Sweden-Japan Foundation - SEL Internships in Japan

SEL Internships in Japan

You do your master's thesis (examensarbete) at the Semiconductor Energy Laboratory (SEL) in Atsugi, Japan, for 4 to 6 months. The placement is fully funded. You get a salary that covers normal living costs, a return flight to Japan, and a room in SEL's staff dormitory within walking distance of the lab. SEL also helps you apply for your Japanese visa. SEL is a research and semiconductor company founded in 1980 with around 700 staff, mostly young researchers. The Sweden-Japan Foundation runs the placement. Each year 1 to 3 internships are offered on set projects, such as lithium-ion battery anodes, oxide-semiconductor computing circuits, and OLED materials.

Who can apply

• Level: You are a master's student and will do this placement as your thesis project.
• University: You study at a Swedish higher education institution.
• Nationality: You are a Swedish student.
• Field of study: You study a technical or engineering subject. Depending on the project, relevant fields include solid-state and semiconductor physics, crystallography, materials engineering, organic, inorganic, electro- and physical chemistry, electrical and electronic engineering, circuit theory, computer science and mathematics.
• Japanese: Not required. Some Japanese is an advantage, but not a condition.
• Supervisor: You have a supervisor or examiner at your university lined up before you apply.

How to apply

You apply through the Sweden-Japan Foundation's online system, preferably in English, and state which period you want to do the project. For 2026 there are two windows: 15 March to 31 May (mainly for autumn 2026 projects) and 1 June to 15 October (mainly for spring 2027 projects). Applications are accepted until the places are filled, so applying early helps.

How realistic are your chances?

This is a tightly cut placement: only 1 to 3 spots a year, open to Swedish master's students in specific technical fields who can match one of the named projects. That keeps the applicant pool small. So if your background fits a listed project and you line up a supervisor early, your prospects are real. Because places fill on a rolling basis, applying at the start of a window is worth it.