Internship Program

Description

The MIT Japan Internship Program is open to MIT undergraduate and graduate students, as well as to alumni for up to one year after their graduation. We place interns in corporate, government, or academic research environments for a period of 3 months to up to one year. All internship expenses are paid for by the host institutions and/or where necessary subsidized by the program.

Education is central to the Program’s activities. As part of the placement process, MIT student interns must study Japanese language and culture for two years and undergo a comprehensive program of coursework on Japan’s culture, including participation in a weekend retreat and a seminar series. This training gives interns the confidence to function as integral members of their work and research teams, with the same access to information as their Japanese colleagues.

“The MIT-Japan Program is one of the reasons I came to MIT. The connections I have and will make through the Program and the experience of living abroad are invaluable. I feel privileged to attend and institution that understands this.”
C.R. Japan Program Intern

See recent Japan Snapshots from our interns.

Read a first hand account from one of our alumni on his internship with NTT DoCoMo in 2004.

Requirements

Japanese Language Ability

Two years minimum of Japanese language training at MIT Foreign Languages and Literatures Department or equivalent to be completed by the time of the internship (contact MIT language instructor Ms. Yoshimi Nagaya, yoshimi@mit.edu for details and placement test)

Grades

B average or better (GPA 4.0 or better)
We are unable to place students with a criminal record or institute history of disciplinary action

Formal Coursework on Japan

Participation in 17.541/17.543 - Introduction to Japanese Politics and Society– is recommended. This course nicknamed ‘Raw Fish’ will introduce you to Japan and its society. It covers religion, art, politics, economics, and the complex institutions of modern Japan in historical perspective. Raw Fish meets once a week and is only offered in the fall semester.
For a listing of alternative introductory courses on Japan please contact program coordinator Daniela Reichert at dreichert@mit.edu

Placement Process and Application Materials

Prospective interns should contact the Japan Program Intern Coordinator in early fall in order to begin an internship the following year.
If you are interested in studying in Japan for one year or longer, please contact the coordinator in spring of the previous year. The deadlines for available fellowships (Monbushō or Fulbright) are in summer (July/August) and early fall.
For more details, please contact by telephone, Daniela Reichert (617) 258-8208, email (dreichert@mit.edu), or come in person to E38, 7th floor.
Click here to apply online or view the Application Form (pdf) and information on other application materials (pdf).

Pre-internship Training

Spring Training Seminars on current topics are held in February, March, and April every year. These sessions give vital information for a successful internship. Internship candidates will learn to understand and use Japanese-style human relations as their greatest resource, and will be prepared for their life and work in a Japanese environment.
A two day retreat is held on the last weekend of IAP. Feedback from former interns repeatedly emphasizes how this training has made a difference during their internships.