Japanese Government Scholarships for International Research Students

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The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) offers scholarships to international students who wish to study in graduate courses at Japanese universities either as (non-degree) student or regular student for a degree under the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program for 2015.  See also Japanese Government Scholarships for Undergraduate Students.

Host Institution(s):

Universities in Japan

Fields of study:

Applicants should apply for the field of study they majored in at university or its related field. And fields of study must be subjects which applicants will be able to study and research in graduate courses at Japanese universities. The fields of study may be restricted to particular fields by the Japanese Embassy/Consulate General(hereinafter referred to as the “Japanese diplomatic mission”).  See the official website for other restrictions to eligible fields of study.

Number of Scholarships:

Not specified

Target group:

Nationals of countries which has diplomatic relations with the Japanese government.

Scholarship Benefits:

The scholarship includes an allowance of 143,000-145,000 yen per month, an additional monthly stipend of 2,000 or 3,000 yen may be provided to those undertaking study or research in specially designated regions, travel costs to and from Japan, and school fees. See the official website for complete scholarship benefits.

Eligibility:

(1) Nationality: Applicants must have the nationality of a country which has diplomatic relations with the Japanese government. Stateless persons can be applicants, too. Applicants who have Japanese nationality at the time of application are not eligible. However, applicants of dual nationality who reside outside of Japan is eligible only if they will expatriate from Japan by the time of arrival in Japan. Screening of applicants will be made at the Japanese diplomatic mission in the country of applicants’ nationality.

(2) Age: Applicants must have been born on or after April 2,1980.

(3) Academic Background: Applicants must be a graduate from a Japanese university or have academic ability equal or superior to that of a Japanese university graduate. A person will be deemed to have academic ability equal or superior to that of a university graduate, if he/she

•  has completed or will complete a 16-year school curriculum in a foreign country (or an 18-year school curriculum if he/she desires to enroll in a doctoral course in the field of medicine, dentistry or veterinary science, or pharmacy which is founded on a 6-year department or faculty); or

•  is or will be aged 22 or older and has taken an individual entrance qualification examination and has been judged by a Japanese graduate school as being equal or superior in academic ability to a university graduate (or 24 or older if he/she desires to enroll in a doctoral course in the field of medicine, dentistry or veterinary science, or pharmacy which is founded on a 6-year department or faculty).

Note: Eligible applicants include those who otherwise satisfy or will satisfy qualification requirements for admission to a Japanese graduate school. As a general rule, a person who has completed a doctoral course may not apply unless he/she seeks to obtain a degree.

(4) Japanese Language: Applicants must be willing to learn the Japanese language, interested in Japan and enthusiastic about deepening their understanding of Japan after arriving, and capable of engaging in study and research while adapting   themselves to life in Japan.

(5) Health: Applicants must be physically and mentally healthy enough to take graduate studies at universities in Japan.

(6) Arrival in Japan: In principle, applicants must be able to arrive in Japan between the 1st and 7th of April 2015, or within two weeks of the date set by the receiving university for the beginning of the semester (in principle, in September or October).

(7) Visa Requirement: In principle, selected applicants must acquire “College Student” （ryugaku,留学） visas before entering Japan. The visas should be issued at the Japanese legation, located in the country of applicants’ nationality.  Applicants who change their resident status to any status other than “College Student” after their arrival in Japan will immediately lose their status as Japanese government scholarship student.

Please refer to the official website for complete eligibility criteria and conditions of the scholarship.

Application Instructions:

Applications are currently closed.

Because the application process differs according to the country in which the Japanese embassy is located, please inquire at the Japanese embassy or consulate general in your country for details. Scholarship recipients are recruited and initially screened by a Japanese embassy (or consulate general, depending on the country).  The deadline of the applications varies per country.

It is important to visit the official website (links found below) for detailed information on how to apply for this scholarship.

Website:

Official Scholarship Website: http://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/koutou/ryugaku/boshu/1346643.htm

Related Scholarships: List of Japan Scholarships