Fully FundedPhDJapanFully Funded
OIST PhD Program 2027 in Japan (Fully Funded PhD in Science)
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Program Overview
The Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate School offers a five-year PhD in science with no departments and a very low student-to-faculty ratio. It admits about 60 students a year, and every admitted PhD student is funded, whatever their nationality. Financial support starts at about 2.6 million yen a year (taxable) in the first year and rises to about 3.6 million yen, and the tuition of 540,000 yen a year is covered. There is no separate scholarship application.
Applications opened on 31 July 2026 and close on 15 November 2026 at 23:59 Japan time (JST, UTC+9). There is an application fee of 5,000 yen; it is not refunded and OIST does not offer fee waivers. Shortlisting results are announced in late December 2026. Shortlisted applicants must take part in the online Admissions Workshop interviews between 18 January and 7 February 2027, and final results come in mid-February 2027. You can enrol on 1 May 2027, 1 September 2027 or 1 January 2028. This page was last checked against the OIST admissions website on 7 October 2026.
Key Information
Host Country
Japan
Funding Type
Fully Funded
English Requirement
Varies — check program requirements
Eligible Nations
All nationalities
Category
Fully Funded
Applications Open
Opened 31 July 2026
Status
Accepting Applications
Scholarship Benefits
Financial support of about 2.6 million yen a year (taxable) in the first year, rising to about 3.6 million yen
Tuition of 540,000 yen a year is covered
Relocation support
No separate scholarship application: every admitted student is funded
Not covered: the application fee of 5,000 yen
Eligibility Criteria
- Bachelor's or master's degree completed, or expected, before your enrolment date
- Any nationality
- TOEFL iBT or IELTS score from the last two years if your degree was not taught in English; there is no minimum score
- OIST does not hold written entrance exams
Guides for this scholarship
How Applications Are Evaluated
Each scholarship provider uses its own selection criteria. Applicants should review the official scholarship guidelines for the specific criteria used to evaluate applications.
Selection information published by the provider
- The Admissions Committee reviews applications and shortlists candidates
- Shortlisted applicants must take part in the Admissions Workshop, which includes interviews
- OIST does not hold written entrance exams
Required Documents
Transcripts and diplomas for every degree, as PDF files; an unofficial transcript is accepted, and an English explanation is needed if the transcript is not in English (required)
Certificate of enrolment showing your expected graduation date, if you have not graduated yet (conditional)
Statement of purpose of no more than 800 words (required)
CV in any standard format (required)
2 to 5 recommendation letters in English from professor-level faculty, uploaded by the referees themselves; letters from lab members or postdocs are not accepted (required)
TOEFL iBT or IELTS score from the last two years, if your degree was not taught in English (conditional)
Passport number and a scan of the passport photo page; another government ID is accepted if you have no passport yet (required)
Recent ID photo, taken in the last three months (required)
GRE or subject test scores, and titles and abstracts of publications or presentations (optional)
Application fee of 5,000 yen
How to Apply
1
Read the list of faculty and research units and find one that fits your background and interests
2
Check that the faculty are available to supervise new PhD students
3
Create an account on the OIST application website and upload all documents in English as PDF files
4
Ask your referees early: you can submit only after at least two recommendation letters have arrived in the system
5
Pay the 5,000 yen application fee and submit by 15 November 2026 at 23:59 Japan time
6
Shortlisting results are announced in late December 2026
7
Shortlisted applicants take part in the online Admissions Workshop interviews from 18 January to 7 February 2027
8
Final results come in mid-February 2027; enrol on 1 May 2027, 1 September 2027 or 1 January 2028
Ready to Submit?
Ensure you have reviewed all requirements and gathered your documents before starting the application.
Official Application WebsiteFrequently Asked Questions
If your degree was not taught or examined in English, OIST asks for a TOEFL iBT or IELTS score from the last two years. There is no minimum score: OIST uses it to decide whether you need a preparatory course. Rules can change, so confirm the current requirement on the official website.
The official deadline is 11/15/2026. We highly recommend submitting your application at least a week prior to avoid server congestion.
Most universities allow you to apply with a "Hope Certificate" or provisional transcript if you are in your final semester, provided you graduate before the intake starts.
This varies by university. Many fully funded scholarships cover or waive application fees, but some may still require an initial processing fee. Refer to the official guidelines.
For PhD and some Master's programs, securing an acceptance letter from a professor is often mandatory. For undergraduate programs, it is usually not required.
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