 |
| The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan |
MEXT Scholarship Overview
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan offers scholarships to international students who wish to study in graduate courses at Japanese universities as Research Students (either regular students or non-regular students) under the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program as follows.
Research Students are those who are enrolled in a master’s course, a doctoral course, or a professional graduate course at a graduate school, or who are conducting research in a specialized field at an undergraduate department, graduate school, institute attached to a university, etc. without the aim of completing the course, or who are receiving preparatory education in the Japanese language and other subjects prior to placement at the university, etc. (Excluding the Young Leaders Program students or Teacher Training Students.)
Period Of MEXT Scholarships
Non-regular students:
April term: maximum of two years from April 2019 until the end of March 2021.
October term: from September or October 2019 until the end of March 2021.
In either case, the above-mentioned period of scholarship includes a 6-month period of Japanese language training for those who require such training. In cases of arrival in Japan in other months than those specified above, MEXT will decide the period of scholarship separately.
Regular students enrolled in master’s, doctoral, or professional graduate courses:
Regardless of the date of arrival, the scholarship period shall be the necessary period for the completion of the regular program of the respective courses (see “12. UNIVERSITY ENROLLMENT AND ACQURING DEGREES (4) to (6)” for the standard period of study for each course). For those requiring preparatory education, a 6-month preparatory education period will be separately added.
Scholarship Benefits and Awards
Allowance: The amounts listed below shall be paid depending on the course enrolled in. Due to the situation of the Japanese Government’s budget, the amount of payment may be subject to change each fiscal year. The scholarship shall be cancelled if a grantee is absent from the university for an extended period.
- Students receiving preparatory education and non-regular students: 143,000 yen per month
- Regular students enrolled in master’s courses or degree courses in professional graduate schools: 144,000 yen per month
- Regular students enrolled in doctoral courses: 145,000 yen per month.
Education fees: Fees for the entrance examination, matriculation, and tuition at universities will be paid by MEXT. The entrance examination fee will not be paid by MEXT if the grantees cannot proceed to the master’s or doctoral course or cannot be admitted by the university.
Traveling Expenses
Scholarship Eligibility and Qualifications
MEXT accepts applications from international students for study in Japan who satisfy the following qualifications and conditions. Our aim is to foster human resources who will become bridges of friendship between the grantee’s country and Japan through study in Japan and who will contribute to the development of both countries and the wider world.
Nationality: Applicants must have the nationality of a country that has diplomatic relations with Japan. An applicant who has Japanese nationality at the time of application is not eligible. However, persons with dual nationality who hold Japanese nationality and whose place of residence at the time of application is outside of Japan are eligible to apply as long as they choose the nationality of the other country and renounce their Japanese nationality by the date of their arrival in Japan. The First Screening must be conducted at the Japanese diplomatic mission in the country of which the applicant chooses the nationality.
Age: Applicants, in principle, must have been born on or after April 2, 1984. Exceptions are limited to cases in which MEXT deems that the applicant could not apply within the eligible age limit due to the situation or circumstances of the applicant’s country (military service obligation, loss of educational opportunities due to disturbances of war, etc.) Personal circumstances (financial situation, family circumstances, state of health, circumstances related to applicant’s university or place of employment, etc.) will not be considered for exceptions.
Academic Background: Eligible applicants satisfy the qualification requirements for admission to a master’s degree course or a doctoral degree course at a Japanese graduate school. (Includes applicants who are certainly expected to satisfy the requirements by the time of enrollment.)
Students must satisfy any one of the following eligibility criteria
Master’s program / Doctoral program (first phase)
Japanese university graduates.
Students that have been conferred their bachelor’s degree through the National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education (NIAD-QE).
Students who have completed 16 years of school education in countries other than Japan.
Students who have completed a program with the standard study period of three years or more at universities or equivalent educational institutions in countries other than Japan and received a degree equivalent to a bachelor’s degree.
Students who have completed 16 years of education at education institutions in Japan recognized as having overseas undergraduate programs.
Students who have completed designated professional training college courses.
Students recognized as having academic abilities equivalent to or better than university graduates in an individual entrance qualification examination conducted by a graduate school, and who have reached 22 years of age.
Doctoral program (second phase)
Students with a Japanese master’s degree or students with a Japanese professional degree.
Students who have been awarded with an overseas degree equivalent to a master’s degree or professional degree.
Students who have completed graduate programs at education institutions in Japan recognized as having overseas graduate programs and who have obtained a degree equivalent to a master’s degree or professional degree.
Students who have graduated from universities and have been involved in research study at universities or research centers (including overseas universities and research centers) for two years or more, and recognized as having academic competency equivalent to persons with a master’s degree by the graduate school.
Students recognized as having academic abilities equivalent to or better than master’s degree or professional degree holders in an individual entrance qualification examination conducted by the graduate school, and who have reached 24 years of age.
Doctoral program (faculties of medicine, dentistry, veterinary sciences and certain pharmaceutical programs)
If you apply to a program in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine or certain pharmaceutical sciences, you are required to confirm directly with the school of your choice before applying.
Japanese Language Ability: Applicants must be willing to learn Japanese. Applicants must be interested in Japan and be willing to deepen their understanding of Japan after arriving in Japan. Applicants must also have the ability to do research and adapt to living in Japan.
Health: Applicants must submit a health certificate in the prescribed format signed by a physician attesting that the applicant has no physical or mental conditions hindering the applicant’s study in Japan.
Arrival in Japan: An applicant must choose and fill in in the Application Form either of the arrival periods specified below . In principle, a change in the arrival period is not permitted after the submission of the Application. If the applicant cannot arrive in Japan specified period below for personal reasons, travel expenses to Japan will not be paid. Excluding cases of unavoidable circumstances, the applicant must withdraw from this scholarship program if the applicant cannot arrive in Japan by the end of the designated period.
April term: The arrival date should be, in principle, during the period from 1 April to 7 April, 2019. Departure from the home residence should be on or after 1 April.
October term: The arrival date specified by the accepting university during the period within two weeks before the starting date of the relevant academic term (September or October) for that year set by the accepting university.
Visa Requirement: An applicant shall, in principle, obtain a “Student” visa at the Japanese diplomatic mission located in the applicant’s country of nationality, and enter Japan with the residence status of “Student.” Accordingly, even if the applicant already has other residence status (“Permanent resident,” “Long-term resident,” etc.), the applicant must change it to the “Student” status and re-enter Japan. Moreover, the applicant should be aware that after expiration of the status as a MEXT Scholarship student and even if the student again applies for their original resident status of “Permanent resident” or “Long-term resident,” the such resident statuses might not be necessarily granted.
Important Notes
Please check the following PDF File Application Guidelines for Research Students for further details about the Japanese Government Scholarships (MEXT)
Please check the Following Link - Here for further details about the Application Forms and Documents required from the applicant
How to apply
Scholarship recipients are recruited and initially screened by a Japanese embassy (or consulate general, depending on the country).
As 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.
Please Check thi List of Websites of Japanese Embassies, Consulates and Permanent Missions
This scholarship is officially announced on Study in Japan Website which is produced and operated by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs