2024

Kyoto University Amgen Scholars Program
Application Guidelines

Key Dates
Application period opens
3 p.m. on November 1, 2023 (UTC+9 hours)
Application deadline
3 p.m. on February 1, 2024 (UTC+9 hours)
Notification of results
Late March 2024
Arrival (in Kyoto)
June 6, 2024
Program period
June 7 – August 2, 2024(*)
Symposium (in Tokyo) August 1 – August 2, 2024(*)*The program period includes the dates of the symposium.
*The dates of the symposium are subject to change.
1. Program Overview(1) Program Period
June 6, 2024 - August 2, 2024
(2) Number of Participants
10 students(3) Research Work
The Amgen Scholars Program at Kyoto University is eight weeks of intensive researchin the sciences. Amgen Scholars will be assigned to one of Kyoto University
departments or interdisciplinary areas that traditionally support science andbiotechnology research. These areas may include:
Biochemistry / Bioengineering / Bioinformatics/Cheminformatics / Biopsychology /Biotechnology / Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering / Chemistry / Immunology/Medical Pharmacology / Microbiology / Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology /Molecular Genetics / Molecular Medicine / Molecular Pharmacology /Neurobiology /Neuroscience / Pathology / Physiological Psychology / Physiological Science /Statistics / Toxicology
Placements will be made based on student interests and available spaces. While eachAmgen Scholar will be assigned for supervision by a specific Kyoto University faculty
member, supervision and guidance may also be provided by other persons associatedwith the supervising professor’s lab, including graduate students and post-doctoralassociates. All placements are full time (approximately 40 hours per week).
(4) Educational Activities
In addition to full-time research positions, Amgen Scholars also take part in a varietyof educational activities. Below are some examples of past activities:- Seminars and lab visits in which faculty will give presentations on relevant
research areas and critical professional issues. These activities will be designed
to expose students to cutting-edge research and broaden their understanding ofopportunities in their graduate school and scientific careers.
- A poster session at the end of the program in which the participants will share
their summer research projects with a larger audience.

1 of 5* Activities and other details are subject to change.
2. General Eligibility
The Amgen Scholars Program at Kyoto University aims to support international anddomestic students so they can study at Kyoto University as vacation scholars.
In accordance with an instruction from the Amgen Foundation, Kyoto University
selects the participants from colleges and universities throughout Asia including
Eastern, South-Eastern, Central, Southern and Western Asia *1.
Amgen Scholars Asia Program applicants must be undergraduate students who are:- Enrolled in colleges or universities in Asia that award a bachelor’s degree (or itsequivalent); and- At minimum, have completed their first year of undergraduate study at the time
the summer program begins, and- Are not graduating before the summer program begins, and after the summer
program ends will resume undergraduate studies for at least 1 semester orquarter
Asia Program applicants must also have:- A strong record of academic performance; and,- A good working knowledge of English, demonstrated by a minimum TOEFL (iBT)
score of 72, IELTS overall band score of 5.5, Cambridge English FCE, TOEIC scoreof 1095, TOEIC L&R score of 785, or TOEIC S&W score of 310, if not a nativeEnglish speaker or English is not your first language, and- An interest in pursuing a Ph.D.
In addition, the applicants must agree that;- the program may be changed or deferred if holding the program safely andsmoothly seems difficult due to the epidemic of the covid-19 and the boarder
restrictions in Japan.
- a vaccine passport may be required to participate in the program.
---------*1) Asia is defined based on the ‘Classification of Countries by Region’ by the United Nations
Department of Economic and Social Affairs / Population Division World Population Prospects: The2022 Revision. This currently includes the following countries/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; Turkey; United Arab Emirates; Yemen

2 of 5

3. Financial Support(1) Travel Costs
Kyoto University stipulates the travel schedule and route, and provides an economyclass airline ticket. If the student cannot arrive in Japan on the specified dates for
personal reasons, no travel expenses will be provided.
For students from universities outside Japan:
Airline tickets are provided for flights between the nearest airport to the student’s
university and Osaka (round trip) by the most direct and economical route.
For students from universities in Japan (excluding Kyoto University students):
A round-trip ticket is provided for travel between the nearest airport to the student’s
university and Osaka, or between nearest train station to the student’s universityand Kyoto.
(2) Accommodation
All Amgen Scholars (excluding Kyoto University students) will be accommodated inKyoto. The payment for accommodation will be made directly to the real estateagency by Kyoto University.
(3) Scholarship
180,000 yen will be provided to Amgen Scholars.
Scholars will receive: 90,000 yen at the beginning of the program
90,000 yen in the middle of July
(4) Amgen Scholars Asia Symposium
The Amgen Scholars Asia Symposium will take place either in-person in Tokyo during
the program period. In either case, attendance at the Asia Symposium is obligatory
for those enrolled in the Amgen Scholars Program.
(5) Note: Health Insurance/Liability Insurance
All students must arrange their own private health insurance. Please be aware thatneither the Amgen Foundation nor the Kyoto University can provide health insurance.
All students must also enroll in Kyoto University’s “Co-op Liability Insurance” uponarrival.

