What’s the TIER IV Student Researcher Program?
TIER IV founder Shinpei Kato is committed to helping students in Japan broaden their horizons and succeed on the global stage. This perspective stems from his time in academia, having served as a project associate professor at the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, and a visiting professor at Nagoya University’s Graduate School of Information Science.
Building on this vision, TIER IV launched the Student Researcher Program, designed to foster the next generation of researchers by providing the resources they need to focus on their work. The program provides scholarships of 250,000 or 400,000 yen per month for up to three years in fields such as computer science, electrical and electronic engineering, and intelligent mechanical systems.
※ Applications are temporarily closed. This page will be updated when applications reopen.
Shinpei Kato
Message from Shinpei Kato
This program is optimized for master’s and doctoral students. I encourage you to take full advantage of this opportunity, not only to shape your own career, but also to deliver results that exceed expectations and surprise all of us at TIER IV. When those results contribute to the future of autonomous driving, you will feel the impact of giving back to society through your own work. Each of these successes becomes the foundation for new ideas, driving the next cycle of research and innovation.
As you take on your own research proposals, your curiosity will deepen into attachment, and eventually into genuine commitment. With access to financial support and opportunities to make real-world connections, students can devote themselves to research that truly matters.
First and foremost, we want to create an environment where master’s and doctoral students can develop a passion for research, devote themselves to solving challenges, and see their results contribute to society. I firmly believe that supporting promising students will not only make us stronger, but also help build a stronger future for this country.
This program represents what I can contribute at this point in time, and it also embodies the aspirations of the many people across industry, government, and academia who have invested in TIER IV.
We have access to a variety of test courses and development vehicles, enabling students to carry out experiments on a scale beyond what most universities can provide. With these resources in place, we invite you to be part of the program.
We look forward to hearing from you.
TIER IV has also launched an internship program for students based overseas. The company provides airfare and other travel expenses to Japan. We welcome applications from those who want to gain work experience in Tokyo or work on the development of Autoware, open-source software for autonomous driving.
