UTokyo Amgen Scholars Program

NOTE: Information in this section is for the 2020 program.

1) Program Description

The objective of the program is to provide undergraduate students from different countries (including some from Japan) who are committed to or who are considering a career in biology or related sciences and looking to continue to graduate studies, with eight weeks of biomedical research experience in the basic and translational sciences. Research experiences are being provided by faculty members of the Graduate School of Medicine, Graduate School of Engineering, Graduate School of Science, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, and the Institute of Industrial Science. By the end of their summer experience, students are expected to acquire knowledge and skills for conducting research. The students are also expected to extend their international friendship through the collaborative experiences. These experiences will help the students to develop future collaborations in many situations.

In addition to working full time in the laboratory for 8 weeks, the program features:

• Visits to Graduate Schools and Institutes related to biomedical research
• Information sessions on how to apply to Graduate Schools at UTokyo
• Special seminars and luncheons where students can meet and have discussions
• Access to UTokyo campus facilities such as the Library, Health Care Center and Gymnasium
• Japanese cultural events
• Excursions

2) Eligibility

UTokyo Amgen Scholars Program applicants must be undergraduate students who are:

• Enrolled in colleges or universities worldwide that award a bachelor’s degree (or its equivalent); and
• At the 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 or 1 quarter

UTokyo Amgen Scholars Program applicants must also:

• Have a strong record of academic performance; and
• Have 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 of 1095, 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, and
• Have an interest in pursuing a Ph.D.

3) Requirements

• To devote full effort in participation in the Amgen Scholars Program. Scholars cannot take any courses or hold a job throughout the duration of the program. In addition, all participants must be able to attend the program for its entire duration.
• To live in the accommodation provided by UTokyo.
• To participate fully in the day-to-day life of the research group, respect the work of all members of the laboratory, and attend and participate in laboratory meetings or other gatherings.
• To attend the orientation on the first day of the program, all required conferences, activities and social events.
• To give a poster/presentation describing his/her summer research project.
• To submit a research paper to the UTokyo Amgen Scholars Program Director at the conclusion of the program.

4) Schedules

Program and Symposium	Date
UTokyo Amgen Scholars Program	TBD
Move to Singapore	TBD
Amgen Scholars Asian Symposium in Singapore	TBD

5) Number of participants

• TBD

6) Financial Support

• ROOM:  Near-campus accommodation

 

• STIPEND:  250,000 JPY

       The stipend should be used freely to budget for food and any personal trips during your stay in Japan and so on.
 

• TRAVEL COSTS:

    ＊All students must arrange their own private health & travel insurance. Please be aware that neither the Amgen Foundation nor the University of Tokyo can provide health/travel insurance.

Students will belong to one of the host laboratories in six Graduate Schools/Institutes.
The host laboratories will be announced later.

NOTE: Information in this section is for the 2020 program.

To apply, please follow all application directions closely and get an early start on obtaining the supporting documents. Please review the selection criteria before submitting your application. All applications must be submitted online.


<APPLICATION PROCUDURE>
  1. Prepare Supporting Documents
  2. Ask two recommenders for the Letter of Reference for you
  3. Complete the Online Application
 

1. Prepare Supporting Documents

    Be sure that the file size of each document does not exceed 2MB.

1) Portrait photo
    Please upload your portrait photo saved as a jpeg file. Note that your full face should be visible in the photo, and it should be taken from the front with your eyes open.  Please note that the photo should be taken using a proper camera (not a selfie) as it will be used for your student ID card once you are accepted as an Amgen Scholar.  (Same rules as photos for a passport, 45 x 35mm)
 

2) Scanned copy of Passport or ID card
    Please scan the page with the photo and name of your passport or ID card such as student ID or national ID and save as a jpeg file.
 

3) Resume/CV and Cover letter
    Download and complete the designated form below. Please save your documents as a Word file (e.g. .doc/docx).

　　　　　　Resume_CV_Coverletter_UTokyoASP2020.docx


4) Academic Transcript
    Please obtain an official academic transcript (in English) and scan and save both the front and back pages as a PDF file.


5) Questionnaire
    Download and complete the designated form below. Please save your documents as an Excel file (e.g. .xls/xlsx).

　　　　　　Questionnaire_UTokyoASP2020.xlsx 


6) Proof of your English proficiency
    - Non-native speakers whose institutions are located in an area where English is not the first language and the medium of education is not English must submit a valid proficiency test score
      listed on "2) Eligibility at "About the Program".

