JAPANESE GOVERNMENT (MONBUKAGAKUSHO: MEXT) SCHOLARSHIP FOR 2017 (RESEARCH STUDENTS)

MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology) offers scholarships to international students who wish to study at Japanese universities as research students under the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program for 2017 as stipulated below.

The last date for submission of applications is 29th April 2016.

1. FIELDS OF STUDY

Fields of study must be subjects which applicants will be able to study and research at Japanese universities.

Keep in mind, however, that the field of study may be restricted to particular fields by the Japanese Embassy/Consulate General.(hereinafter referred to as the “Japanese diplomatic mission”)

A student who majors in medicine, dentistry or welfare science will not be allowed to engage in clinical training such as medical care and operative surgery until he/she obtains a permit from the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare under applicable Japanese laws. Majors in traditional entertainment such as Kabuki and classical Japanese dances, or in subjects that seek practical training in specific technologies or techniques at factories or companies are excluded.

2. QUALIFICATIONS

(1) Nationality: Applicant must have the nationality of a country which has diplomatic relations with the Japanese government. This applies at such times to stateless persons, too. Applicant who has Japanese nationality at the time of application will not be eligible. Applicant screening will be made at the Japanese diplomatic mission in the country of Applicant’s nationality (except where two or more countries are attended by the same Japanese diplomatic mission).

(2) Age: Applicant must have been born on or after April 2,1982.

(3) Academic Background: Applicant 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

① 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

② is or will be aged 22 or older and has taken an individual entrance qualification examination and has been judged by a 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) Major Field of Study: 

Applicant should apply for the field of study he/she studied at the previous university or any related field. Applicant must choose a field on which he/she can receive education and perform research at the university of his/her choice.

(5) Japanese Language:

Applicant must be willing to learn the Japanese language, interested in Japan and enthusiastic about deepening his/her understanding of Japan after arriving, and capable of engaging in study and research while adapting himself/herself to life in Japan.

(6) Health:

Applicant must be physically and mentally healthy enough to pursue study at university.

(7) Arrival in Japan: 

Applicant must be able to leave for and arrive in Japan between the 1st and 7th of April 2017, or within two weeks of the date set by the receiving university for the beginning of the semester (in principle, in September or October). Travel expenses will not be provided if the Applicant chooses to travel to Japan before this set period.

(8) Visa Requirement:

Selected Applicants must obtain a College Student （ryuugaku 留学） visa from the Japanese diplomatic mission in the country of their nationality, in principle, prior to their arrival in Japan. The visa is to be issued by the Japanese diplomatic mission in the country of the applicant’s nationality (except where two or more countries are attended by the same Japanese diplomatic mission). Applicants who are already in Japan under a visa other than the College Student visa are required to change it to the College Student visa by the end of the month preceding the start of the scholarship. Applicants who change their resident status to any status other than “College Student” after their arrival in Japan will immediately lose their status as a Japanese government scholarship student.

(9) Any applicant who meets any or all of the following conditions is not eligible. If identified after the start of the scholarship period, the applicant will be required to withdraw from the scholarship:

1: The Applicant is an active member of the military or a civilian employed by the military at the time the scholarship period is due to begin.

2: The Applicant is unable to travel to Japan within the dates set by the receiving university

3: If the Applicant was a grantee of a Japanese Government Scholarship in the past. Unless he/she has had at least three years of research or teaching experience between the completion of the first scholarship and the start of the second scholarship period. This exclusion will not apply to a research-student applicant, who (i) as an international student in Japan received training in Japanese studies at a university but graduated from his/her home university, who (ii) was an international student in Japan under the Japan-Korea Joint Government Scholarship Program for the Students in Science and Engineering Departments or who (ⅲ) was an international student in Japan under the Young Leaders Program.

4: The Applicant is currently enrolled at a Japanese university under the resident status of “College Student,” or if he/she plans to enroll at a Japanese university as a privately-financed international student between the time of application for this scholarship and the time the scholarship period is due to begin.

