SOKENDAI KEK Tsukuba/J-PARC Summer Student Program 2026 in Particle Physics, Materials Science, and Accelerator Science (Master's/Undergraduate)
The SOKENDAI KEK Tsukuba/J-PARC Summer Student Program 2026 offers undergraduate and early graduate (Master's) students a unique opportunity to participate in cutting-edge research at the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK) in Japan. KEK is renowned for its world-leading research in particle physics, nuclear physics, materials science, and accelerator science, with major facilities at the Tsukuba and Tokai campuses. Students will join research groups working on topics such as the Belle II experiment, neutrino and muon experiments, hadron physics, advanced detection systems, and material and life sciences using synchrotron and neutron sources.
The program is open to students worldwide who, as of March 1, 2026, are in the latter half of their undergraduate studies or in the early part of a Master's program. Applicants should ideally have a background in dynamics, electromagnetism, and quantum mechanics, though eligibility may depend on the research group. The program duration is up to 8 weeks (4 weeks for theory groups) between mid-June and mid-August 2026, with the exact start date coordinated among participants. Students will gain hands-on research experience, collaborate with KEK researchers, and may interact with SOKENDAI students and postdocs.
Financial support for international participants includes airfare, accommodation in KEK/J-PARC dormitories, a daily per diem (1,500 yen), and domestic travel between the airport and KEK/J-PARC. Visa and insurance costs are not covered. Japanese participants receive similar support, excluding airfare. The program does not allow extensions for personal travel. All students must obtain travel and liability insurance for the program period.
To apply, students must register to obtain an applicant ID, prepare a CV, official transcript (with English or Japanese translation if needed), application form, and arrange for a recommendation letter from a supervisor or academic familiar with their work. All materials, including the recommendation letter, must be submitted via the web forms by February 27, 2026, 9:00AM (Japan time). Selection is based on application materials, and interviews may be conducted. Results will be announced by April 17, 2026.
Research areas include particle physics (Belle II, neutrino, muon, energy frontier), nuclear physics, instrumentation, material and life sciences, accelerator science, and computational theory. The program is supported by SOKENDAI, KEK IINAS-NX, and the JENNIFER3 HORIZON-Europe MSCA-SE project. For more information, visit the program website or contact the KEK SOKENDAI Office.
