※出来る限り日本語版サイトもご確認下さい。日本語版の募集要項ページはこちらです。
※Please check the Japanese version site as much as possible. Click here for the Japanese version of the application guidelines page.

Regarding the handling of business results for the past five years
1) Papers published five years ago must have been accepted or published (online or in print, whichever comes first) after April 2019.
・Includes papers accepted before April 2019 and published after April 2019
・However, papers accepted and published online before April 2019 and published in print after April are not included.

2) Please list recent paper presentations that were accepted by the application deadline.
・These are papers that have been accepted (currently in print or published) by the application deadline.
・Papers that are currently being written, submitted, or revised as of the application deadline are not included.
・However, papers accepted and published on bioRxiv etc. are listed as preprints.

3) Please list future conference presentations that have been accepted by the application deadline.
・If you have received a notification of acceptance as of the application deadline, you can list it even if it has not been published yet.
・However, unofficial presentations at affiliated organization report sessions, seminars, meetings, etc. are excluded.
 

To all graduate students: 
Students who wish to apply to the program should read the following information carefully and submit their application before the deadline (i.e. no later than 12:00 noon, Tuesday, April 23, 2024). 

For the latest information, visit the TMDU website (URL below). 
https://www.tmd.ac.jp/campuslife/takuetsu/

An online presentation for the TMDU-SPRING Program will be held on Thursday, April 11 at 5:30 p.m. Details will be announced separately. 

○ TMDU-SPRING
TMDU has again been selected by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) for the “Support for Pioneering Research Initiated by the Next Generation (SPRING)” and will begin supporting graduate students through TMDU-SPRING (the successor to the TMDU WISE Programs (I) and (II)) from the start of the 2024 academic year. Under this SPRING system, selected universities choose outstanding doctoral students who will lead the future of science, technology and innovation, and provide them with a research environment in which they can devote themselves to challenging and integrative research while also supporting the development of diverse career paths. 

*As of the 2024 academic year, students accepted to the former TMDU-WISE Programs (I) and (II) will be collectively referred to as TMDU-SPRING students; support will be unified accordingly.  
*Note that support for students accepted to TMDU-SPRING will continue after the university merger, though there may be changes to the support provided. 

JST SPRING
https://www.jst.go.jp/jisedai/

The TMDU-SPRING Program aims to strategically foster “Clinician Scientists” who will lead outstanding pioneering and researchers who will be active across a wide range of fields in academia and industry, based on the TMDU’s “Top Science Incubator Concept.” 

Specifically, TMDU will select outstanding doctoral students and provide them with a monthly stipend of 180,000 yen to concentrate on their research (equivalent to living expenses) and an annual research grant of 400,000 yen for research expenses (additional grants may be available) during the standard term of study. 

In addition, the Young Investigator Support Center (YISC) plays a central role in organizing meetings to report research results (retreats), seminars to improve research skills, and seminars on career development, and also provides financial support for international travel, joint research and the publication of research papers. 

ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible to apply for TMDU-SPRING, you must be a graduate student enrolled in a doctoral course at TMDU who possesses excellent research skills, wishes to dedicate time to research and meets one of the following criteria as of April 1 of the year of application.　

Up to 36 students
(1) Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences / Medical and Dental Sciences (4-year course): 1st year students (including students from the MA program, MD-PhD/DDS-PhD program and researcher training courses)
(2) Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences / Biomedical Sciences and Engineering (3-year doctoral course): 1st year students 
(3) Graduate School of Health Care Sciences (5-year integrated course): 3rd year students

Up to 2 students (to fill current vacancies) 
(1) Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences / Medical and Dental Sciences (4-year course): 2nd year students (including students from the MA program, MD-PhD/DDS-PhD program and researcher training courses)
*Includes those who applied for the TMDU WISE Program in the previous year and were not selected. 

Up to 5 students (to fill current vacancies) 
(1) Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences / Medical and Dental Sciences (4-year course): 3rd year students (including students from the MA program, MD-PhD/DDS-PhD program and researcher training courses)
(2) Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences / Biomedical Sciences and Engineering (3-year doctoral course): 2nd year students 
(3) Graduate School of Health Care Sciences (5-year integrated course): 4th year students
*Includes those who applied for the TMDU WISE Program in the previous year and were not selected. 

Up to 4 students (to fill current vacancies) 
(1) Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences / Medical and Dental Sciences (4-year course): 4th year students (including students from the MA program, MD-PhD/DDS-PhD program and researcher training courses)
(2) Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences / Biomedical Sciences and Engineering (3-year doctoral course): 3rd year students 
(3) Graduate School of Health Care Sciences (5-year integrated course): 5th year students
*Includes those who applied for the TMDU WISE Program in the previous year and were not selected. 