5: The Applicant is already the recipient of a scholarship from an organization (including a governmental organization in his/her country of origin) other than the Japanese government (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology - MEXT).

6: The Applicant, considered a “future graduate” and selected as such, is unable to graduate within the pre-set date or unable to fulfill graduation requirements.

3. TERM OF SCHOLARSHIP

The term of scholarship will differ as follows depending on the course a grantee takes in Japan:

(1) In a case where Grantee will enroll as a research student, non-degree student, or auditor, etc. (hereinafter referred to as “Research Student”) after coming to Japan:

① If Grantee comes to Japan in April 2017, his/her scholarship will be payable for 24 months from April 2017 through March 2019;

② If Grantee comes to Japan in October 2017, his/her scholarship will be payable for 18 months from October 2017 through March 2019.

(In either case, the above-mentioned term of scholarship includes a 6-month Japanese language training period for grantees who require such training)

(2) If Grantee enrolls in a master's course, doctoral course, or professional graduate course after coming to Japan, regardless of the time of his/her arrival in Japan the scholarship will be payable for a period necessary for Grantee to complete his/her regular course (standard course term). (Plus a 6-month Japanese language training period for Grantee who needs such training.) If Grantee desires to proceed to a regular graduate course from a Research Student course, or to a doctoral course from a master’s course or a professional graduate course, he/she may have the term of his/her scholarship extended upon successful examination by MEXT provided that he/she has outstanding academic achievement that meets certain criteria. (Grantee as Research Student cannot have the term of his/her scholarship extended. If Grantee proceeds to a higher level of education without receiving approval for an extension of the term of the scholarship, the scholarship will be cancelled. He/she may, however, proceed to a higher level of education or continue with his/her study as a privately-financed student.)

Please note, however, that proceeding to a regular graduate course from a Research Student course is subject to period- related restrictions.

Application for extension of stay will not be accepted in the following cases:

① Grantee desires to move on to a master’s course in a Natural Science field, but is unable to proceed to a regular course by the last day of the 24th month counted from the month of arrival in Japan;

② Grantee desires to move on to a master’s course in a Social Science field, but is unable to proceed to a regular course by the last day of the 25th month counted from the month of arrival in Japan;

③ Grantee desires to move on to a doctoral course in a Natural Science field, but is unable to proceed to a regular course by the last day of the 13th month counted from the month of arrival in Japan;

④ Grantee desires to move on to a doctoral course in a Social Science field, but is unable to proceed to a regular course by the last day of the 24th month counted from the month of arrival in Japan;

※ Proceeding to a regular graduate course must meet the above mentioned conditions ①-④, and must take place within the term of the scholarship or in the month immediately following the final month of the term of the scholarship.

4. SCHOLARSHIP BENEFITS

(1) Allowance: Under the fiscal 2012 budget, each grantee will be provided monthly with 143,000 yen (Research Student course), 144,000 yen (students enrolled in a Master’s program or a professional degree program), or 145,000 yen (students enrolled in a doctoral program) (an additional monthly stipend of 2,000 or 3,000 yen may be provided to those undertaking study or research in specially designated regions). However, these amounts are subject to change depending on the annual budget of each year. The scholarship will not be paid to a grantee who takes a leave of absence or is long absent from his/her university.

Scholarship will be cancelled for a grantee in the following cases. Furthermore, if scholarship payments were made during the period the following cases applied, the grantee may be ordered to return scholarship payments received during that period.

① If any of his/her application documents is found to be falsely stated;

② If he/she is in breach of his/her pledge made to the Minister of MONBUKAGAKUSHO(MEXT);

③ If he/she is subjected to disciplinary action, such as expulsion or removal from register, taken by his/her university or the preparatory Japanese-teaching institution;

④ If it becomes definitive that the grantee will not be able to complete his/her course within the standard course term because of his/her poor academic achievement or suspension;

⑤ If his/her resident status of “College Student” as provided for in Paragraph 1-4 of Appendix to the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act changes to any other status;

⑥ If he/she is provided with another scholarship (except for a scholarship designated for research expenses); or

⑦ If he/she proceeds to a higher level of education without receiving approval for an extension of the term of the scholarship.

