Guidelines for Applying to the SOKENDAI Special Researcher Program(Appointment begins from October 2024)
1.

Overview

The SOKENDAI Special Researcher Program is designed to develop future leaders who will contribute toscience, technology and innovation in Japan by appointing SOKENDAI students as ‘SOKENDAI Special
Researchers’ and providing financial support as well as various opportunities for developing a wider scopeof researches and carrier paths to them.
There are two categories of this program as follows, but no applications will be accepted for the special
category (BOOST) at this time.
CategoryOutline

General CategoryStudents in all research areas enrolled in the equivalent of 3-year doctoral course
at SOKENDAI, who satisfy conditions listed in section 3, are eligible to apply.

Special Category

This category is designed to develop leading scientists in the field of Artificial(BOOST)Intelligence (AI). Conditions listed in section 3 must be satisfied.

2.

Intended number for adoption (For October 2024)

General Category: 3 persons
3.

Requirements for applicantsApplicants are required to meet all of the following conditions as of October 1, 2024. *11)

They have been enrolled for 24 to 30 months (exclusive 30 months) in a 5-year doctoral course or
have been enrolled for less than 6 months in a 3-year doctoral course.

2)

They must not be receiving a scholarship under the government-sponsored international student
system, a research grant from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) for special
researchers*2, or any foreign government-financed scholarship.

3)

They must not be receiving stable income such as salary or executive remuneration at a level sufficient
to cover living expenses (JPY 2.4 million/year (before tax) or more) from SOKENDAI, a parent
institute*3, or a company.

*1

Those who have completed (or are expected to complete) a master’s degree course at a university otherthan SOKENDAI and have passed or are currently applying the entrance examination for a 3-year
doctoral course at SOKENDAI (expected enrollment in October 1, 2024) are also eligible to apply.
*1

Students in the long-term course system are not eligible to apply.

*1

The period of a leave of absence (calculated by rounding up to the nearest month) is not counted within

the enrollment period.
*2Those who are currently applying for JSPS DC Research Fellowship (DC2) are eligible to apply.

However, if selected for DC2 in FY2025, financial support under the SOKENDAI Special Researcher
Program will end at the end of FY2024.

*3

Parent institute: The Inter-University Research Institute, where the program of SOKENDAI is located.

4.

Appointment start date

October 1st, 2024 (Financial support will begin retroactively on this date.)
5.

Period of appointment

The period obtained by subtracting the period of enrollment up to the day before the start of appointment
from the standard period of study stipulated in Article 16 of the School Regulations.
Note: If you complete the doctoral course and obtain a doctoral degree during the period, the appointment
will be terminated at the end of month in which you obtain the degree.
6.

Scholarship

1)

Fellowship (for living expenses)

JPY190,000 per month
Please note that the above scholarship amounts are subject to change depending on the budget situation.
7.

Application form

1)

Application form

Please follow the “Instructions for filling out the application form”, convert it to a PDF file, and submit it
as an email attachment to the promotion office.
Note: Current SOKENDAI students must have an ORCID ID and have completed the linkage withSOKENDAI. If you have not yet registered an ORCID ID, please contact “orcid(at)ml.soken.ac.jp (Pleasereplace (at) with @.)” and we will guide you how to register.
2)

Recommendation letter

Please ask your supervisor to prepare it.
Notes:
Current SOKENDAI students should ask their chief supervisor to prepare the recommendation letter.
However, with the consent of the chief supervisor, the secondary supervisor may be asked to prepare it.
If you have completed (or expect to complete) a master's course at a university other than SOKENDAIand plan to enroll in a doctoral course at SOKENDAI (or are currently applying for the entrance
examination), please ask either your current research supervisor or a faculty member who will supervise
you after you enroll in SOKENDAI to prepare a recommendation letter.
The recommendation letter should be submitted directly from the supervisor to the promotion office, andthe promotion office will not disclose it to the applicant.

8.

Application destinationPromotion Office for Pioneering Research Initiated by the Next Generation
Email: jisedai-jimu(at)ml.soken.ac.jp *Please replace (at) with @.
9.