(Reference) For students entering in the fall of 2024 (a separate application will be accepted in the fall)
Up to 3 students
(1) Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences / Medical and Dental Sciences (4-year course): 1st year students (including students from the MA program, MD-PhD/DDS-PhD program and researcher training courses)
(2) Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences / Biomedical Sciences and Engineering (3-year doctoral course): 1st year students 
(3) Graduate School of Health Care Sciences (5-year integrated course): 3rd year students

Students Deemed Ineligible for Application
Students falling under any of the following criteria are not eligible to apply for TMDU-SPRING Program. 
(1)    Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Fellows DC1 or DC2, government-sponsored international students
(2)    Those receiving a stable salary, etc. (in principle, those whose annual income is 2.4 million yen or more for any consecutive 12-month period during the term of enrollment. If the term of enrollment is less than 12 months, those whose 12-month equivalent income is expected to exceed 2.4 million yen). This applies to the majority of TMDU Residents. 
However, unstable salaries such as part-time work (including as doctors, dentists and other medical professionals¹, salaries as teaching assistants (TA) and research assistants (RA) at TMDU or other universities, salaries as clinical assistants (CA) or healthcare assistants (HCA) at TMDU, and scholarships stipulated in the scholarship award regulations for students entering the Early Career Development Course (TMDU’s MD-PhD and DDS-PhD courses) do not need to be counted toward the “income or estimated income” (stable salary, etc.) above.

¹ In principle, students who earn more than 2.4 million yen per year are eligible for enrollment in the program insofar as the income is unstable and from part-time income that can be explained. However, the scholarship may be terminated if the part-time job were to impede research, career development, or efforts related to training content.

(3)    Students who expect to receive a total of 2.4 million yen or more per year in benefit-type scholarships and applicants whose total income or estimated income plus benefit-type scholarships will amount to 2.4 million yen or more. However, benefit-type scholarships that are limited in usage to tuition and research expenses are not included in the “income or estimated income” above. 
(4)    Students who are receiving or expect to receive a separate scholarship, which cannot be received in conjunction with the fellowship benefits provided to TMDU-SPRING students (former TMDU-WISE I or II students). 
(5)    Students who have exceeded the standard number of years of study due to extension of their education. However, this does not apply to long-term students who have not exceeded the standard number of years of study.  
(6)    Students who have already been selected for enrollment in TMDU-SPRING (formerly TMDU-WISE I or II). 

PAYMENT PERIOD
The payment period shall be within the standard term of study. However, a mid-term evaluation will be conducted before the student advances to the final year of study. If there is a significant delay with the progress of research, subsequent funding may be discontinued. 

APPLICATION METHOD
Submit the following documents by e-mail to the TMDU-SPRING Application Contact at takuetsu_ssu@ml.tmd.ac.jp by 12:00 noon on Tuesday, April 23. The required documents are as follows. The file name should be submitted as <Student ID Number> <Name>_TMDU-SPRING Application (e.g. if your name is John Doe and your student ID is 43200000, set the file name as “43200000JohnDoe_TMDU-SPRING Application”).  
(1)    Personal History & Expected Income Declaration [Application Form 1]
The file should be in Excel format with the file name <Student ID Number> <Name>_Form1.xlsx
(2)    Research Achievement [Application Form 2]
The file should be in Excel format with the file name <Student ID Number> <Name>_Form2.xlsx
(3)    Research Plan & Self-Promotion [Application Form 3]
The file should be saved as a PDF file with the file name <Student ID Number> <Name>_Form3.pdf
Be sure to have your research supervisor review documents (1) through (3) prior to submission. 
(4)    Supervisor’s Confirmation Form [Application Form 4]
Please be sure to ask your research supervisor in your host laboratory (who is generally responsible for the course) to review documents (1) to (3) above and write a reference letter. Also, ask your research supervisor to convert the document to PDF with the file name <Student ID Number><Name>_Form4.pdf and send it directly via e-mail.  
(5)    Attached Literature Certifying Research Achievements
A PDF copy of the title page for your published papers (which should include information about the author, title, journal name, date, etc.) and an abstract of your presentation at an academic conference (which should include information about the presenter, title, conference name, etc.). Note that research achievements without attached literature will be excluded from evaluation.

Your ranking in the entrance examination and previous year’s academic performance (GPA) in your undergraduate studies or MA will be used as reference in selection. In the course of screening, we may ask you to submit additional documents (e.g. tax statements, pay statements, college transcripts, etc.). Your cooperation in this regard is appreciated. 

The forms can be downloaded at the link below. Please submit the required documents by e-mail in the file formats specified above. 

TMDU-SPRING Application Contact (takuetsu_ssu@ml.tmd.ac.jp) 

SCREENING AND NOTIFICATION OF TMDU-SPRING SELECTION RESULTS
Applications will be screened by the screening committee and the selection results will be separately notified to the applications chosen to be accepted and their research supervisor. Unsuccessful candidates and their research supervisors will also be notified accordingly.

