Japan: International Doctoral Program in Engineering, Kyoto University

1. INTRODUCTION
The Graduate School of Engineering, KyotoUniversity, is offering the International Doctoral Program inEngineering.
The primary objective of the International DoctoralProgram in Engineering is to provide young students and researchershaving a master degree (or equivalent) with an opportunity to furthertheir studies towards a doctoral degree at Kyoto University. Japaneselanguage ability is not a requirement for the completion of the degree,however a good command of English is necessary.

1.1 Scholarship
Students admitted to the program will be financiallysupported for three years by the Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho)Scholarship.

1.2 Fundamental eligibility
    The applicant must satisfy all of the following conditions:
    (1) He/she is an eligible applicant for the JapaneseGovernment (Monbukagakusho) Scholarship obtainable through therecommendation of a Japanese university.
    (2) He/she is an eligible applicant for the DoctoralProgram of the Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University.
    (3) He/she is a graduate or a student of auniversity with which the Graduate School of Engineering, KyotoUniversity, has signed the Agreement of International Academic Exchange.
    (Other agreements of equivalent standing are acceptable in place of the above agreement).
    (4) He/she is not the holder of any doctoral level degree in principle.
    (5) He/she is not applying for the JapaneseGovernment (Monbukagakusho) Scholarship through any other graduateschool or university.

2. COURSES, REQUIREMENTS FOR CONFERMENT OF THE DOCTRAL DEGREE AND NUMBER TO BE ADMITTED
2.1 Courses
    The applicant must choose one of the followingdepartments before application within which to undertake his/her majorfield.
        * Civil and Earth Resources Engineering
        * Urban Management
        * Urban and Environmental Engineering
        * Architecture and Architectural Engineering
        * Mechanical Engineering and Science
        * Micro-Engineering
        * Aeronautics and Astronautics
        * Nuclear Engineering
        * Materials Science and Engineering
        * Electrical Engineering
        * Electronic Science and Engineering
        * Material Chemistry
        * Energy and Hydrocarbon Chemistry
        * Molecular Engineering
        * Polymer Chemistry
        * Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry
        * Chemical Engineering

The details of each department can be found at thehomepage of the Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University.(http://www.kogaku.kyoto-u.ac.jp/index-e.html)

2.2 Requirements for conferment of the Doctoral Degree
    For conferment of the Doctoral Degree, the candidate must satisfy all of the following conditions.
    (1) He/she remains enrolled in the program for three years under his/her designated research supervisor.
    (2) He/she completes 6 credits or more in his/her major field.
    (3) He/she submits and successfully defends his/her doctoral dissertation.
    (4) He/she passes qualifying examinations.

The required period of enrollment in the program maybe shortened for a student with exceptionally outstanding achievementsby verdict of the faculty.

2.3 Number of applicants to be admitted
Twenty-one applicants will be admitted.

3. DETAILED ELIGIBILITY
3.1 Nationality
The applicant must be from a country with whichJapan has official diplomatic relations. If the applicant has hadexperience of studying at any Japanese university as a recipient of theJapanese Government (Monbukagakusho) Scholarship, three years must havepassed since he/she left Japan. Students who are currently studying inJapan cannot apply to join this program.

3.2 Age
The applicant must be under 35 years of age as of April 1, 2006.

3.3 Academic qualifications
    The applicant must satisfy one of the followingconditions by the end of September, 2006, otherwise the admission andscholarship will be cancelled.
    (1) He/she is the holder of a master's level degree.
    (2) He/she has been engaged in research for morethan 2 years at universities or research institutes after graduationfrom a university or after completion of a 16-year school education,and is approved to be eligible by the Graduate School of Engineering,Kyoto University.
    (3) He/she is 24 years of age or over and isapproved to have academic ability commensurate with doctoral levelstudies by the Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University.

3.4 Physical and mental health
The applicant must be physically and mentallyhealthy enough to carry out his/her studies at Kyoto University.

3.5 Language ability
The applicant must have a good command of English.

3.6 Other conditions
    (1) The admitted student must arrive in Japan between October 1 and October 7, 2006.
    (2) Any applicant who has the status of an active soldier is ineligible.
    (3) For a student couple, the Japanese Government can offer a scholarship to only one party.
    (4) Any applicant, who is going to receive ascholarship from his/her government or from any other foundation, willnot be accepted as the recipient of the Japanese Government(Monbukagakusho) Scholarship.

