UTRIP is an intensive summer research internship run by the Graduate School of Science at the University of Tokyo. Participants join a host lab in physics, astronomy, chemistry, earth and planetary science, or biological sciences and work full time under faculty guidance.
The program also includes cross-disciplinary lectures, a field trip, and Japanese language and cultural activities. Participants finish with an oral presentation and submit a research report within two weeks.
Benefits & funding
- Participants not receiving the FUTI Award receive the GSS-UTRIP Scholarship: a one-time allowance of JPY 140,000 for universities in Asia, Eastern Russia, Oceania and the Pacific; JPY 160,000 for Europe, Western Russia and North America; or JPY 170,000 for Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa and the Middle East.
- The GSS scholarship includes 43 nights of free housing; the allowance supports round-trip airfare and daily expenses such as local transportation.
- Students enrolled at U.S. universities, regardless of citizenship, may separately apply for the FUTI Award of up to USD 2,000; recipients also receive free housing. If the sponsor rejects that award application, the GSS-UTRIP Scholarship applies.
- Support may not cover airfare, daily expenses, or insurance in full, so participants cover any shortfall. All participants must stay in school-designated housing.
Eligibility
- Have completed at least one full year of a Bachelor’s program when applying.
- Be enrolled in, and return after UTRIP to, a Bachelor’s program or a Bachelor’s-equivalent year of an integrated Bachelor’s-Master’s program at a university outside Japan.
- Study natural science or a related field and plan a long-term career in science.
- Commit full time to all six consecutive weeks and attend required academic and social events, give an oral presentation, and submit a final report.
- Present health-insurance coverage valid during the internship before arriving in Japan.
- Submit TOEFL or an equivalent English-test score if English is not the applicant’s first language; applicants with eight continuous years of English-medium education are exempt.
- No nationality, gender, age, or prior research-experience requirement is stated.
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Application process
- 1Review the host laboratories and project topics, then select up to two labs in preference order.
- 2Prepare the online application, a 700–1,000-word personal statement, CV, academic transcript, applicable English-test proof, and one academic recommender.
- 3Submit the application online; the 2026 deadline was January 7, 2026 at 17:00 JST.
- 4Ensure the recommender submits the separate online recommendation form; the 2026 recommendation deadline was January 14, 2026 at 17:00 JST.
Program timeline
November 25, 2025
Applications opened for UTRIP 2026
Application deadline
January 7, 2026 at 17:00 JST
Recommendation deadline
January 14, 2026 at 17:00 JST
Selected applicants contacted by email
Mid-to-late March 2026
Selection result announced on the website
Beginning of April 2026
Program starts
June 24, 2026
Program ends
August 4, 2026