(Update 3 January 2013: Frequently Asked Questions)
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.
Applicants should
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".
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.
The timeline anticipated for the selection process of the Fellowship Programme is as follows:
For any further questions regarding the DNST, please contact pnst@unoosa.org.
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.
This page was last updated on 3 January 2013.