Information on the procedures for remittance of the monthly stipend, etc. and the procedures for distributing research grants will also be communicated along with the letter of acceptance. 

CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH SEMINARS, ETC.
Information will be provided separately about research presentation meetings (retreats), seminars to improve research skills and seminars on career development, etc. 

MONTHLY STIPENDS, ETC.
Monthly stipend to concentrate on research (equivalent to living expenses): 180,000 yen

Research grant: 400,000 yen per year. However, additional funding for international travel, joint research and the publication of research papers, etc. may be provided upon request. 

*The monthly stipend is taxable, so users of this fund must file a tax return for themselves. 
*The research grant should be managed by the research supervisor of the host laboratory (who is generally responsible for the course). 
*We can be consulted separately regarding subsidization of international travel, etc. 

TERMINATION OF MONTHLY STIPENDS, ETC. 
During periods of leave of absence from school, the payment of the monthly stipend will be suspended. After returning to school, the payment of said monthly stipend will be resumed upon notification. 

WHEN ACCEPTED AS A TMDU-SPRING STUDENT [to receive payment of research grants]
　・Please read through the “Handbook to Prevent Fraud in Academic Activities” and submit a written pledge immediately if you have not done so already. 
　・Please be sure to sign up for the research ethics e-learning course “eAPRIN.” 
　・Please have your work registered in the “Research Information Database” and update it as necessary.
　Note that no research grants will be allocated unless the above three requirements are met. 

Handbook to Prevent Fraud in Academic Activities 
https://www.tmd.ac.jp/files/topics/46796_ext_19_6.pdf
eAPRIN homepage 
https://www.tmd.ac.jp/tmd-research/rule/prevention-injustice/#anchor20
Research Information Database (data entry screen) 
https://aris.tmd.ac.jp/

REVOCATION OF PAYMENT OF MONTHLY STIPENDS, ETC. 
If the steering committee for the TMDU-SPRING Program deems a student to be disqualified for any of the following reasons or if the student has unenrolled from the university, the student will be disqualified and may be requested to return their monthly stipends, retroactive to the beginning of the academic year (April).  

(1) The student has been subject to a disciplinary procedure or suspension from school
(2) Any falsification has been found in the content of the application or other submissions
(3) The student has failed to submit the required notifications without justifiable reason
(4) The steering committee has deemed the student to be inappropriate as a TMDU-SPRING student for other reasons. 

[IMPORTANT] Japanese students: Be sure to check the following information 

Restrictions on duplication of the repayment waiver program for JASSO Type 1 students with outstanding research performance
Restrictions on overlap between the TMDU-SPRING Program and the repayment waiver program for students with outstanding research performance on a doctoral course at TMDU. 

(1) Overview
In accordance with national government policy, which is based on the results of the Ministry of Finance’s Survey of Expenditure inducting that “In principle, the waiver of repayment of interest-free scholarships, which are in effect equivalent to benefits, should not be duplicated in fellowship programs, etc., so that support may be extended to as many doctoral students as possible,” those who receive support from the “Support for Pioneering Initiated by the Next Generation (SPRING) Program” implemented by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) (i.e. those enrolled in the TMDU-SPRING or TMDU-WISE (I) or (II) Programs) are not eligible for the “Repayment Waiver Program for Particularly Outstanding Achievements” that is offered as part of doctoral courses at TMDU.  

(2) Those subject to restriction
This applies to those who will become JASSO Type 1 Scholarship recipients in the 2023 academic year or thereafter. 

In the event that a recipient of an offer of repayment waiver who was accepted as a Type 1 scholarship student in the 2023 academic year or thereafter decides to receive the aforementioned support, this offer will be rescinded. 

POINT OF CONTACT FOR APPLICATIONS/INQUIRIES
Applications (where to send applications) 
Email: takuetsu_ssu@ml.tmd.ac.jp
TMDU-SPRING Application Contact 

Be sure to submit your application by e-mail. Do not forget to include “<Student ID Number> <Name>_TMDU-SPRING Application” in the e-mail title. Please contact us if you do not receive an e-mail confirming our receipt of your message within two days of sending (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays). 

INQUIRIES
Please address all inquiries to the Student Support Office, Student Support General Affairs Unit
Email: kousei.adm@ml.tmd.ac.jp

All inquiries are to be submitted by e-mail. Do not forget to include “<Student ID Number><Name>_TMDU-SPRING Application Inquiry” in the e-mail title. Please contact us if you do not receive an e-mail confirming our receipt of your message within two days of sending (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays). 

Please submit all inquiries via e-mail. It may take us some time to reply depending on the content of the inquiry, so you are advised to contact us well in advance.