Outline

he NIG-GS system allows applicants for our 5-year PhD program to be considered for superior financial support. Please see Financial support for details.

You can apply to NIG-GS only if the Genetics Program, SOKENDAI is your first-choice for graduate studies, and if you will be available to visit NIG from January 26 – February 3, 2024 to learn about our program. (Travel expenses for this visit will be supported.)
Please see Application Instructions for details.

Selection Schedule

We will invite selected candidates to visit the Genetics Program/NIG (Mishima, Japan) from January 26 to February 3, 2024. The invitees will take an on-site exam on January 31 and February 1. Preliminary admission and scholarship announcements will be notified via e-mail by late February. Applicants who have received an offer must tell us the acceptance regarding enrollment by the designated date of February.

*There is a possibility that the entrance exam would take place remotely (online) depending on the influence of COVID-19. In such a case, the invitation to travel to Japan would be canceled and the applicant would take the exam remotely at his/her place of residence on January 31 and February 1

Application

First of all, you need to choose your prospective mentor(s). You should be in touch with your prospective mentor(s) and discuss your future studies that will be conducted at the Genetics Program/NIG.
Please note that faculty members who will retire within the standard period of study (5 years from the time of admission) cannot be appointed as supervisors. Subsequently, send the application documents including your Application form (use the prescribed form) and an essay describing why and what you want to study in the Genetics Program. You also need to send your latest academic transcripts (with GPA) issued by the college or university you attend/attended, and tell us its grading scale/system (including GPA calculation method) and a score report of English proficiency test. The documents should reach the Genetics Program (info-soken@nig.ac.jp) by November 1 (Wed) 2023 noon (Japan Standard Time). If you pass the primary screening, you will be asked to take a written exam via email. The deadline to return the answer sheet is November 13 (noon JST). The applicants to be invited to take the on-site exam will be announced by November 28. The invited candidates will be asked to prepare other application documents for the on-site exam. Scanned application documents should reach the Genetics Program via e-mail (info-soken@nig.ac.jp) no later than January 4, 2024, and the original, printed documents should be submitted to the Genetics Program before taking the on-site exam at NIG.

On-site Examination, Admission Decision, and Past Exams

The on-site exam will be conducted simultaneously with the winter examination of “General Admission”. You can refer to “Entrance Examination”, “Admission Decision” and “Past Exams” described in the “General Admission” webpage.

Other information on Post-enrollment

Students are eligible for supplemental funding for research activities. Such funds are allocated and announced on a year-by-year basis. All international graduate students are provided with free Japanese lessons (usually two hours/month). English is the working language for education and research at the Genetics Program/NIG but some knowledge of basic Japanese will be useful in daily life.

The NIG administration office has staff who are fluent in English. We also have an English Help Desk that can help with visa and medical issues, and assist in other aspects of the initial settling in period. International graduate students receive assistance in finding housing.