4. SCHOLARSHIP AND OTHER FINANCIAL SUPPORTS
The following will be offered to the admitted student.
(1) Stipend: 175,000 yen per month (for 2005). Itwill continue for a maximum of 36 months within the period ofenrollment.

(2) Travel to and from Japan:
Economy-class return airfareis offered between the international airport closest to the admittedstudent's home address and Kansai International Airport. However, theair ticket to return home from Japan will not be offered unless he/sheleaves Japan immediately after the scholarship ends.

(3) School fees:
Admitted students will be exempt from paying entrance and tuition fees.

(4) Others:
Japan Student ServicesOrganization (JASSO) will partially reimburse medical expenses. JASSOalso provides the admitted students with an arrival allowance(25,000yen) upon arrival in Japan.

5. SELECTION AND ADMISSION
5.1 Preliminary Application
The applicant is strongly encouraged to send apreliminary application form to the School Affairs Office of theGraduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University by the end ofNovember, 2005.

5.2 1st stage selection
The Graduate School of Engineering, KyotoUniversity, examines the documents submitted by applicants. Theselected applicants are recommended to the Japanese Government as theapplicants for the scholarship. The applicants will be informed of theresult of this selection at around the end of April, 2006

5.3 2nd stage selection
The Japanese Government examines the documents ofthe applicants recommended by Kyoto University and decides whether ornot the applicants are acceptable as recipients of the JapaneseGovernment (Monbukagakusho) Scholarship. The applicants will beinformed of the final result before the end of July, 2006. The GraduateSchool of Engineering, Kyoto University, will send the certificates ofadmission to the students finally admitted to the InternationalDoctoral Program in Engineering at the same time.

6. DOCUMENTS FOR THE 1ST AND 2ND STAGE SELECTIONS
The following documents must arrive on or before January 13, 2006 at
    School Affairs Office
    The Graduate School of Engineering,
    Kyoto University
    Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.

    (1) Application Form.
    (2) Application for Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho) Scholarship (PDF).
    (3) Certificate of health (PDF) issued within the last 2 months.
    (4) A copy of an official document to indicate theapplicant's nationality. (This can be replaced by a photocopy of theapplicant's passport.)
    (5) Certificates of Bachelor's and Master's Degrees (or their equivalent).
    (6) Official academic records from undergraduate and graduate courses.
    (7) Recommendation letter addressed to the presidentof Kyoto University written by the dean of the applicant's graduateschool
    (8) Recommendation letter written by the applicant's supervisor at the graduate level.
    (9) Recommendation letter written by the applicant's supervisor at the undergraduate level .
    (10) Recommendation letter written by the head ofthe applicant's employing organization (if the applicant is currentlyworking.)
    (11) Research plan at Kyoto University (A4 size, 3 pages).
    (12) List of scientific publications.
    (13) Brief description of academic achievements (A4 size, 3 pages).
    (14) A copy of Master's Thesis (or equivalent).
    (15) A copy of an official score of TOEFL takenwithin the last 12 months unless his/her mother tongue is English.

All of the above documents except for (14) must bewritten in English. They will not be returned to the applicant.

7. HOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE 1ST STAGE SELECTION
The applicant should contact his/her prospectivesupervisor at Kyoto University through an introduction by his/hersupervisor at the home university before application. This approach ishighly recommended as the program is fundamentally based upon theAgreement of International Academic Exchange between the homeuniversity and Kyoto University.

8. APPLICATION PROCEDURE OF THE 2ND STAGE SELECTION
All applicants who pass the 1st stage selection willbe informed by Kyoto University of the application procedure for the2nd stage selection by the Japanese Government.

9. CORRESPONDENCE
    Inquiry can be forwarded to
        School Affairs Office
        The Graduate School of Engineering,
        Kyoto University
        Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
        ic-eng@adm.kogaku.kyoto-u.ac.jp
        http://interex.kuee.kyoto-u.ac.jp/IntC/ic-doctor.html
        http://www.kogaku.kyoto-u.ac.jp/index-e.html

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