UTokyo Amgen Scholars Program 2027 (Fully Funded)

Applications are now open for the UTokyo Amgen Scholars Program 2027, a fully funded summer research program at the University of Tokyo, Japan. It is designed for undergraduate students from eligible Asian countries who are interested in biology, biomedical science, bioengineering and related fields, and who plan to pursue a Ph.D.

Selected students spend eight weeks doing hands on research in a UTokyo laboratory, and the program covers accommodation, round trip travel and a JPY 280,000 stipend. The deadline is February 1, 2027 at 3 p.m. JST. The official page does not mention any application fee, and all applications are submitted online through The Admissions Office (TAO) system. Only about 10 students are selected, so it is highly competitive. You can check out BS, MS, PhD and postdoc positions here.

Key Details:

Program Type: Summer Research program
Host country: Japan
Host university: The University of Tokyo
Funding type: Fully funded
Open to all nationalities: No. You must be studying at a university in an eligible Asian country, so check the official list of countries
Application deadline: February 1, 2027, 3 p.m. JST (UTC +9)
Application fee: None

Interested in More Positions? Follow links below

What This Scholarship Offers:

You live in an off campus residence near the Hongo or Yayoi Campus for the whole program.
International students receive round trip airfare
JPY 280,000 stipend: You receive money for meals and personal expenses, and it also covers local transport such as getting to the airport and travelling from Narita or Haneda Airport to your residence.
If your lab is at a campus other than Hongo or Yayoi, you receive an additional allowance.
You take online Japanese classes during the program.
You attend the Amgen Scholars Asia Symposium at Kyoto University from August 3 to 5, 2027, where you meet scholars from across the region.

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Eligibility Criteria:

Be an undergraduate student at a college or university in an eligible Asian country that awards a bachelor’s degree or equivalent
Have completed at least your first year of undergraduate study by the time the program begins
Not be graduating before the program begins
Return to your undergraduate studies for at least one semester or quarter after the program ends
Have a strong academic record
Have a good working knowledge of English
Be interested in pursuing a Ph.D.

English Proficiency Requirements

If English is not your first language and your degree is not taught in English, you must submit one of these:

TOEFL iBT: minimum score of 72 (TOEFL ITP is not accepted)
IELTS: overall band score of 5.5
Cambridge English FCE
TOEIC: 1,095
TOEIC Listening and Reading: 785
TOEIC Speaking and Writing: 310

If your degree program is taught primarily in English, you can instead submit a letter from your university, an official document or an official university webpage confirming this.

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Eligible Countries and Areas:

You must be enrolled at a university in one of the following countries or areas.

Eastern Asia

China
China, Hong Kong SAR
China, Macao SAR
China, Taiwan Province of China
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
Japan
Mongolia
Republic of Korea

South Eastern Asia

Brunei Darussalam
Cambodia
Indonesia
Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Malaysia
Myanmar
Philippines
Singapore
Thailand
Timor Leste
Viet Nam

Central Asia

Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Tajikistan
Turkmenistan
Uzbekistan

Southern Asia

Afghanistan
Bangladesh
Bhutan
India
Iran (Islamic Republic of)
Maldives
Nepal
Pakistan
Sri Lanka

Western Asia

Armenia
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Cyprus
Georgia
Iraq
Israel
Jordan
Kuwait
Lebanon
Oman
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
State of Palestine
Syrian Arab Republic
Türkiye
United Arab Emirates
Yemen

Programs Available:

Eligible fields of research:

Neuroscience
Neurobiology
Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology
Immunology
Virology
Epidemiology
Bioinformatics
Bioengineering
Biotechnology
Chemistry
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Biochemistry
Microbiology
Pathology
Biology
Statistics
Physiological Science

You can choose only one project, and applications for multiple projects are not considered. Do not contact host professors or labs directly.

Required Documents:

Upload all documents as PDF files. They must not be encrypted or password protected.

Academic transcript in English, with scans of all pages
Certificate of enrollment or an official letter from your university on letterhead
Proof of English proficiency, if required
One page CV (about 3,000 characters)
Two recommendation letters, submitted online by your recommenders, with at least one from a faculty member at your current institution
Statement of Purpose and questionnaire, completed in the application system

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Important Dates:

Application opens: November 1, 2026
Application deadline: February 1, 2027, 3 p.m. JST
Results announced: Middle to late March 2027
Check in at residence: June 2, 2027
Program at UTokyo: June 3 to July 30, 2027
Travel to Kyoto: August 2, 2027
Amgen Scholars Asia Symposium: August 3 to 5, 2027

How to Apply:

Create a TAO account. Register on The Admissions Office (TAO) and use your legal name exactly as it appears on your passport or travel document.
Find the program page. Set the language to English, then go to TAO Home, The University of Tokyo, Center for Global Education, UTokyo Amgen Scholars Program, and click “Start my application.”
Nominate two recommenders. Click “Request” next to item 7, “Recommendation Letter.” Do this early, because you cannot submit without both letters.
Fill in your application. Complete your personal information, educational background, Statement of Purpose and questionnaire, then upload your documents. You can save and edit as you go.
Submit before the deadline. Once submitted, no changes are possible, and late submissions are not accepted under any circumstances. Documents sent by email are not considered.

Offiicial Website

Apply Now

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