Internship•Japan · Tsukuba

NIMS Internship Program

Funding

Partial / Stipend

Program dates

TBA

The NIMS Internship Program places currently enrolled university and graduate students inside a research group at the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), a national research institute in Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. Run by the Graduate Program Section of the Academic Collaboration Office, the internship lets a student work hands-on with a chosen NIMS researcher on a materials-science project for up to 90 consecutive calendar days. It is open to both domestic and international students; more than 2,000 students from around 60 countries have taken part since 2006.

Benefits & funding

  • Daily allowance of 2,560 yen per day during the internship period.
  • Accommodation at NIMS-designated lodging is covered (excluding utilities), up to a set maximum.
  • Travel costs are generally the student’s own responsibility; for the most recent (2026) round NIMS indicated it may cover transportation for undergraduate students only.
  • Direct, in-lab mentorship from an NIMS researcher and access to NIMS facilities in Tsukuba.

Eligibility

  • Open to students currently enrolled in a university or graduate school (undergraduate, master’s, or doctoral level).
  • Domestic and international students are both welcome; no nationality bar is stated.
  • Applicants who have completed a bachelor’s degree and plan to enter graduate school may apply with an acceptance certificate.
  • You must remain enrolled as a student for the entire training period.
  • Recipients of MEXT, JSPS, or JST funding should confirm with their provider that there is no duplicate-funding conflict.
  • No age, language, or work-experience requirement is stated.

Application process

  1. 1
    Search the SAMURAI NIMS Researchers Directory (samurai.nims.go.jp) and identify a researcher whose work matches your interest.
  2. 2
    Email that researcher directly, attaching the Student Application Form (English), your CV (English), a student enrollment certificate issued within the last three months (English), and an official academic transcript (English).
  3. 3
    If the researcher agrees to host you, they review the materials and submit the application to the Graduate Program Section; internal review takes about one month.

Program timeline

  1. Next application round scheduled to open.

    December 2026

  2. Internships run for up to 90 consecutive calendar days and must be completed by March 31 of the year following approval.