Japan Foundation for UNU (JFUNU) - PhD in Sustainability Science (UNU-IAS)

A three-year programme with an innovative approach to sustainability issues and a global change perspective.

Admission Requirements

Applicants for the PhD in Sustainability Science are required to have met the following requirements by the application deadline in order to be considered:

1. A completed master’s degree (or equivalent) from a recognized university or institution of higher education in a field related to sustainability and a minimum of two years of professional field experience related to UNU-IAS research themes which was acquired after obtaining a university degree (full time equivalent);

OR

Two completed master’s degrees, at least one of which must be in a discipline related to sustainability studies (those who expect to receive a second master’s degree before the entrance period of September 2024 may also apply);

2. A GPA of 2.8 or above on a 4.0 scale (equivalent to 70% on a 100 % scale) for at least one of the master’s degrees earned; and

3. English language proficiency.

The minimum score requirements for English language qualifications required by UNU-IAS are:

• 600 on TOEFL – Paper-Based Testing (PBT) OR
• 100 on TOEFL – Internet-Based Testing (IBT) OR
• 7.0 on IELTS – Academic format

* Please note that TOEFL and IELTS test scores are valid for two years. Invalid test scores will not be accepted. UNU-IAS requires original TOEFL/IELTS score reports (no photocopies accepted).Applicants are expected to submit a valid score by the application deadline (19 February 2025).

• TOEFL: Please order an official score report using the institution code 6991. For more information on TOEFL, please visit http://www.ets.org/toefl/
• IELTS: Please request that an official report be sent directly to UNU-IAS. For more information on IELTS, please visit http://www.ielts.org/

Applicants who have studied for at least two consecutive years in a degree-granting university programme taught entirely in English may submit a substitute document for the English language proficiency score.

Key Dates

• 19 February 2025: Deadline for applications
• Late March to Early April 2025: Invitation to an interview and requests for submitting supporting documents by email (shortlisted applicants only)
• Early to Mid-April 2025: Interviews (shortlisted applicants only)
• Late May 2025 onwards: Announcement of application results (successful applicants only)

Japan Foundation for UNU (jfUNU) Scholarship

The scholarship is competitive and may be awarded to eligible students who have been accepted for enrolment in the PhD programme. There is no separate application form for the scholarship as it is part of the main online application form for admission. Interested applicants must provide the necessary information and documents for the scholarship when applying to the PhD programme.

I. Coverage

The jfUNU scholarship provides a monthly allowance of 120,000 JPY as a support package for a maximum of 36 months. The tuition fees may be waived for the scholarship recipients.

II. Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Applicants must be from developing countries* who can demonstrate a need for financial assistance.
• Applicants who are currently living in Japan under a working visa are NOT eligible for the scholarship.
• Applicants who are already enrolled in other PhD programmes are not eligible. This includes those who have already obtained a PhD degree at an institution other than UNU-IAS.

* Developing countries included in the latest OECD DAC list.

III. Additional Requirements

• Recipients of the jfUNU Scholarship are required to write a short essay on their learning and experiences at UNU, which is submitted to the donor organisation. Before graduation, each recipient is requested to submit a note of appreciation to the donors with reflections on their future plans.
• Recipients agree to foster collaboration with jfUNU through participating in jfUNU activities, events, and other opportunities offered to the student body.