NIMS Junior

NIMS offers the NIMS Graduate Research Assistantship to doctoral students who aspire to a career as researchers in materials science. The assistantship carries a monthly stipend to assist academically deserving students in fulfilling their academic goals. Those students appointed as NIMS Junior Researcher will enable to gain insight into their research career by "hands on" experience of working on latest research projects, without financial hardship.

Outline

Duties NIMS offers NIMS Graduate Research Assistantship to excellent students in the doctoral course of Materials Science and Engineering. The assistantship carries a monthly stipend to assist academically deserving students in fulfilling their academic goals. Those students appointed as NIMS Junior researcher will enable to gain insight into their research career by "hands on" experience of working on latest research projects.
Eligibility

Admission to Graduate School of Information Science and Technology at Osaka University is a prerequisite for the assistantship. NIMS Junior Researchers are required to have sufficient research ability to be involved in the research.

* The employment occurs when the students are enrolled in the following graduate program without leave of absence or withdrawal.
- “Materials Informatics Laboratory”in Department of Information Systems Engineering, Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Osaka University

＊ NIMS Junior Researchers are not permitted to receive a concurrent scholarship, such as JSPS or governmental scholarship, and any part-time jobs.

Please see the FAQ for the details.
Contract The contract is one year, and is renewable every year up to three years. The contract will be terminated if the student fails to demonstrate his/her excellence in research or leaves the program.
Probation Period 3 months
Monthly Stipend

It will be determined by the assessment of the candidate and the actual working days.

  • Doctoral student : approx. 200,000 JPY for 14 days work per month
Insurance Coverage by Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance
Name of Recruiter National Institute for Materials Science

How to Apply

Send the following documents by email to NIMS Graduate Program Group ( nims-graduate@nims.go.jp ) , with a subject line of [Osaka-NIMS] Application.

  • Application form (word format)- Please send this in word format when you apply. Sample is available here (pdf format).
    - Please include the contact details of at least two references. We may directly contact the references regarding the application.
    - The 14th item (questions for Master's candidates) and 15th item (travel grant) on the application form do not apply to NIMS Junior applicants for this program. Please submit them without description.
  • Curriculum Vitae ( Please be sure to use the designated Curriculum Vitae form.)
  • Academic transcripts of both undergraduate and graduate
  • Scanned copy of the valid TOEFL iBT / TOEIC L&R /IELTS Academic score certificate.The certificate must meet the following conditions.

    - The result score from the exam taken within 2 years is valid.

    - TOEFL ITP (Institutional Test Program), TOEIC IP (Institutional Program) and IELTS (General Training Module) are not acceptable.

    - Only TOEIC Listening &Reading or TOEFL iBT are recognized in the Graduate School of Information Science and Technology. Please see the application details on the university website.

Schedule

April 2025 Application

<OPEN> Applications are now open for October 2025/ April 2026 entry. The application deadline is 1 May, 2025.

March  Distribution of the university admission guidelines
2 April - 1 May, 2025 Application period of the NIMS Graduate Research Assistantship
early/mid- May, 2025 Document screening result announcement of the NIMS Graduate Research Assistantship
26-30 May, 2025    Pre-assessment of Applicants' Qualifications (for university application, if applicable)
23-27 June 2025 University application period (Must be received by mail no later than the period )  
August 2025  Interview at NIMS (will be conducted online)
One of the following days: 5 -6 August, 2025 University entrance exam at Osaka University (may be arranged individually)
22 August 2025 Result announcement of the university exam
Late-August

Late-February 		- Result announcement of the NIMS Graduate Research Assistantship (for October 2025 entry)
- Result announcement of the NIMS Graduate Research Assistantship (for April 2026 entry)
October 2025 or
April 2026 		University enrollment and Start of the employment as NIMS Junior Researcher

 

September 2025 Application

Applications for April 2026 entry will be open on September 2025. Schedule below is for 2024 version as your reference.
September Distribution of the university admission guidelines
2 September - 25 October 2024 Application period of the NIMS Graduate Research Assistantship
Early November 2024 Document screening result announcement of the NIMS Graduate Research Assistantship
25-29 November, 2024 Pre-assessment of Applicants' Qualifications (for university application, if applicable)
6-10 January 2025  University application period
24 January 2025 Interview at NIMS (will be conducted online)
One of the following days: 27 January- 7 February 2025 University entrance exam at Osaka University (may be arranged individually)
21 February 2025 - Result announcement of the university exam
- Result announcement of the NIMS Graduate Research Assistantship
April 2025 University enrollment and Start of the employment as NIMS Junior Researcher