United Nations/Japan Long-term Fellowship Programme 2013
Post-graduate study on Nano-Satellite Technologies (PNST)
(Kitakyushu, Japan)

( Applications for the 2013 round of the Fellowship Programme are no longer being accepted. The application period for the 2014 round of th Fellowship Programme will start in September/October 2013)

The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs and the Government of Japan in cooperation with the Kyushu Institute of Technology (KIT) have established a United Nations/Japan Long-term Fellowship Programme on Nano-Satellite Technologies for nationals of developing countries or countries with economy in transition. The Programme will provide extensive research opportunities in nano-satellite systems through the use of the nano-satellite development and testing facilities available at KIT.

Every year this "Post-graduate study on Nano-Satellite Technologies (PNST)" Fellowship Programme will accept up to two students in the Masters course (2 years duration) and up to four students in the Doctorate course (3 years duration). Successful participants will be awarded a master or doctorate degree after successful thesis defence.

The selected candidates will each receive a grant under Japanese government (Mobukagakusho: MEXT) scholarship (Research Students) of about 145,000 yen per month for the duration of their fellowship study (2 or 3 years) to cover housing, food, local transportation, and other expenses (actual scholarship amount is subject to change). Each candidate will be provided, according to his/her itinerary and route as designated by MEXT, an economy class air ticket between an international airport in the country of his/her nationality and Narita International Airport or Fukuoka International Airport. Fees for matriculation, tuition and entrance examinations will be paid by KIT.

Applications for the Fellowship Programme will be accepted until 28 February 2013.

PNST Fellowship Programme Details

Application Requirements

Applicants should

  • Be nationals of developing countries or countries with economy in transition;
  • Be duly nominated by their institutions;
  • Born on or after 2 April 1978;
  • Candidates seeking a Master degree are expected to have completed studies ending with a Bachelor Degree or equivalent (4 years university degree) in engineering-related subjects. Candidates seeking a Doctorate degree are expected to have completed studies ending with a Master Degree or equivalent (5 years university degree) in engineering-related subjects. Degrees in different technological fields can be considered by the Doctor Commission; and
  • Be able to make professional use of the experience gained in the fellowship programme.

Information Note and Application Form

The fully completed application form and all other required documents shall be submitted in electronic format (.doc or .pdf) by email to the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs ( pnst@unoosa.org) no later than 28 February 2013. In exceptional cases where applicants do not have access to electronic mail, the completed application may also be sent by postal mail or through the Office of the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the applicant's country to the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, Vienna International Centre, P.O. Box 500, A 1400 Vienna, Austria. For additional details, please also refer to the document "Terms of Participation".
Please note that our email accounts only accept emails with a size limit of up to 10 Mbytes! Please send us your documents in separate emails if a single email would exceed this size limit!

Following the application deadline the United Nations will review all applications for eligibility and will make a pre-selection of the most qualified candidates. The final selection of the up to six successful candidates who will be offered a fellowship will be made by KIT on the basis of the evaluation of the application documents received.

Timeline of the Selection Process

The timeline anticipated for the selection process of the Fellowship Programme is as follows:

  • From December 2012: Dissemination of information on the Fellowship Programme to potential candidates worldwide and application period.
  • 28 February 2013: Submission deadline - all application documents received by UNOOSA.
  • March 2013: Selection of six successful candidates. At this stage all applicants will be informed about the outcome of their application.
  • March-June 2013: Discussion and finalization of research and study plan between the successful candidates and their supervisors.
  • July 2013: Formal admission and administration to obtain student visa.
  • August 2013: Travel arrangements for the candidates to Japan
  • October 2013: Beginning of the Fellowship Programme at KIT.

For any further questions regarding the PNST, please  contact us.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: As the topic of my Doctorate or Master thesis, am I restricted to choose something related to nano-satellite?
A: Space technology is made of many disciplines. You do not have to restrict yourself to choosing a topic too narrowly such as "nano-satellite guidance", "nano-satellite communications", etc. As long as the topic is space related, it has a possibility of being applied to nano-satellite. The important thing is that the thesis topic has suitable academic meaning as a Doctorate or Master thesis. You research topic will be determined via matching between your research interest and the academic disciplines that KIT faculties can offer. We will try to find a supervisor who is able to guide you in the area of your research interest.

Q: Where can I find more information about the research work I could conduct at KIT?
A: Please visit SEIC website which provides information about the research programmes at KIT, on the subjects of the Space Engineering International Course and on the faculty members and their recent publications.
You can also a list of Master thesis completed at the Laboratory of Spacecraft Environment Interaction Engineering over the past 10 years. This information may be helpful for defining your own study proposal.

Q: After a survey of the different researchers at KIT I am interested in working with Dr. XXX. My question is if I can apply to the United Nations/Japan Long-term Fellowship Programme on Nano-Satellite Technologies even though I do not have any agreement with any researcher yet?
A: Yes, of course you can apply! You do not need any pre-agreement with a KIT faculty before you apply. After the first round of down-selection, we will work on matching the remaining applicants to a professor at KIT. We will consider your interest in working with a particular professor if you pass this first round. Please submit your application package to UNOOSA website.

Q: Who should sign the "Nomination Form"?
A: The nomination form shall be signed by the head of the nominating organization. If you are a student right now, the person who signs the form has to be the Dean or higher ranking officer. If you are employed by a company, the person who signs the form has to be the president of your company.If you are neither a student nor employed, please ask the Dean or higher ranking office of the school you attended most recently.

Q: Is it sufficient for the "Referees Report Form" to be signed by the referee or is the seal of the referee's organization also required?
A: The referee's signature is sufficient, however, for the "Nomination Form" the official seal of the nominating organization is required.

Q: Is it necessary to send the hardcopies of the application forms to UNOOSA by mail/courier?
A: No, at this stage in the application process this is not necessary. However, please retain the original of the form "Application for Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho: MEXT) Scholarship". In March the short-listed candidates will be contacted and asked to send the original of this form directly to KIT.

Q: Can I send additional certificates to support my application?
A: Yes, if you can if you think that it will strengthen your application.

Q: I will apply for the Masters course. Do I have to fill the STATEMENT OF PURPOSE in the PNST2013_Application Form?
A: Yes, please complete this field if you apply for Masters course as well as if you apply for Doctorate course.

Links to Earlier Selection Rounds

Copyright ©2024 UNOOSA, All Rights Reserved