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Published: 16 Sep 2022 4,472 views
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan offers scholarships to international students who wish to study at Japanese universities as Undergraduate Students under the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program as follows.
Those who apply for an undergraduate student must choose a “Field of Study (“Social Sciences and Humanities” or “Natural Sciences”), “Course”, and “Major(s)” from the below table. Applicants may enter a first, second, and third choice.
Japanese government scholarship supports foreign students who study in higher education institutions, selected on the recommendation of Japanese Embassy/Consulate General, University, or Authority.
| Application Deadline | 15 Oct 2022 |
| Country to study | Japan |
| Type | Undergraduate |
| Sponsor | Japanese Government |
| Gender | Men and Women |
(1) Allowance: 117,000 yen per month. A supplemental regional allowance of 2,000 yen or 3,000 yen per month will be added to the monthly scholarship amount for the grantees studying or conducting research in specially designated regions. Due to the situation of the Japanese Government’s budget, the amount of payment may be subject to change each fiscal year. If a grantee is absent from the university or the preparatory educational institution for an extended period, the scholarship shall be suspended for that period.
(2) Education Fees: Fees for the entrance examination, matriculation, and tuition at universities will be paid by MEXT.
(3) Traveling Expenses: Transportation to Japan & Transportation from Japan
MEXT accepts applications from international students for study in Japan who satisfy the following qualifications and conditions. Its 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.
(1) 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 acquisition of student status). The First Screening must be conducted at the Japanese diplomatic mission in the country of which the applicant chooses the nationality.
(2) Age: Applicants, in principle, must be born on or after April 2, 1998. However, applicants who satisfy the conditions for Academic Background stipulated in ? below must be 18 years of age or older at the time of admission to a university in Japan.
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.
(3) Academic Background: Applicants must satisfy any one of the following conditions. However, applicants desiring direct placement must satisfy either the following ?, ? or ? condition.
? Applicants who have completed 12 years of schooling in countries other than Japan. (Applicants who will meet the above condition by March 2023 are eligible. However, applicants wishing to enroll from the autumn term through direct placement must be expected to complete 12 years of schooling by August 2023.)
? Applicants who have completed their studies at a school equivalent to a Japanese upper secondary school in countries other than Japan. (Applicants who will meet the above condition by March 2023 are eligible.)
? Applicants who have successfully passed an academic qualification examination that is equivalent to the completion of 12 years of schooling in countries other than Japan. (Applicants who will meet the above condition by March 2023 are eligible.)
? Other than the above ?, ? and ? conditions, applicants who are eligible for enrollment in a Japanese
university at the time of application.
(4) Japanese Language: Applicants must be willing to learn Japanese. Applicants must be interested in Japan and be willing to deepen their understanding of Japan before and after arriving in Japan. In addition, in principle, applicants must be willing to carry out their academic studies in Japan in Japanese.
(5) 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.
(6) Arrival in Japan: In principle, applicants must be able to arrive in Japan between April 1, 2023, and April 7, Departure from the home residence should be on or after April 1, 2023. If an applicant is to enroll in
his/her university from the fall semester through direct placement, he/she must be able to arrive in Japan during the period specified by the accepting university within two weeks before and after the starting date of the university’s relevant academic term for that year.
Excluding cases in which MEXT deems as unavoidable circumstances, the applicant must withdraw from this scholarship program if the applicant cannot arrive in Japan by the end of the specified period above which decided by MEXT or the accepting university.
(7) Visa Requirement: An applicant shall, in principle, newly 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,” such resident statuses might not be necessarily granted. The applicant should also be aware that the scholarship will be cancelled if he/she arrived in Japan without a newly obtained “Student” visa.
(1) A grantee who studies at a preparatory educational institution prior to enroll in a university: The scholarship period will last for five years from April 2023 to March 2028, including one-year preparatoryzeducation in the Japanese language and other subjects due to be provided upon arrival in Japan. For scholarship grantees majoring in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine or a six-year course in pharmacy, the scholarship period will be seven years until March 2030.
(2) A grantee who enroll in a university through direct placement: The scholarship period will last for four years (or for six years for those majoring in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine or in a six-year course in pharmacy). The scholarship period will start from the time of enrollment in the university which the university designates
Applicants must submit the following documents to the Japanese diplomatic mission in the country of the applicant’s nationality by the designated deadline. The submitted documents will not be returned.
For more details, visit the website.