Application deadline

August 28th, 2024 15:00 (JST)10. Selection process1)

Selection

The first screening (document review) and the second screening (online interview) will be conducted by
the Screening Committee for SOKENDAI Special Researcher. In the first screening, the committee willrefer to the document review in the Program (Department) with which the applicant is (or will be)
associated.
2)Standard for screening(1) The research plan must be specific and appropriate for a doctoral dissertation.
(2) The applicant must be competent enough to carry out the research plan.
(3) The applicant must be willing to expand his/her interests beyond his/her own field of specialization.
3)

Notification of the first screening results and the schedule of the second screening

The result of the first screening will be notified immediately to each applicant after the completion of the
document review.
Scheduled dates for the second screening are as follows.
October 11th, 2024
The result of the second screening will be announced by the end of October, 2024.
The promotion office will not respond to individual inquiries regarding the selection process.
11. Information regarding application documents and selection(1) Application documents must be submitted in the prescribed format.
(2) Any information in the documents cannot be changed or supplemented after submission.
(3) If any falsehood is found in the application documents, the application may be canceled even after theapplicant is appointed.
12. Obligations of Special Researchers(1) Special researchers must be enrolled in a doctoral course at SOKENDAI during the appointment
period.
(2) Special researchers must devote themselves to research based on the research plan described in theapplication form during the period of appointment.
(3) Special researchers must submit a research status report at the designated time each year and submit
an employment status survey upon completing the appointment period and the doctoral course.
(4) Special researchers must participate in various activities (inter-field workshops, research reportmeetings, carrier seminars, etc.) designated by SOKENDAI to improve their research ability andexpand the scope of their carrier paths.
(5) Special researchers must participate in "SOKENDAI Student Dispatch Program", "InternationalCollaborative Degree Program", or "Internal Joint Advising Program" *1 in principle. Note that thisrequirement can be exempted for the case that they already conducted one of the programs or haveessential difficulty to participate in any of the programs.
(6) Special Researchers may not receive stable income such as salary*2 or executive remuneration at alevel sufficient to cover living expenses (JPY 2.4 million/year (before tax) or more) from SOKENDAI,a parent institute, or a company during the appointment period.
(7) Special Researchers must attend research ethics and compliance training provided by SOKENDAI orparent institutes.
(8) Special Researchers in Special Category (BOOST) must conduct their research in collaboration withthe AI specialist in SOKENDAI, if their chief supervisor is not an expert of AI.
*1For details of each program, please refer to the following SOKENDAI websites.
・SOKENDAI Student Dispatch Program:
https://www.soken.ac.jp/en/education/dispatch/sokendai_studentdispatchprogram/index.html
・International Collaborative Degree Program:
https://www.soken.ac.jp/en/education/curriculum/cotutelle-program/・Internal Joint Advising Program (Japanese text only.):
http://kitei.soken.ac.jp/doc/gakugai/print/582.html
They are allowed to take a job for temporary income (part-time job, research assistant, etc.).

*2

13. Termination or cancellation of appointment and request for refund
In the event that the performance of the obligations listed in the previous section is found to be inadequate,
or if the president determines that the special researcher meets any of the disqualifying conditions
mentioned below, the appointment of the special researcher may be terminated or canceled. Additionally,
the payment of scholarship may be stopped or a request may be made for the return the scholarship amountthat has been already disbursed. The disqualifying conditions are:(1) If the special researcher completes the doctoral course and receives a degree.
(2) If the special researcher receives a scholarship under the government-sponsored international student
system, a research grant from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) for research

fellowship, or any foreign government-financed scholarship.
(3) If it is clear that the research cannot continue due to illness, etc.
(4) In case of the special researcher taking a leave of absence*3 from SOKENDAI.
(5) In case of the special researcher’s withdrawal from SOKENDAI (including expulsion).
(6) In case of disciplinary action against the special researcher.
(7) In case of poor academic performance or conduct.
(8) If there is a significant problem with the progress of the research and it is judged that the desired
research results cannot be achieved.
(9) If the documents required for the post-application procedures are not submitted on time.
(10) If any falsehoods are found in the documents submitted for the post-application procedures.
(11) If research misconduct (fabrication, falsification, plagiarism etc.) is discovered.
(12) If research funds are misused.
(13) If the special researcher declines the appointment.
(14) In the event of other clearly inappropriate behaviors as a special researcher.
However, if the leave of absence is due to childbirth, childcare, or nursing care and is approved by*3

SOKENDAI, the scholarship may be suspended for up to two years and resumed upon the student's
return to the university after the review of performance.
14. Policy on Handling Personal Information
SOKENDAI shall not use the personal information of applicants for purposes other than the execution of
the Special Researcher Program, which includes outsourcing operations on the condition that SOKENDAI
reaches an agreement with the outsourcers regarding the appropriate handling of personal information.
Additionally, it will not disclose such information to third parties without the student’s consent, except asotherwise stipulated in Article 9 of the Act on the Protection of Personal Information Held byIndependence Administrative Agencies.
15. Contact
Promotion Office for Pioneering Research Initiated by the Next Generation
Email: jisedai-jimu(at)ml.soken.ac.jp *Please replace (at) with @.