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Academics

Financial Support for Students in the Doctoral Program

■【Advance Notice】
Call for New SPRING and BOOST Research Fellowship Students for AY2026 Spring

The University of Tsukuba plans to call for doctoral students who are eligible for research funds in AY 2026. Applications will be accepted for "Support for Pioneering Research Initiated by the Next Generation (SPRING)" and "Next-Generation AI Human Resource Development Program (BOOST) " Research fellowship at the same time*.

Application forms for SPRING/BOOST are posted below. Please start preparing your research plan and research achievements which will take long time to prepare. Students who meet the eligibility requirements may apply to both the SPRING and BOOST programs. However, they will be selected for only one program.

From AY 2026, new SPRING "Categories" have been introduced. Be sure to select and prepare the application form that matches your specific eligibility.
Application will be accepted through u-Rad, management system for internal grants of the University of Tsukuba.

* Students currently receiving BOOST/SPRING support (including those awarded by AY2025 and the international students) will continue to receive support under the conditions specified at the time of their selection until the end of the support period stated in their "Fellowship Approval Notification".

○ TARGET: Doctoral Program Student

  • Doctoral Program: 1st (D1) & 2nd-year (D2) PhD student
  • 5-year doctoral program: 3rd & 4th-year student (equivalent to D1 & D2)
  • 4-year doctoral program in medicine: 1st, 2nd and 3rd-year PhD student (Only SPRING applicable)

* This recruitment is mainly for D1 students. For D2 and above student recruitment for both SPRING and BOOST will be limited to filling vacancies for those who have withdrawn.

○ DURATION OF SUPPORT:

  • Maximum 3 years, but maximum 4 years for a 4-year doctoral program in medicine (within the standard study period)

■ BOOST

  • Annual Fellowship Amount
    2.4 million yen for living (Research Incentive Fund), 1.5 million yen for research

  • Application Requirements
    Students conducting research contributing to the field of AI and emerging/converging areas within the AI field (next-generation AI field)
    Students NOT receiving a stable or fixed income from wages etc., at a sufficient level equivalent to living expenses (2.4 million yen or more per year.)
    * For more details, please refer to the application guidelines that will be posted later.

    • BOOST（Dual Application to SPRING）Research Plan (EN)
  • Research Plan Format:
    BOOST（Dual Application to SPRING）Research Plan(EN)
    BOOST（Dual Application to SPRING）Research Plan(JP)

* Those D2 students with a "Student" status of residence can only apply to BOOST, not apply to both BOOST and SPRING.

■ SPRING

Be sure to select and prepare the application form that matches your specific eligibility.
This recruitment, SPRING Categories 2 and 3 will not be accepting applications from D2 students.

【Category 1】 (Dual Application to BOOST is acceptable for students who meet the following requirements)

【Category 2】(Except D2 student, dual Application to BOOST is acceptable for students who meet the following requirements)

【Category 3】

  • Annual Fellowship Amount:
    0.4 million yen for research

  • Application Requirements:
    Students receiving a stable or fixed income from wages etc., at a sufficient level equivalent to living expenses (2.4 million yen or more per year.)
    MEXT Scholar students who belong to a foreign government.
    * Students belonging to a for-profit organization or corporation overseas are not eligible to apply for the SPRING.
    * For more details, please refer to the application guidelines that will be posted later.

  • Research Plan Format:
    SPRING Category3 Research Plan (EN)
    SPRING Category3 Research Plan (JP)


Support for Pioneering Research Initiated by the Next Generation (SPRING)

■ The University's Commitment to the Project "SPRING"

  • The Project Run by the University of Tsukuba;

    • ＜Project Title＞
    「学問分野の壁を超えて多様な人材と共創できるトランスボーダー型価値創造人材育成プロジェクト」
    ～予測不能な社会変容にも対応して世界を変える力を備えた、多様なキャリアパスで活躍できる博士人材育成～
    Transborder Human Capital Development Project: Fostering Agile Doctoral Students in a VUCA World

    ＜Project Officer＞
    KATO Mitsuyasu - Provost and Executive Director

○Reference:

List of SPRING Supported Students for AY2025 (JP)



Broadening Opportunities for Outstanding young researchers and doctoral students in STrategic areas (BOOST)

■ The University's Commitment to the Project "BOOST"

  • The Project Run by the University of Tsukuba;

    • ＜Project Title＞
    「学際的次世代AIイノベーション人材育成プロジェクト」
    Project for Interdisciplinary Next-Generation AI Innovative Human Resource Development

    ＜Project Officer＞
    SUZUKI Kenji - Professor, Institute of Systems and Information Engineering

○Reference:

List of BOOST Supported Students for AY2025 (JP)



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