I am Varun Inamdar, currently in my third year (after second year when I did the internship). In my second year summers I interned at Kyoto University through the KU-STAR Program. This article gives an overview of how I got this internship and my experience during those two months.

About the Internship:

Program: KU-STAR Program
University: Kyoto University
Supervisor: Hidetoshi Shimodaira, Graduate School of Informatics
Duration: May 20 - July 18, 2025
Mode: On-site
Research Area: Natural Language Processing
Funding: Yes (funded internship)

How I Got the Opportunity:

I found this opportunity through IITB’s webmail announcement about the KU-STAR Program. The application process required:

• CV
• Statement of Purpose (SoP)
• Letter of Recommendation (LoR)
• Transcript

I received valuable help from seniors who had previously participated in the program, which was instrumental in preparing a strong application.

Research Project:

Title: Mapping LLMs via their log likelihood vector

The research topic was jointly discussed and decided between myself and the supervisor. This project involved working with Large Language Models (LLMs) and analyzing their behavior through log likelihood vectors, which is a cutting-edge area in Natural Language Processing research.

Experience Highlights:

The internship provided excellent exposure to advanced NLP research in one of Japan’s premier universities. Working in Professor Shimodaira’s lab offered insights into state-of-the-art language model research.

Overall Recommendation:

I would rate this experience a 10/10 and absolutely recommend both the professor and university to others. The KU-STAR program provides an exceptional opportunity for undergraduate students to engage in high-quality research at Kyoto University.

Research Lab: Shimodaira Lab

Contact Information:

• Email: 23b2203@iitb.ac.in