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:
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.