    - Non-native speakers whose institutions are located in an area where English is not the first language but the medium of education is English are required to submit a valid proficiency test
      score listed on “2) Eligibility at "About the Program", or a letter specifying that you are taking your education in English issued by your university.

    - However, non-native English speakers who have been receiving undergraduate education from an institution located in an area where English is the first language and whose language of
      instruction is English are not required to submit test scores or letters. 

       * Please note the TOEFL ITP is not accepted as a proficiency test score.

          Please scan and save the English proficiency test score or the letter as a PDF file.


7) Privacy Statement and Agreement
    Some personal information provided by the applicants will be provided to CEEP (Center for Evaluation & Education Policy, Indiana, US) for the purpose of trend analysis of applicants. With regard to the handling of your personal information, please download and carefully read the "Privacy Statement", sign the agreement on the statement and submit it with PDF file by uploading through T-cens SP if you accept and approve of your data being passed onto CEEP.
   
        * Please be aware that applicants cannot apply for the program without this signed document.
        * When you make the document in a PDF file, please note that it should be printed in one page.

           Privacy Statement and Agreement >>> Click HERE to download.

 

2. Ask two recommenders for Letters of Recommendation

    You are required to nominate two people to provide letters of recommendation, one of whom must be a faculty member at your current institution who is familiar with your educational background, academic performance, and motivation for attending the 2020 Program.

    Please download the "Instructions for Recommenders" below and give it to your recommenders to notify that you nominate them as your recommenders and ask for the letter of recommendation before you enter their details in T-cens SP. (This will ensure that the e-mail is not overlooked.) Please also ensure that you submit your application allowing sufficient time for your recommenders to be able to upload their letters of recommendation onto T-cens SP on or before Monday, February 3, 2020 at 3:00 pm JST (Japan Standard Time [UTC + 9:00hrs.]).

　　　　　　Instructions for Recommenders_UTokyoASP2020.pdf 

    There is no specific format for the letter of reference, but it should be on a departmental/university letterhead, including the recommender’s signature. It should then be scanned and submitted as a PDF file.

　　* Please note that the letter of recommendation must state your Applicant Number, which appears under your photo when you create your T-cens SP account. Therefore, please note that you must provide your Application Number to your recommenders with the "Instruction for Recommenders".
　　* Please be aware that your application will not be considered unless all the required documents, including the letters of recommendation, are received by the application deadline.
　　* Please note that applicants cannot submit the letters of recommendation by themselves.

 

3. Complete the Online Application

Online Application >>> Now Closed

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1) Click on "Create a New Account" first to make your own account and get your application number. *If you already have one, please skip this step.

    Instructions on creating a new account >>> Click HERE


2) Fill out all the required field and upload files.

About the Program

Q. Would the Program be flexible on the starting/ending dates to accommodate some slight conflict of schedule?

A. No. The 8-week program schedule - from 9 June to 3 August, 2020 - is fixed. Full participation in the Program and the Asia Symposium which is scheduled from 6 to 8 August, 2020 are required.

Q. Are the decisions made continuously until the deadline (i.e. rolling admissions) or after the deadline all together?

A. Our admission is not on a rolling basis, and the selection begins after the deadline of 3rd Feb, 2020 (15:00 Japan Standard Time=UTC+9:00).

 

Application Documents

Q. Do I need to upload both the foreign language and English translations of my transcripts?

A. Yes. Transcripts that are in a language other than English should be translated into English. The translation must be provided by the university.

Q. Is an unofficial transcript acceptable, or should I submit an official transcript (that is, printed and signed by the university registrar)?

A. No, transcripts must be the official version from the university and provided in English if the original language is not English.

Q. My university uses an electronic academic transcript service, which issues official online transcripts as a substitute for paper ones. Would it be acceptable for me to attach this transcript to my application?

A. Yes. Please upload its PDF format to your application page.

Q. Do you require that reference letter(s) be written in a specific form?

A. No. There is no set format. The only requirements are that the letter be issued by a faculty member of your current institution and be composed on the school's letterhead.

 

Office of UTokyo Amgen Scholars Program
Education and Student Support Department, The University of Tokyo
7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8652 JAPAN
 

Please send all inquiries regarding the Program to the following email address:
amgenscholars.adm(at)gs.mail.u-tokyo.ac.jp. *Please change (at) to @