NIG Global Scholar (NIG-GS) – PhD Scholarship in Japan for International StudentsMay 2, 2023 by

Offered by the National Institute of Genetics in Japan, NIG Global Scholar program is a prestigious scholarship offered to competitive students around the world. If genetics, genomics, or related fields are of your interest, you should definitely take advantage of the NIG Global Scholar program and apply for it right now.

Scholarship Summary

    • Country: Japan
    • Funded by: Japanese government (MEXT) scholarship
    • University: National Institute of Genetics
    • Degree Level: 5-year Ph.D. program
    • Financial Coverage: Fully Funded
  • Deadline: Two application periods: July – August and December – January

NIG is an internationally recognized institution that houses some of the world’s top scientists and researchers in the field of genetics. You will find some highly equipped labs and an excellent research environment in the institute. With that said NIG offers all the necessary facilities and resources to the students who choose to enroll themselves in the National Institute of Genomics. 

Benefits of NIG Global Scholar

A successful applicant will get the following benefits as an NIG Global Scholar: 

Tuition Fee: Full tuition fee will be covered by SOKENDAI. This allows the scholar to study for free in the NIG. 

Living Expenses: During the stay in Japan, the student will receive a monthly stipend of 144,000 to 145,000 Japanese Yen, depending on the duration of the scholarship. A student can get a stipend for up to five years. However, you may need to apply for an extension after two years. The application will be reviewed by the Japanese government, ensuring that the student is active and is actually worthy of the scholarship. 

Networking Opportunities: As you will get the opportunity to attend various workshops, seminars, and other cultural events, you will meet a lot of people from and outside your field. This will be an amazing opportunity for you to expand your network while you are at the National Institute of Genetics. 

Traveling Expenses: The candidate will get a round trip airfare to Japan that will cover economy class air ticket. However, the candidate has to buy air travel insurance at his own expense. 

Facilities and Resources: As a researcher, you will get to work in state-of-the-art facilities at the National Institute of Genomics. You can perform your research in highly equipped laboratories and be able to work with leading scientists and researchers in the field. 

You can check our full list of scholarships for international students here.

Eligibility Criteria

Here are the eligibility criteria for the NIG Global Scholar program: 

  • The applicant must be able to visit Japan in the given time frame (typically the last week of January) to undertake an entrance exam specific for admission to the Institute of Genetics. A scanned copy of the applicant’s passport and other necessary documents are required for that. However, the exam may go online, considering the COVID-19 situation. 
  • The applicant must be an international student residing outside Japan at the time of application. 
  • The candidate must have at least a bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 2.3 out of 3.0 and should maintain it during the five-year PhD program. 
  • The candidate must be less than 35 years of age at the time of application.
  • The candidate should be from a country that has good diplomatic relations with Japan. 
  • The applicant should not have any physical or mental disability that would prevent him from completing the course. 
  • The candidate should be proficient in the English language. 
  • As an applicant, you should be interested in pursuing your career in the fields of genomics, genetics, plant genetics, evolutionary genetics, brain functions, plant cytogenetics, or any other relevant fields. 
  • Applicants with strong academic and research potential will be given priority for the scholarship program. 

There are a few conditions that make an applicant ineligible for the Global Scholar program. Here is what it includes:

  • Unable to arrive in Japan in the given time frame. 
  • MEXT scholarship holders within the past three years. 
  • Have enrolled in a Japanese university as a privately funded applicant during the beginning of the scholarship payment. 
  • Scholarship holders from other institutions including from the government of the home country. 
  • Active military employees. 

Official Website

You can visit the official website to learn more about the selection procedure and other details of NIG Global Scholar. 

How to Apply

  1. Primary Screening: The primary screening process requires a number of documents to be mailed to [email protected], which should include the following: 
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • A 1000 words essay describing your interest in the study of the Genetics Program
  • TOEFL or IELTS report
  • Latest academic script

Ensure that the title of the email is “NIG-GS application.” 

  1. Secondary Screening: Then comes the secondary screening in which the applicants will be invited to Japan to undertake the exam, which is based on the analytical ability of the candidate; therefore, no particular preparation is required. 
  2. Finally, for the tertiary screening, the applicants should take original printed documents that are to be submitted before taking the exam. The following documents are required for tertiary screening. 
    • An application form: Click here to download the application form. Fill it in carefully with accurate and complete information. 
  • Graduation Certificate: Original certificate of enrollment or original certificate of graduation is required. 
  • Letter of Recommendation: It should be written by the dean of faculty of the last attended university to the president of SOKENDAI. 
    • Academic Transcript: Original certificates of academic records are required. 
  • Field of Study
  • Tertiary Screening: Tertiary screening is marked by the on-site visit to the campus and undertaking exams, after which the candidates will be interviewed.

3.Finally, the candidates will be informed about the enrollment within a week or two. 

You can find the full list of Phd scholarships here.

 

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