UTRIP Summer Internship 2024 | Japan | Fully Funded

UTRIP Summer Internship 2024 is open to international students at the University of Tokyo. The duration of the internship is 2 months. This Internship will cover accommodation, meals, and a Japanese language course.

The University of Tokyo Research Internship Program (UTRIP) is a summer internship program for students majoring in natural science and other relevant fields. The program will provide students with an opportunity to gain the experience of “real graduate-school life” or “research-centered life.” UTRIP is a gateway to pursuing an advanced degree and experiencing academic life at UTokyo. The program will be a good trial for students to test their aptitude for rigorous graduate study in the natural sciences. Participating students will closely work with leading researchers of the Graduate School of Science (GSS) at UTokyo.

In addition to an opportunity for outstanding scientific research work experience, the program includes off-campus activities such as a field trip to a historical or natural site in Japan and social and cultural events to promote a better understanding of Japanese culture and build a good relationship with current students at UTokyo. Lectures on cross-disciplinary scientific areas are also part of the program.

The University of Tokyo is the oldest and the most prestigious university in Japan, and it receives by far the biggest direct government grant. UTokyo is ranked 23^rd in QS University World Rankings 2023.

UTRIP Summer Internship Summary

Institution(s): University of Tokyo
Location: Japan
Internship Period: 26 June 2024 – 6 August 2024 (2 months)
Internship Deadline: January 09, 2024

Internship Focused Areas

The UTRIP summer intern program is available in the following fields:

Physics
Earth & Planetary Science
Chemistry

Interns will work under the supervision of the professor. You can check the name of the professor and the available internship positions here.

UTRIP Summer Internship Benefits

UTRIP will provide below benefits to their interns:

Accommodation: A privately managed off-campus residence facility specially designed for short-term stays will be provided sharing with one or two participants. All rooms will be equipped with beds, desks and air-conditioning. A kitchen or a small kitchenette, fridge, laundry machine, shower room, and toilet are also available inside or outside of the room. The residence facility is located about 30 minutes away from the Hongo campus of UTokyo by train or on foot. A grocery store or a convenience store is located nearby.
Meals: You can enjoy any kind of meal in Tokyo. At the school cafeteria, you can eat at around 400~700 yen per meal. Sandwiches cost around 400~600 yen. If you eat outside of the University, lunch is 800～1000yen, and dinner is 1200～1500yen. Light meals and drinks are available at convenience stores located on the University Campus.
Japanese Language Course: An intensive Japanese language course will be provided during the program. This is an introductory course specially designed for UTRIP participants. The target of this course is to enable students to have a basic knowledge of Japanese for better communication with Japanese peers at the lab and a smooth life in Japan. The content includes a curriculum that will be directly helpful and useful in daily life situations. The course is intensively given for a super short term (about five classes).

UTRIP Summer Internship Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must fulfill the following criteria for the UTRIP Summer Internship:

Required Languages: English
Eligible Countries: All world countries
Have completed at least one full year in a Bachelor’s degree program at the time of application.
Be enrolled in and, after the UTRIP program ends, be expected to return to, at least another semester, quarter, or another equivalent academic term, in a Bachelor’s degree program (or a Bachelor’s-equivalent year of an integrated Bachelor’s-Master’s degree program) at a university outside of Japan.
Be enrolled in a natural science or related field.
Be thinking of pursuing long-term career goals in a scientific area.
Be able to commit to the entire six consecutive weeks of the UTRIP program (June 26 to August 6, 2024) on a full-time basis.
Be able to present coverage of a health insurance plan that is effective during the internship program before arriving in Japan.
English proficiency: Test scores of TOEFL or an equivalent English proficiency test (such as IELTS) are required if English is not your first language. Test scores that have already expired are accepted, as long as the applicant is still able to produce proof of the test scores upon request by the UTRIP office. Students who have received an English-medium education continuously for the past 8 years are exempted from submitting English proficiency test scores.

How to Apply for the UTRIP Summer Internship?

All required documents (1.～5. below) are required to be submitted online. Please note that original official transcripts will be required for enrollment purposes if applicants are successfully selected for UTRIP. Please contact us if you have any technical difficulties.

Application information
Before submitting your application, make sure to review the list of Hosting Labs and project Topics / Faculty Members and topics to identify a hosting lab and project of your interest. The applicant selects up to two hosting labs and indicates the order of preference in the online application.
See project reports of the past programs, which demonstrate the depth and level of achievement made by former participants, in our archives under “Past UTRIP”.
Personal information
You are required to state general information in your profile. As we rely mainly on email to communicate with all applicants, please include a current email address on your application and be sure to promptly respond to all correspondence. Please also note that the Corresponding Address will be used for important and time-sensitive matters such as sending visa application documents, so you should enter an address where you can be sure to receive shipments from March to June 2024.
Personal statement
Address the following topics in 700 – 1000 words in total:
- Your reasons for selecting the particular research project(s) in the UTRIP program, and what you hope to gain from this experience
- What makes you qualified for the particular research project(s), briefly highlight your skills and experience when they are specifically required by the faculty member(s) of your choice, or when they appear to help conduct research in the laboratory(ies) that you have selected
- Whether you are thinking of applying to the Graduate School of Science at the University of Tokyo after you graduate from your current university, citing your reasons
Educational background and qualifications
Resume / CV
This should include in-depth descriptions of any work experience, responsibilities or projects relevant to the research topic on which you wish to work during the program. It should also list recent schools attended (high school, university, etc.) together with year/month of entrance and completion for each, and briefly explain courses you have taken or will take as well as prizes and awards relevant to the research topic if you have any.GPA
Applicants whose universities provide official GPA scores must write those scores.
If your university does not provide an official GPA score, you are required to calculate your GPA and then describe the calculation in the “Notes” section. English language qualifications
Applicants who speak English as their first language OR those who have received an English-medium education continuously for the past 8 years are exempted from submitting the test scores. All other applicants must fill in their test scores of TOEFL or an equivalent English proficiency test (such as IELTS), and submit a scanned copy of the official test score certificate. Test scores that have already expired are accepted, as long as the applicant is still able to produce an original-copy proof of the test scores upon request by the UTRIP office.
Supporting documents
Scanned copy of academic transcript Submit a scanned copy of the official university transcript(s). A transcript must include:
- Your nameUniversity name year of admissions of courses completed (Course titles, grades, and credits should be included)Legend (An official explanation of the grading system provided by the university; if this is not included in the official transcript, you may scan in together a separate official document to supplement your transcript.)
When applying, please submit a scanned or electronic copy of your academic transcript. We will request an official academic record in its original copy (with an official stamp affixed and authorized signature) after your acceptance into the UTRIP program.