National Institute of Genetics (NIG) 2026 Internship Program in Japan

Job Description

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The National Institute of Genetics (NIG) and the Genetics Program at SOKENDAI are inviting undergraduate and postgraduate students to apply for the 2026 Research Internship Program in Japan. This opportunity is designed for students seeking hands-on experience in genetics and related life science disciplines.

Selected interns will undertake independent research projects under the guidance of NIG faculty members. The program provides structured training in scientific research, academic communication, and laboratory exposure, including discussions with principal investigators across various research departments.

At the end of the internship, participants will present their findings and learning experiences at the “NIG-INTERN Reports Symposium.” Successful candidates will receive a certificate of completion.

In addition to research activities, interns may join lectures from the graduate program, journal clubs, and seminars led by distinguished researchers from Japan and abroad.

Program Summary
• Type- Research Internship
• Host Country- Japan
• Duration- 41 days
• Eligible Candidates- Students from all nationalities
• Funding / Benefits- Round-trip airfare, accommodation, living and miscellaneous expenses, domestic travel support, and more
• Application Deadline- 5 January 2026

Research Fields Available
Interns will be placed in one of the NIG laboratories under faculty supervision. Areas of research include:
• Bioinformatics
• Biophysics & Structural Biology
• Cell Biology
• Developmental Biology
• Evolutionary & Quantitative Biology
• Genome Biology
• Molecular Biology & Biochemistry
• Neurobiology
• Plant Biology

Eligibility Criteria
• Open to applicants from all countries
• No application fee required
• Applicants must have a strong interest in life sciences
• Candidates must be in the pre-final year of their current academic program. Examples include:
o 3rd year of a 4-year Bachelor’s degree
o 2nd year of a 3-year Bachelor’s degree
o 4th year of a 5-year program
o 1st year of a 2-year Master’s program
o 5th year of a 6-year program
• Applicants must demonstrate interest in genetics or related fields

Program Benefits
Costs covered by NIG:
• Round-trip airfare (up to 200,000 JPY from the intern’s school location to Japan)
• Travel insurance

Costs covered by participants:
• Any airfare exceeding 200,000 JPY
• Domestic travel costs
• Accommodation fees (approx. 70,000 JPY for 39 nights at the NIG Guest House)
• Living and personal expenses

Required Documents
Applicants must submit:
• Motivation letter
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Scanned academic transcripts
• Two recommendation letters