a monthly stipend in exchange for his/her efforts.

Kochi University of Technology Ph.D. Scholarship Details:

• Host University: Kochi University of Technology (KUT),  Department of Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering
• Host Country: Japan
• Study Level: Ph.D. Degree
• Duration: 3 years
• Instruction language: English
• Enrollment Time: April/October 2023

This program is designed for students who have a strong desire to engage in research projects for the entire three years, gaining substantial knowledge, talent, and capacity to become a full-fledged researcher, and who want to meet the degree requirements accordingly.

Origin of SSP international students:

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Germany, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Latvia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, Senegal, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Thailand, United States, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, etc.

Benefits

The scholarship covers:

• Exemption from the 30,000 yen entrance examination cost, the 300,000 yen enrollment fee, and the 535,800 yen tuition price every year.
• For research project work, a monthly remuneration of 150,000 yen will be paid to cover living expenses. You must pay some taxes with this salary.
• 150,000 yen is set aside for travel and living expenses. (Awarded only to international candidates who live outside of Japan and have, or intend to get, “Student” status of Japanese resident at the time of admission into Japan)

Eligibility criteria

To qualify for the scholarships, applicants must satisfy all the eligibility criteria below:

• Applicants must have permission from the applicant’s preferred SSP project leader to apply for that project.
• Have a degree from an accredited institution comparable to the master’s degree offered at KUT, or to be scheduled to attain such a degree before the KUT enrollment date.
• Outstanding academic records in Bachelor or Master’s Degree from a reputable university.
• Must be under 35 years of age.
• Applicants must have high English language proficiency.
• Must possess the required knowledge and strong research skills for undertaking research projects.

Scholarship Recipients Obligations:

• The SSP student must work 50 hours per month at the institution on a specified research topic.
• At the end of each semester, the SSP student must report his or her academic and research accomplishments to the dean of the Graduate School of Engineering. The dean of the Graduate School of Engineering will review the submitted report.

Completion Requirements:

• Enrollment in a PhD program at KUT for 3 years
• Earned 10 or more doctorate course credits
• Completion of the doctoral dissertation defense after receiving a preliminary evaluation more than a year before the defense.
• Two or more papers published in high-level peer-reviewed publications at least two months before program completion; this is the baseline condition for holding a dissertation defense.

Notes!!

• The available scholarships are awarded within the Special Scholarship Program (SSP) that are only for doctoral candidates and project-based. (See SSP Research Project List)
• Before submitting a formal application, applicants aiming to apply must send a completed Online Pre-Application Request to the leader of his/her preferred SSP project through KUT Online Pre-Application Request Form.

Deadlines & Timelines:

April 2023 Enrollment: (2nd Deadline)

October 2023 Enrollment: (1st Deadline)

October 2023 Enrollment: (2nd Deadline)

The application for this scholarship is online, and applicants should consider the steps below in applying for KUT Ph.D. Scholarships.

1. Choose one research project from the SSP Research Project List.
2. Send a completed Online Pre-Application Request Form, as explained above. Only one pre-application request should be sent to the leader of a project during an exact enrollment period. Please keep in mind that if your pre-application request is denied, a project leader may not contact you.
3. After obtaining the permission of the project supervisor, complete all mandatory documents, and submit them to KUT by post. The documents must reach KUT by the deadline.

List of required documents

Note: 

• Given that assembling all the materials for the formal application may take some time, applicants are urged to send a pre-application request to the leader of their desired project at least 6 weeks before the formal application deadline.
• KUT Online Pre-Application Request Form is NOT available at the following date and time due to system maintenance. Please avoid sending your Online Pre-Application Request during this time. 2022→April 6th 18:00-20:00 (JST), April 27th 18:00-20:00 (JST), June 1st 18:00-20:00 (JST), July 6th 18:00-20:00 (JST), August 3rd 18:00-20:00 (JST), September 7th 18:00-20:00 (JST), October 5th 18:00-20:00 (JST), November 2nd 18:00-20:00 (JST), December 7th 18:00-20:00 (JST) 2023→January 4th 18:00-20:00 (JST), February 1st 18:00-20:00 (JST), March 1st 18:00-20:00 (JST)

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Selection Process:

Only applicants who have obtained the permission from the project leader are eligible to submit an application with documentation to KUT. The admission decision will be made after an examination of the following documents: the submitted documents; and the results of an applicant interview, an English written exam, and a written academic achievement exam in the field of specialization required for the conduct of the selected research project.

• Nota 1: Applicants may be rejected prior to the interview and written exam.
• Note 2: The examination (interview and written exam) may be conducted using Webex or another form of communication.
• Note 3: The on-site interview and written exams will be held at a separate location to be determined. Exams for overseas applicants are normally held in the applicant’s home country. The examinations for applicants residing in Japan, on the other hand, will be held at Kochi University of Technology (KUT).
• Note 4: If KUT is unable to complete the interview and written exam at the designated period, the admission decision may be delayed.

For further information about Special Scholarship Program (SSP) at Kochi University of Technology – PhD Scholarship in Japan, please visit Kochi University of Technology’s website.

All queries and application materials must be sent to:

International Relations Section
Kochi University of Technology
Tosayamada, Kami City
Kochi 782-8502, JAPAN
Tel: +81-887-53-1130
E-mail: international@ml.kochi-tech.ac.jp

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