US Fellows

Program Overview

Nakatani RIES serves as a catalyst for developing a generation of globally engaged scientists and engineers who have the necessary technical and cultural skills to collaborate and contribute to a vibrant international research community. The program includes:

      • Welcome/Preparation Meeting at Georgia Tech in February
      • Japanese Language & Cultural Course in the United States (online) and in Tokyo (in-person)
      • Orientation and Cultural Events during the 1st week in Tokyo, Japan
          • Japanese Language Course (morning)
          • Cultural Exchange (afternoon)
      • Research Internship at a Japanese University (May – July) and Cultural Exchange
      • Mid-Program Virtual Meeting (June)
      • Oral presentation at the Closing Session in Kyoto, Japan (late-July)
      • Poster presentation at the Nakatani RIES Symposium at Georgia Tech in September

Eligibility

Nakatani RIES Eligibility to Apply:

      • Undergraduate student who is a biomedical engineering major
      • Freshman may be considered if with substantial research experience
      • New for 2026! Seniors are also eligible if they have at least one semester in school AFTER returning from the Nakatani program (it means students should have an expected graduation date of December 2026).
      • Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

Global Internship Program Eligibility:

      • You must have completed at least two full-time semesters of college-level study as a degree-seeking student prior to participation in a study abroad program, and you must be at least 18 years of age by the program’s departure date.
      • You must be in good academic standing. Good academic standing is determined by the Registrar’s Office and is indicated at the end of your transcript each semester. Academic warning is a subcategory of good academic standing, so students on warning are still eligible.
      • You must be in good disciplinary standing. The Office of the Dean of Students and Housing determines your standing based on your disciplinary record.
      • You must maintain appropriate standards of behavior. Keep in mind that there are social aspects to the internship abroad learning experience. Appropriate standards of behavior must be adhered to at all times.

Benefits

The program also provides many benefits and financial coverage for most costs, including:

      • International health & liability insurance
      • Japanese language and cultural course tuition fees in the US and Japan
      • International airfare to/from Japan
      • Japan domestic train for the program meeting
      • Japanese university tuition fees
      • Housing (Dom or off-campus apartment)
      • Partial meal/living cost stipend
      • Loan of a Japanese cell phone and wifi

Requirements

      • Attend welcome/preparation meeting (February)
      • Japanese language and cultural course in the US (including main textbook purchase) and Japan
      • Mid-program virtual meeting (June)
      • Closing session in Kyoto (late-July)_Oral presentation and Q&A
      • Final report
      • Nakatani RIES symposium in September in the EBB building at Georgia Tech_Poster and 1-minute flash oral presentation_In-person
      • Feedback survey (Google form)

Interested? Please Apply!

Applications are accepted online via the Georgia Tech Office of International Education (OIE) ATLAS portal.

Nakatani RIES admissions schedule:

        • October 9th, 2025: Nakatani RIES application opens
        • November 9th, 2025: All application materials must be submitted via ATLAS to be considered
            • Applications will be reviewed on a semi-rolling basis, so the earlier you complete your application, the better!
        • Late November – Early December: Finalist Interviews Conducted
        • Late December: Final Notification of Acceptance

For specific admissions deadlines, please visit the ATLAS portal via the OIE website or click the “Apply to Nakatani RIES” button below to be taken to the application page.