Applying for the NTU–Kyoto University agriculture master's dual degree

It's probably application season again, so I'm posting this while I still have some breathing room at the start of the semester. I hope it helps anyone who needs it.

Some background first: I went straight into NTU's master's program from undergrad, and back in undergrad I was already thinking about using a dual degree to study in Japan. After all, the perks of a dual degree are that you pay NTU tuition while you're in Japan + one extra year gets you diplomas from both schools. It sounds exhausting, but any way you look at it, it's a better deal than a plain exchange.

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1. The dual degree program, getting connected with a lab, and talking to your advisor

The dual degree program is listed on the 國農中心 (international agriculture center) website, but compared with exchange programs, information about it is relatively hard to find. If you're interested, I'd still suggest going to the 國農中心 counter in person to ask about that year's rules. Here I'll just share how it went in my year, for reference.

Let me be clear: a dual degree is absolutely not "an exchange that comes with a diploma"! At heart it's short-term research. Besides producing a decent master's thesis within one year, it's also a chance for NTU and Kyoto University to publish research together. If you're not determined to push yourself hard and just want to experience life abroad, a plain exchange may suit you better··· ··· But if, like me, you're a bit of an academic masochist and plan to go into academia, then a dual degree is a good choice.

Usually a dual degree gives students a chance to do research abroad when the two labs already have ties, but in recent years (including me) some students have made the connection themselves, so you don't really need to worry too much about this when looking for a Kyoto University lab. The agriculture world is small and there are lots of Taiwanese people in Kyoto University's Graduate School of Agriculture, so it doesn't feel as distant as you might imagine.

But getting your NTU advisor to agree to let you go depends a lot on the goodwill you've built up in the lab and on the art of communication. I went back and forth with my boss for a month before getting the green light. Your advisor will also need time to digest and think it over (especially if you'd be the first dual degree student in the lab, or even the department), so don't cut it too close. Leave room to talk it through and to figure out what you actually want to do.

Once you're past your NTU advisor, the next step is actively contacting the Japanese professor you want to work with and preparing the application documents. Also, the dual degree guidelines and application form are sent to the department office's inbox, and the office then forwards them to the department's faculty. Usually it's only at this stage that your advisor will pass the application info on to you.

2. Documents needed for the dual degree internal selection

   1. Application form (English)

   2. Statement of motivation (one in Chinese, one in English)

   3. Original undergraduate transcripts (one in Chinese, one in English, GPA >= 3.0)

   4. Copy of language test score report (TOEFL >= 79 / IELTS >= 6.0)

   5. Research proposal (English, with both advisors' signatures on the last page)

   6. Recommendation letter from your NTU advisor and a letter of consent to supervise from your Kyoto University advisor (any format; an email screenshot also works)

I specifically say internal selection because passing it doesn't mean Kyoto University has agreed to admit you. It only means NTU is willing to nominate you to study abroad. After you're selected there are other administrative steps to go through, so apart from the application form, test scores and transcripts, everything here has to be typed up from a blank Word file.

Once you've reached a Japanese professor and they're willing to take you on, the next step is working out a research plan both sides agree on. The Japanese and Taiwanese research plans are separate, and the fields can be similar, so the process is a lot of emails back and forth and online discussions. After the final version is done, advisors on both sides have to read and sign it before you can submit.

For the Japanese advisor's consent letter, it's generally safer to draft a consent form yourself and ask the professor to sign it. With an email, differences in how things are phrased in Taiwan and Japan can easily make the Japanese side's reviewers feel the professor's intent isn't clear enough, and it gets bounced back asking for more documents. Better to draft a consent form from the start and make sure both sides have a clear agreement to work together.

Once your documents are ready, you hand in the paper copies to the 國農中心, and then wait for an interview or the results. In my year only one other student and I applied, so I got in without an interview.

3. Other murmurs

I'm not sure what year of university (or first-year master's?) the people opening this post are in. If you're still an undergrad, I really suggest laying the groundwork and preparing early. It's even better if you've done an independent research project or a bachelor's thesis; if not, at least take an academic writing course, or the research plan will easily become a sticking point. Leaving at least 1.5 months for that part is a good idea. At NTU, the first semester of the master's usually has the heaviest course load, so when you're applying it's really easy to be juggling the application, research and first-year required courses all at once, not to mention other commitments QQ.

I got a lot of help along the way, whether from senior students at Kyoto University or other people online, and I learned a lot from every conversation. I hope someone gets some help from this post too, and if I get the chance, I hope I remember to post an update XD