IIR Research Fellow

Call for Applications to FY 2024 IIR New Research Fellow Program (April)

The Institute of Innovative Research (IIR) Research Fellow Program, which was established in April 2020, was scheduled to end in the FY 2023. However, we explained the effectiveness of this program to the executive board and asked for the program to continue. The continuation of the program was approved after reviewing the payment sharing ratio. As such, we are now accepting applications for the new IIR Research Fellow Program for FY 2024.
Under this program, doctoral students who meet the criteria below and apply for a research fellowship will, if approved by the Institute, be employed by the IIR and be eligible for compensation for work-related research and research support activities. By retaining selected doctoral students as research fellows, this program aims to provide students with financial support, increase engagement with the Institute, and allow students to further develop their research skills. Participating students will also be allowed to use the Research Fellow title on university business cards and other stationery.
In this program, the IIR intends to employ students for multiple years. At the end of FY 2024, the IIR will review research achievements submitted by participants, and decide on the following year’s fellowship.
If you wish to apply to this program, please notify your intention to your academic supervisor after thoroughly understanding its purpose.

Eligible students

• 1. Students who will enroll in or advance to a doctoral program in April 2024
• 2. First- to third-year doctoral students who have not received a research fellow salary
    Note:There will be a separate call for students who will enroll in or advance to a doctoral program in September 2024.

Ineligible students

• 1. Students studying under an international scholarship program offered by the Japanese or a foreign government
• 2. Students receiving the JSPS Research Fellowship for Young Scientists, RIKEN JRA students, students under the Tokyo Tech Human Resource Development Fellowship or the “Cross the border! Tokyo-Tech Pioneering Doctoral Research Program,” or students enrolled in and receiving financial aid from the WISE program
• 3. Adult students who have income from their occupation
• 4. Students unable to receive a salary from Tokyo Tech due to employment restrictions of any kind
• 5. Students who receive (or expect to receive) an RA salary (excluding the IIR Research Fellowship) from Tokyo Tech, and/or salary-based financial support from private foundations, of JPY 1,560,000 or more in total in FY 2024
  If a student becomes ineligible after being hired for this program (when receipt of scholarships, etc. totaling JPY 1,560,000 or more is confirmed), payment of the salary for this program will stop in the following month and the employment will be terminated. However, the student is allowed to continue to use the Research Fellow title while studying at Tokyo Tech.
  (You must promptly notify Institute Administration Group 1 if, after applying to this program, you notice that the total amount you receive is going to exceed JPY 1,560,000.)
• 6. Students that are enrolled but have exceeded the standard duration of doctoral degree programs (Consult with us individually if you have special reasons such as studying abroad.)
• Note: For any other questions, academic supervisors must inquire with the director-general. (Students are not to inquire.)

Application criteria

• 1. The student’s main academic supervisor (or expected main academic supervisor) must be associated with the IIR.
• 2. The student’s main academic supervisor (or expected main academic supervisor) must approve payment of the following from his/her laboratory’s research funds (e.g., institutional operating expense funds, external funds, and donations for education and research): an annual salary of JPY 280,000 or more, or a half-year salary of JPY 140,000 or more (for students who complete doctoral programs in September); when the student is employed in the following year as well, an annual salary of JPY 280,000 or more, or half-year salary of JPY 140,000 or more (for students who complete doctoral programs in September) in the following year. The amounts of these payments will be included in the total annual salary payment of JPY 840,000, or a half-year salary payment of JPY 420,000 (for students who complete a doctoral program in September).
• Points to Note: The amount of laboratory contributions has changed due to the change in the payment sharing ratio of Tokyo Tech, IIR, and laboratories since FY2024.
• Percentage to be shared by the following:
  - Until FY2023: Tokyo Tech: half, IIR: 1/4, Laboratories: 1/4
  - Starting in FY2024: Tokyo Tech, IIR, and Laboratories: 1/3 each

Application documents:

Applicants must complete documents 1 and 2 below and submit them to their main academic supervisors, who will then upload the documents to Box.

• (1) "IIR Research Fellow Application Form" (Excel document) The document file name should contain applicant’s name and student ID number
  (e.g., " Application_24D123456_Taro Tokodai.xlsx" )


• （2）"Research Plan" (prepared in Word, converted to PDF before submission) The document file name should contain applicant’s name and student ID number.
  (e.g., Research Plan_24D12345_Taro Tokodai.pdf)

How to submit documents 1 and 2 by uploading them to Box

• 1. Click on the URL below to open the “File request window.”
  Box File request window
• 2. Choose "Drag and drop files (ファイルをドラッグアンドドロップ)" or "Select files(ファイルの選択)"
• 3. Enter email address. (Box does not have the function to send confirmation emails. However, you need to provide a contact email address for inquiries regarding the application.)
• 4. Click "Submit"(送信)

Please download the application form from the above [Application documents] link.