(2) Traveling Costs

① Transportation to Japan: Each grantee will be provided, according to his/her itinerary and route as designated by MEXT, with an economy class air ticket from the international airport closest to his/her place of residence to Narita International Airport (or following the itinerary normally used by the university where the grantee is placed). Expenses such as inland transportation from his/her place of residence to the nearest international airport, airport tax, airport usage charges, special taxes on overseas travel and travel expenses within Japan will be borne by the grantee (the place of residence of the grantee shall in principle be the address stated in the application form). Air travel from a country other than the country of the grantee’s nationality will not be covered, nor travel to Japan before April 1, 2017. If the grantee comes to Japan to obtain admission to a university, he/she will not be provided with traveling cost to Japan.

② Transportation from Japan: The grantee who returns to his/her home country within the last-payment month of his/her scholarship will be provided, upon application, with an economy class air ticket for a flight from Narita International Airport (or following the itinerary normally used by the university where the grantee is placed) to the international airport closest to his/her place of return.

Note: Insurance premiums for travel to/from Japan shall be borne by the grantee. The airport the grantee departs from or returns to must be an airport of the country of his/her nationality.

③ School Fees: Fees for matriculation, tuition and entrance examinations at a university will be paid by the Japanese government. If the grantee moves on to higher education as a nonregular student or fails the entrance examinations, he/she will pay for entrance examinations.

5. SELECTION AND NOTIFICATION

(1) In cooperation with the governments of the applicants’ countries the Japanese diplomatic mission will perform primary screening of applicants by means of submitted application documents, written examinations (language) and interviews.

(2) Written examinations will be English and Japanese tests. The Japanese examination must be taken by all applicants. and the English by those who wish.

(３) The following policy will apply to each screening:

① Application documents: Must show that the applicant obtained academic achievement higher than a certain level at the university he/she last graduated from, and state the applicant’s desired research program in a detailed and concrete manner.

② Written examination: Must show that the applicant obtained scores better than a certain level either in Japanese or English.

③ Interview: Must reveal that the applicant has a clear sense of purpose relating to his/her study in Japan and has gathered information about Japanese universities. Interview must also reveal that the applicant has sufficient Japanese or English language ability to communicate with his/her adviser in Japan. If the applicant desires to study a subject that requires higher Japanese language proficiency, Interview must reveal that the applicant has a considerable degree of Japanese language proficiency.

(４) Results of the primary screening will be notified on the date separately designated by the Japanese diplomatic mission.

(５) Each person who has passed this primary screening is required to contact directly the Japanese university of his/her choice and obtain admission as a graduate student or research student, or a letter of provisional acceptance as a research student (hereinafter referred to as “Admission”) by the end of August. In order to obtain Admission, candidates can gain information on office for international students of each university, websites to search universities and researchers, etc from the Japanese diplomatic mission.

(６) Each candidate must submit to the university of his/her choice a set of the same documents as those submitted to the Japanese diplomatic mission (application, academic transcript of the university attended, research program, all with a confirmation seal of the Japanese diplomatic mission affixed, and a certificate of the primary selection issued by the Japanese diplomatic mission). Additional documents may have to be submitted upon request of the university.

(7) MEXT will conduct a secondary screening based on the results of the primary screening conducted by the Japanese diplomatic mission, and select as national scholarship grantees those applicants who have found recipient universities. Therefore, applicants who have passed the primary screening at a Japanese diplomatic mission are not necessarily accepted as scholarship grantees.

Note 1: A written examination to evaluate Japanese language skills must be taken by all applicants. In addition, an English examination will be provided to those who wish. The result of these examinations will provide a basis for determining each applicant’s language ability and will be reflected directly in the screening. The result of the written Japanese examination will continue to be used as reference data for Japanese-language instruction due to be provided upon applicants’ arrival in Japan.

