Young Science and Engineering Researchers Program (YSEP)

Period of Study
From 5 months to 1 year
Starting only in April or October (Starting month of each semester)
Student Status at Science Tokyo
International Exchange Student (non-regular, non-degree-seeking student)
Application Deadline
November 10 for spring Semester (April)
May 9 for fall Semester (October)

Overview

Young Science and Engineering Researchers Program (YSEP) offers students from partner universities the opportunity to spend 5 months to 1 year at the Institute. Under the YSEP, Science Tokyo waives the application, enrollment, and tuition fees of undergraduate and graduate-level International Exchange Students from participating partner universities [LIST of agreements]. Participants conduct individual research projects in the laboratories of Science Tokyo faculty members and they may also be able to take courses outside the lab.

*YSEP students cannot be accepted by the faculties/graduate schools of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Care Sciences.

Eligibility

Applicants must be enrolled at partner universities with which Science Tokyo has a tuition waiver agreement.
Those with student status at their home university, enrolled in the following programs at the time they start research at Science Tokyo:

- ・Doctoral program
- ・Master’s program
- ・Bachelor’s program (at least two and a half years of study)

Period of Study

From 5 months to 1 year
Starting only in April or October (Starting month of each semester)

Program Outline

1) Study and research under the guidance of an academic supervisor, and make a presentation on one’s research at the end of the last semester during one’s enrollment (required)
2) Engage in at least one of the following activities (required):
- (a) Take at least one of the following courses.
- - Recommended Courses for International Exchange Students
- ENT.G451(LAW.X451*)Advanced Course of Traditional Technology and Intercultural Collaboration
- ENT.G452 Advanced Course of Innovative Product Design with Traditional Technologies
- ENT.L457 Global Leadership Practice
- LAW.X416 Modern Japan
- LAW.X419 Study on Japanese Companies and Industries II
- - Japanese language
- (b) Participate in one of the monthly events organized by Science Tokyo
3) Take elective course(s) offered at Science Tokyo (optional) *1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
- (a) Master's and doctoral students can take all courses offered by the graduate school (conducted in English/Japanese).
- (b) Undergraduate students can take courses for undergraduates (most of which are conducted in Japanese) and courses for graduates also open to undergraduate-level international exchange students (conducted in English).
- (c) Students may take Japanese language courses at any level and are not allowed to take language classes other than Japanese.

*1: Course Numbers and Indicated Levels; 100-level, 200-level, 300-level: Undergraduate Level / 400-level, 500-level: Master's Level / 600-level: PhD Level
*2: Any courses conducted in English in the 100 and 200 levels cannot be taken.
*3: Before applying to this program, be sure to carefully check the information regarding course timetables and syllabi, and the list of courses from the previous year which details available graduate courses conducted in English, and confirm that a study plan matches course availability and that there will be no scheduling conflicts.
*4: There may be cases where your request for course registration is not permitted, as some courses have specific requirements for registration. In addition, some of the courses involving exercises/research training are not open to international exchange students.
*5: YSEP students are not permitted to take courses offered by the faculties/graduate schools of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Care Sciences

Student Status at Science Tokyo

International Exchange Student (non-regular, non-degree-seeking student)

Application Deadline

For applicants who will join YSEP in Academic Year 2025 (April 2025-March 2026)

Admission in	Deadline for Nomination	Deadline for Applicants
April, 2025	October 15, 2024	November 10, 2024
October, 2025	April 15, 2025	May 9, 2025

*: The deadlines for applicants indicated above refer to the deadlines by which materials must be submitted online to Science Tokyo. However, the preliminary application deadline at the applicant's home university may vary.
*: Information on the application guideline for AY 2026 will be announced in September 2025.

Language Requirements

High-level English ability is required for conducting research and communicating with laboratory colleagues.

*: Submission of official test scores such as TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS, etc. is required.

Application Procedures

Once you have decided to apply

Step 1. Contact the Student Exchange Officer (or equivalent) at your home university

YSEP applicants must be officially nominated to Science Tokyo by their home university, and Science Tokyo must be informed of the nomination BEFORE applicants are invited to apply online. After receiving the official nomination from your home university, Science Tokyo will directly send you the necessary information for logging in to the online application form via email to you.

Step 2. Find an academic supervisor at Science Tokyo

Before beginning the online application process, applicants are required to contact a desired academic supervisor at Science Tokyo directly, and obtain approval from him/her. On the online application form, applicants need to submit evidence such as an email message or a letter indicating that the Science Tokyo professor agrees to be the applicant’s academic supervisor.

Please note that only professors, associate professors and lecturers are eligible to be academic supervisors. (Assistant professors may or may not be qualified. Please consult with us in advance.)

YSEP students cannot be accepted by the faculties/graduate schools of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Care Sciences.

For those who apply for the Department of Architecture and Building Engineering, this process is done by the Global Education Division on their behalf, and they are not allowed to contact their desired supervisors directly. Instead, applicants are required to submit their CV and portfolio via the online application form.
Those applying for the Department of Innovation Science should contact the Global Education Division in advance. Our contact information can be found at the end of this document.

Step 3. Submit the required application materials online.

Please refer to the "Documents necessary for application" below.

Three months to one month before enrollment

Step 4. The Certificate of Eligibility (COE) will be sent to you from the Global Education Division of Science Tokyo.

