OIST Research Internship – Spring 2027

The OIST Research Internship – Spring 2027 is a financially supported research internship at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) in Japan. It offers Bachelor’s and Master’s-level students and recent graduates the opportunity to spend 4–6 months conducting research in an OIST laboratory. The Spring 2027 internship period runs between 1 April and 30 September 2027, and applications are currently open.

Opportunity

OIST Research Internship – Spring 2027

Type

Funded Research Internship / International Internship

Organizer

Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST).

Country

Japan

Location

Okinawa, Japan

Event Format

In-person / On-site Research Internship

Selected interns conduct research within an OIST laboratory under faculty supervision.

Internship Period

Between 1 April and 30 September 2027

Each internship must last between 4 months (120 days) and 6 months within this period.

Study Level

Eligible applicants include:

• Students in the final two years of a Bachelor’s degree
• Students enrolled in any year of a Master’s degree
• Recent Bachelor’s graduates
• Recent Master’s graduates
• Eligible students at universities, colleges, junior colleges, and vocational schools in Japan or overseas.

PhD Students

Current or graduated PhD students are not eligible.

The internship is primarily intended for applicants seeking additional research experience, including those considering OIST’s PhD programme later.

Fields of Research

Available research areas include:

• Physics
• Chemistry
• Mathematical Sciences
• Computational Sciences
• Marine Sciences
• Neuroscience
• Molecular Biology
• Cellular Biology
• Developmental Biology
• Environmental Science
• Ecology
• Quantum Science
• Other interdisciplinary STEM fields.

Financial Support

OIST provides selected research interns with:

• JPY 2,400 per working day internship allowance
• One direct round-trip air ticket
• Furnished accommodation on or off campus
• Visa and Certificate of Eligibility administrative support
• OIST shuttle bus pass.

Application Requirements

Applicants must submit:

• Academic transcript(s)
• Diploma(s), or certificate of enrolment if still studying
• Statement of Purpose – maximum 250 words / 1,500 characters
• CV
• 1–3 recommendation letters
• Passport or other accepted government ID
• Recent ID photograph
• English proficiency score, if available, although it is optional.

English Requirement

IELTS or TOEFL is not mandatory.

Applicants may optionally upload an English-language test score if they believe it strengthens their application.

Application Fee

JPY 5,000

The application fee is non-refundable, and OIST currently does not generally offer fee waivers based on personal financial circumstances.

Application Deadline

15 October 2026 at 23:59 JST (UTC+9).

Result Announcement

Mid-December 2026.