Note 2: In particular, if an applicant with limited proficiency in Japanese desires to pursue fields of study such as Japanese linguistics, Japanese literature, Japanese history, or Japanese laws ―fields that require sufficient knowledge of the Japanese language ― he/she will not be selected as a grantee unless there is a very special situation.

Note 3: This scholarship program is intended for overseas students who wish to enroll in a Japanese university and study in japan. It does not accept applicants who wish, from the time of application, to conduct fieldwork outside of Japan.

6. PLACEMENT AND RESEARCH GUIDANCE AT UNIVERSITY

(1) Placement of a grantee at a university will be decided following a relevant request made to the university to which a person who has passed the primary screening obtained admission as a regular student or Research Student at the university’s graduate school (a candidate who has received admission to a regular graduate course will be placed directly in such course without needing to pass through a Research Student period). MEXT will, as a matter of priority, request the university to receive the grantee, and place him/her there upon its approval.

 If a candidate wants to enter either a public or a private university, the grantee’s preference specified in the Application Form (attachment) may not be met due to budgetary reasons concerning school fees, etc. Moreover, any objection a candidate may raise to the decision will not be recognized.

If a candidate has not obtained admission, MEXT will contact related universities and decide at which university to place the candidate in consideration of his/her preference. In this case, any objection a candidate may raise to the decision will not be recognized.

 In a case where a candidate fails to obtain admission to or a letter of acceptance from a university and MEXT discusses the case with related universities, the candidate may still not be accepted and therefore not definitively selected by MEXT if his/her research program is vague or unclear, the content of his/her research is not substantial, or his/her desired major field presents difficulty from the perspective of research guidance.

(2) Research guidance such as lectures, experiments and practical training at universities is basically conducted in Japanese.

(3) If a grantee is determined to be insufficiently proficient in the Japanese language, usually he/she will be placed in a university’s Japanese language training institution designated by the university of placement or MEXT as education in Japanese for the first six-month period after his/her arrival in Japan. Upon completion of the education the grantee will be placed at a university for advanced education. If a grantee has poor achievement in the Japanese language training course and is considered unfit for advanced education at the university, scholarship payment willstop. (See 4.(1).)

(4) If a grantee is deemed by his/her recipient university as sufficiently proficient in Japanese for conducting his/her research in Japan, he/she may be placed in the university as Research Student or a graduate student without going through Japanese-language training.

(5) If a grantee desires to move on to a regular graduate course from a Research Student course, or to a doctoral course from a master’s course or a professional graduate course, he will be able to do so provided that he/she takes an entrance examination provided by the relevant university and passes it. To continue receiving the national scholarship after advancing to a higher level, the grantee must undergo a separate examination and be awarded an extension of the scholarship. (See 3.(2).)

A grantee cannot apply for an extension of scholarship term while being enrolled in a non-regular course, for example as a Research Student. (non-degree student)

(6) If a grantee desires to step up to a regular graduate course from a Research Student course, in principle he/she must move on to the graduate school of the university at which he/she is studying as Research Student. If proceeding to such graduate school is deemed inappropriate given the grantee’s major field or ability, he/she may be allowed to move on to another graduate school provided that he/she is admitted.

Note 1: Under the educational system of Japan, a typical master's course lasts for two years subsequent to graduation from a university (i.e. after completion of a 16-year school curriculum), and a typical doctoral course lasts for three years after completion of a master's course. If a student has completed such two-, or three-year course, obtained necessary credits, and passed the final examination after submitting his/her graduation thesis, he/she will be given relevant degrees.

Note 2: In the fields of medicine, dentistry and veterinary science, and pharmacy which is founded on a 6-year department or faculty, most of the universities offer only 4-year doctoral courses. For admission to such doctoral course an applicant is required to have completed an 18-year school curriculum. If an applicant completed a 16-year school curriculum, he/she is required to have engaged for two or more years in research activities at universities or research institutions subsequent to completion of the 16-year curriculum, and to be deemed by a graduate school in Japan as being academically equal to an applicant who completed an 18-year curriculum.