Science Tokyo will apply on behalf of applicants for a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) after they complete the application procedures. There may be cases, however, where the COE application is rejected by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan. Those without a COE will not be permitted to enter Japan and will be dismissed or withdrawn from Science Tokyo if they have already completed the enrollment procedure. Please note that there may also be significant delays in the issuance of COEs.

Two months to one month before enrollment

Step 5. Apply for your visa on your own with the COE which you have received.

Visa application processing time is expedited when you submit a COE with your visa application.
Click HERE for information on applying for your visa with a COE.
Information about Science Tokyo dormitories will be sent from the Student Support Division of Science Tokyo.

One month to two weeks before enrollment

Step 6. Information about an orientation will be sent from the Global Education Division.

Arrival in Japan – Enrollment

Step 7. Entrance, Orientation

Enjoy your studies at Science Tokyo!

Documents necessary for application

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The required application materials listed below must be submitted to the Global Education Division, Science Tokyo by the designated Application Deadline.

1. Institute of Science Tokyo Application Form
To be completed online. Science Tokyo will directly send you the necessary information for logging in to the online application form via email to you.

2. Official Transcript in English
● Include the guidelines of the grading system in English.
● Submit transcripts for the last twelve months.
● Science Tokyo reserves the right to verify the authenticity of your transcript.

3. Recommendation Letter from your Academic Supervisor (*) at your Home University (Free format)
● Associate Professor or equivalent and above.
● Unfortunately, we cannot regard language teachers as academic supervisors.

4. Verification of Student Status at your Home University
● This document, issued by your home university, must verify that you will maintain student status at your home university during your exchange period at Science Tokyo.
● If your university's verification does not certify your enrollment period at your home university while at Science Tokyo, please use our format for your verification. The period of your enrollment on the submitted verification needs to be exceed the period of enrollment at Science Tokyo.
*Refer to the example

5. Application for Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
*Refer to the example

6. Copy of your Passport (page(s) that verify name, nationality and photo)
● If you do not have a passport at the time of application, submit a copy of the relevant pages to the Global Education Division by email as soon as it is issued.

7. Official Test score report from TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS, or equivalent document
● The submission of the official test scores is required.
● Native speakers of English are exempt from this requirement.

8. Photograph
● Photo requirements: taken within the past 6 months, shows upper body and full face with a closed mouth (no smiling), no caps or hats, taken in front of a plain background
● The photo must be taken within the past 6 months, upper body, full-face, no caps or hats, plain background.
● The same photo as in your passport will not be accepted. Please prepare a new one.

9. Portfolio of your previous work
● Required only if the applicant’s major is architecture

10. Consent of a Science Tokyo Faculty Member
● Please submit evidence that a Science Tokyo faculty member has consented to be your academic supervisor.
● A PDF version of email correspondence with the faculty member is sufficient to fulfill this requirement.

In addition to the above documents, submission of the following document(s) might be required.

11. Documents verifying your financial status in English)
● Financial status verification* might be required as part of the application process for the Certificate of Eligibility (COE), which is the documentation used to obtain a visa to study in Japan. You will be notified by the relevant contact person at Science Tokyo if you are required to submit the documents.

*For example, a bank statement (which verifies the available balance in the account) for you or your financial supporter; or a scholarship certificate (if any). If there is not an English version of these documents, you should attach a certified English translation with a signature of the translator and the date of translation.

Additional required documents before enrollment:

Health Certificate for Infectious Diseases

International students whose registered enrollment period will be three months or longer are required to have the health certificate completed and signed by a physician within the three-month period before the designated date of enrollment at Science Tokyo (or within the three-month period before their planned date of arrival in Japan if their arrival will be later than the date of entrance). In addition, we request that it be submitted prior to the designated date of entrance (or prior to arriving in Japan if the arrival will be later than the date of entrance).
Note that all expenses for this shall be borne by students.
Please cooperate with our preventive measures against various infectious diseases that could cross international borders in order to protect the health and wellbeing of you and your colleagues.

For more details, please refer to the following website;

Measures to help control infection for international students

Course Information for International Exchange Students

For YSEP participants, taking courses is optional. Not all courses offered at Science Tokyo are available for International Exchange Students. Final-year undergraduate students should refer to previously approved 400-level courses and carefully consider the courses they can take while studying abroad at Science Tokyo. Please refer to the document “Science Tokyo Course Information to Help Develop Your Study Plan.”

Course Information for International Exchange Students

Housing

For students who have submitted a request to move into a Science Tokyo dormitory through the online application, the Global Education Division will request that the department in charge of university dormitories will allocate a room for them. (Students are not required to apply for dormitories individually.) Students will be notified by email 1 to 1.5 months prior to enrollment whether or not they will be able to move into the dormitory. In that case, please follow the instructions in the email. We do not accept changes of dormitories assigned to applicants.
Note that not all incoming students will be assigned a dormitory room as room availability is limited.

Scholarships

Sponsor	Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO)
Name of scholarship	Student Exchange Support Program
Monthly stipend	JPY 80,000
Eligibility	Those making a presentation on their research during the program
Selection result	Notified by Science Tokyo by the end of February (for admission in April) or August (for admission in October)

*: The number of JASSO scholarship recipients is limited, and recipient selection will be made by Science Tokyo.
*: Students receiving more than JPY 80,000 per month in total from other scholarships to study in Japan are ineligible for this scholarship. Also, some scholarship foundations do not allow their recipients to receive a stipend from another scholarship foundation. Please confirm that receipt of a JASSO scholarship WILL NOT jeopardize funding which you already receive from another scholarship foundation.