Research Students

Research Students

This program is for foreign students who seek to conduct research under supervisors. Applicants vary, from those who wish to deepen their research after graduation from undergraduate or graduate schools (including incumbents) to those who wish to enter graduate schools as regular students. However, research students cannot earn credits or receive a degree. The International Student Center offers a Japanese language program for admitted foreign students who do not have enough competence in the Japanese language for academic programs at the University. Admitted research students are required to have a well-prepared research agenda including objectives for their period of study in Kagoshima, and to have a reasonable financial plan for the payment of academic fees and living expenses. Research students should not have to rely on part-time work to survive. In the case where part-time work interferes with a student's research, that student may be expelled from the University.

Qualifications
Those who have completed a 16-year (18-year in the case of medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine) regular program of school education in foreign countries, or equivalent. Application will be accepted when applicants are acknowledged as university graduates by Kagoshima University.

Application
Selection is based on submitted documents, so it is not necessary for applicants to come to Japan. Applicants must obtain approval concerning study plans from their prospective supervisors prior to submission of application forms. They must contact the supervisors by themselves before applying for Research Student status at the University. When first contacting prospective supervisors, applicants are expected to introduce themselves including the following:

• Record of academic history (from elementary school to university/graduate school)
• Employment record
• Explanation of how the applicant found out about the prospective supervisor
• Explanation of reason for the choice of supervisor
• Study plan
• Statement concerning whether or not the applicant intends to apply for graduate school (for a master's or doctoral degree program) in the future
• Means of financing the applicant's proposed stay in Japan
• Information on the applicant's Japanese language ability

After obtaining their prospective supervisors' approval, applicants should submit applications to the Student Section of each faculty. Application forms are obtainable upon request from a supervisors.

Academic Staff