Note 3: Professional graduate schools are a new type of graduate school implemented in 2003 designed to develop profound learning and outstanding ability that support professions that require sophisticated expertise. The standard required duration of study is two years. In some fields of study, the duration is less than two years but more than one year. Upon completion of the course a master’s degree (specialized occupation) will be conferred. Among the degree courses are “graduates schools of law.” The school is one kind of professional graduate schools with the standard required duration of study of three years. Upon completion of the course a student will be granted the degree of “Doctor of Law (specialized occupation).”

Note 4: Entrance examinations given by a graduate school vary from one university to another. In general, applicants have to take examinations in two foreign languages, his/her major subject, and an essay test.

7. APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Each applicant must submit one set of the following documents to the Japanese diplomatic mission by the specified date.

(1) Application (a prescribed form) ･････････････････････････ 1

(2) Application Form (Attachment) (a prescribed form)････････････････ 1

(3) Study Program (Attachment) ････････････････････ 1

(4) Photograph (4.5×3.5 cm, taken within the past six months, upper body, full-faced, uncapped.

Write your name and nationality on the reverse and paste it onto the application

forms. Digital photographs also acceptable) ･･････2

(5) Academic transcript of the last university attended (attested) ･････････････････････ 1

(6) Graduation certificate or degree certificate of the last university attended (or an attested

document certifying that the applicant will graduate from the school, where applicable) ･････1

(7) Abstract of last thesis ･････････････････････ 1

FOR DETAILS ABOUT THIS SECTION PLEASE OPEN THE LINK:

http://www.pk.emb-japan.go.jp/Education/ReserachScholarship.html

Note 1: These documents must be written in either Japanese or English. A document written in any other language must be attached with a Japanese or English translation.

Note 2: Photographs attached to the original application must be originals; copies are not acceptable.

Note 3: Field of specialization and research program documents should clearly describe the applicant’s own research program because it will serve as important materials for placement of the applicant at a university.

Note 4: The academic transcripts of the last university attended should be prepared to show the grade scale applied and the grades earned by the applicant on all the subjects studied for each year studied at a university department/faculty and a graduate school. (A degree certificate or a graduation certificate simply showing the ranking of the applicant at graduation will not substitute for academic transcripts.)

Note 5: The graduation certificate and the degree certificate obtained from the last university attended may be substituted for by a photocopy thereof provided that the copy is attested by the authorized person of the university.

Note 6: For abstracts of the thesis, abstracts of the graduation thesis and presented papers will suffice. Please note that these abstracts will be used as basic data for evaluation of the applicant’s academic ability.

8. NOTES

(1) Each recipient is advised to learn the Japanese language and to acquire some information on Japanese climate, geography, customs, university education, and social conditions in Japan, as well as about the differences between the Japanese legal system and that of his/her home country before departing for Japan.

(2) The recipient should bring approximately US $2,000 or the equivalent to cover immediate needs after arrival in Japan.

(3) Accommodations:

① Residence halls for international students provided by universities.

Some universities have residence halls for international students. The recipients enrolled at national universities where such facilities are available may reside, if they so desire, at these residence halls under certain conditions. However, because of the limited number of rooms, some of these facilities may not be able to accommodate all the students who wish to live in them.

② Private boarding houses or apartments.

Those who are not able to find accommodation in the aforementioned facilities may live in regular dormitories of the university or in a private boarding house/apartment.

It is very difficult for recipients with dependents to find appropriate housing in Japan. The recipient is requested to arrive in Japan alone first to secure housing before having his/her spouse and/or family come over to Japan.

(4) The English texts attached to the Recruitment Items and the Application form are for convenience only. English expressions do not change the Japanese content, so if you have any questions about the content of the written text, you should inquire at the Japanese diplomatic mission.

(5) More detailed information on this scholarship program is available at the Japanese diplomatic mission in your country.