This page explains research opportunities, admission routes, scholarships and financial support for students who are seriously interested in joining our group.

We welcome motivated students who wish to join our research group through the International Materials Innovation Degree Program at the Graduate School of Science and Technology, University of Tsukuba.

Students in my group conduct their research mainly at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), one of Japan’s leading national research institutes. This provides an excellent environment for students who wish to work at the interface of materials science, condensed matter physics, electronic devices, neuromorphic hardware and quantum materials.

Research in Our Group

Graduate students in our group usually conduct their day-to-day research at AIST on frontier topics such as:

• neuromorphic devices and circuits

• slow electronics for low-power edge computing

• oxide electronics

• ferroelectric superconductivity

• superconducting devices and quantum materials

Our aim is to develop new electronic and quantum devices based on the intrinsic physical dynamics of materials.

International Research Experience:
Japan–Netherlands ASPIRE Project

Our research group has been selected for a major Japan–Netherlands international collaborative research project under the JST ASPIRE programme.

This project will run until 2031. During the project period, selected students may have opportunities to spend several months conducting research at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.

Travel and living expenses for these research stays will be covered by our project, subject to the project plan and the student’s research progress.

This is an excellent opportunity for students who wish to build an international research career while working on advanced materials, devices and physics.

Admissions: Master’s and Doctoral Programmes

Detailed and up-to-date information on admissions is available from the official website of the International Materials Innovation Degree Program.
The International Materials Innovation Degree Program normally holds entrance examinations twice a year:
July entrance examination
October entrance examination
The examination is usually conducted as an online interview only.
There is no written examination.
Typical application and examination periods are as follows:

July examination
Application period: around late May
Examination: early July
Possible enrolment:
October of the same year, or
April of the following year

October examination
Application period: around late August to early September
Examination: mid-October
Possible enrolment:
April of the following year, or
October of the following year

Please note that applicants to the Master’s Programme can normally enrol only in April of the following year, even if they take the July examination.

MEXT Scholarship

International applicants are encouraged to consider the Japanese Government MEXT Scholarship, which provides comprehensive financial support for selected students.

There are two main routes:

Embassy Recommendation
Applicants apply through a Japanese embassy or consulate in their home country.

University Recommendation
Applicants are nominated through the University of Tsukuba.

For applicants who wish to receive the MEXT Scholarship through the University Recommendation route at the International Materials Innovation Degree Program, the entrance examination is normally held only in October.

Please note that the MEXT University Recommendation route may have a more restricted schedule than ordinary admission.
In some years, enrolment through this route may be limited to April of the following year.
Applicants should not assume that all ordinary admission options are available for the MEXT Scholarship route.

The MEXT Scholarship process is highly competitive, and scholarship availability may change from year to year. Applicants should always check the latest official information.

Degree Completion Deadline
Applicants must satisfy the academic background requirement by the time of enrolment.

For the Doctoral Programme, applicants must already hold a master’s degree or be expected to receive one before enrolment.
For the Master’s Programme, applicants must already hold a bachelor’s degree or be expected to receive one before enrolment.

In practice, applicants for April enrolment must normally complete the required degree by the end of March.
Applicants for October enrolment must normally complete it by the end of September.

Please note that thesis submission, final examination, provisional results, or course completion may not be sufficient.
What matters is whether your university can issue an official certificate showing that you have obtained, or are expected to obtain, the required degree by the required deadline.

For example, if a student expects to receive a master’s degree in May, they cannot normally apply for April enrolment of the same year as a Doctoral Programme applicant.
They should instead consider a later admission schedule after receiving the degree.

The exact rules may change from year to year.
Applicants must always check the latest official guidelines of the University of Tsukuba and MEXT.

Useful links:

• University of Tsukuba: Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship
  https://www.tsukuba.ac.jp/en/admissions/financial-scholarships/mext/

• University of Tsukuba: Scholarships
  https://www.tsukuba.ac.jp/en/admissions/financial-scholarships/

• Study in Japan: Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship
  https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/planning/scholarships/mext-scholarships/

• MEXT: Japanese Government Scholarship
  https://www.mext.go.jp/en/policy/education/highered/title02/detail02/sdetail02/1373897.htm

Financial Support from AIST

Graduate students in our group will be considered for employment as Research Assistants (RAs) at AIST, regardless of whether they receive a MEXT Scholarship.

The current RA remuneration is:

• Master’s students: ¥13,175 per day, up to 6 days per month
  Maximum: ¥79,050 per month

• Doctoral students: ¥17,050 per day, up to 10 days per month
  Maximum: ¥170,500 per month

This RA remuneration is paid in addition to any scholarship the student may receive, including the MEXT Scholarship.

In addition, daily transport between the student’s residence or university campus and AIST can be reimbursed according to AIST rules, including on research days that are not counted as RA working days.

This support is intended to help students concentrate on their research while studying at the University of Tsukuba and conducting their day-to-day research activities at AIST.

Please note that RA employment, the number of RA working days and transport reimbursement are subject to AIST regulations, budget availability and the student’s enrolment/visa status.

Contact

If you are interested in applying, please contact Prof. Isao H. Inoue before submitting your application.

When contacting us, please include:

• your CV

• your academic background

• your research interests

• whether you are interested in the Master’s or Doctoral Programme

• whether you wish to apply for a MEXT Scholarship

• your expected graduation date

• the expected date when your bachelor’s or master’s degree will be officially awarded

We look forward to hearing from motivated students who wish to explore new physics and develop future electronic and quantum technologies.