4. Program Requirements
Amgen Scholars at Kyoto University must agree to:Travel between the nearest airport to their university, and Osaka on the dates
and the most economical routes designated by Kyoto University.
Observe quarantine requirements when entering Japan.
Submit original boarding pass to Kyoto University.
Stay at the accommodation designated and provided by Kyoto University for theduration of the program, including during the Amgen Scholars Asia Symposium.

3 of 5---

Undertake an eight-week intensive research project at one of the participating
laboratories.
Provide a copy of their valid passport to the program office as soon as theirparticipation in the program is confirmed. If necessary, apply for the appropriatevisa(s) for entry Japan in a timely fashion.
Assign any intellectual property that results from their work during the program
to their supervisor in the first instance.
Agree to be photographed by Kyoto University during the program and grant theright to use the photos for a purpose of publication.
Fully participate in the academic activities of the laboratories they are assigned
to, attending any relevant research seminars and workshops. Simultaneousparticipation to other summer programs including online format is not permitted.
Attend the orientation, all required conferences, activities, and social events
organized through the Amgen Scholars Program at Kyoto University.
Provide feedback on the Amgen Scholars Program at Kyoto University.
Contribute to media requests from the Amgen Foundation.
Prepare a poster presentation on their work at the end of the program.
Participate in the Amgen Scholars Asia Symposium.

Given the intensive nature of the program, participants will be unable to engage inother work or study during the period of the program. Applications from students
who do not plan to be present at Kyoto University for the full duration of the program
will not be considered.
5. Host Laboratories
Lab information, including eligibility requirements specific to individual lab, isavailable in the appendix (to be announced).
6. Application Procedures
You must submit an online application. The link to the online application system will
be activated on November 1.
(1) Statement of Purpose
In the online application system, you will be required to enter your “Statement ofPurpose” in two columns. Each of the columns has space for a maximum of 3,000
characters (including spaces).
In your statement of purpose, be sure to:
Describe why you chose a particular laboratory as your preferred host laboratory,
and what you expect to learn at that laboratory.
Propose a research project, which you plan to follow at your chosen laboratory.
The proposal must include the background, purpose of your research,experimental methods, and anticipated results.
(2) (Two) Recommendation Letters
In the online application system, you are required to nominate two people to provide
letters of recommendation. Immediately after you submit your application, an e-mailnotification will be automatically sent to the two people that you nominate with

4 of 5

instructions on how to submit a letter of recommendation on your behalf.
Be sure to notify the people you nominate and receive their consent before you enter
their contact details in the online application system, so as to ensure that the e-mailnotification is not overlooked. Please also ensure that you submit your applicationallowing sufficient time for the persons nominated to submit their letters ofrecommendation on or before 3:00 p.m., February 1, 2024 (Japan Standard Time[UTC + 9:00hrs.]).
There is no specific format for the letter of recommendation, but it should be written
on departmental letterhead, including the recommender’s signature. It should thenbe scanned and submitted as a PDF file.
(3) Uploading files
You will be required to upload the following files in PDF format.
Official academic transcript of your college or university
English test scores*2(4) Application PeriodThe application period will commence at 3 p.m. on November 1, 2023*3.
The deadline for the submission of all application materials,
recommendation letters, is 3 p.m. on February 1, 2024*3.

including

7. Visa Information
If your application for the Amgen Scholars Program is successful, you will be required
to provide a copy of your valid passport immediately. Those who require short term
visas for entry to Japan must obtain the necessary visa(s). The Amgen Scholars
Program at Kyoto University will assist successful applicants with this process.

8. Program OfficeInternational Education and Student Mobility Division, Kyoto University
E-mail: amgenscholars@mail2.adm.kyoto-u.ac.jp---------*2) Applicants must prove a good working knowledge of English, demonstrated by a minimum
TOEFL (iBT) score of 72, IELTS overall band score of 5.5, Cambridge English FCE, TOEIC score of1095, TOEIC L&R score of 785, or TOEIC S&W score of 310, if not a native English speaker or
English is not your first language.
*3) Based on Japan Standard Time [UTC +9:00hrs]

5 of 5