MEXT Japanese Government Scholarship for International Research Students

The Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program for 2015 is open to international students who want to study in graduate courses at Japanese universities. You can apply as a non-degree student or as a regular student working toward a degree. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) funds the award. If you are an undergraduate applicant, see also Japanese Government Scholarships for Undergraduate Students.

Universities in Japan

You should apply in the field you majored in at university or a related field. The subject must be one you can study and research in a graduate course at a Japanese university. The Japanese Embassy or Consulate General (the Japanese diplomatic mission) may restrict fields to particular areas. Check the official website for other restrictions on eligible fields of study.

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, Labor 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.

Not specified

Nationals of countries that have diplomatic relations with the Japanese government.

Each grantee will be provided monthly with 143,000 yen (Research Students (non-regular students)), 144,000 yen (regular students in Master's courses or professional graduate courses), or 145,000 yen (regular students in doctoral courses). An additional monthly stipend of 2,000 or 3,000 yen may be given to those studying or researching in specially designated regions. The amount of allowance will be subject to change depending upon the annual budget of the Japanese government for each fiscal year. The scholarship will not be paid to a grantee who takes a leave of absence or is long absent from the assigned university or the preparatory Japanese-teaching institution.

Traveling costs: Each grantee will be supplied, in general, according to his/her itinerary and route as designated by MEXT, with an economy-class airplane ticket from the international airport nearest to his/her home address to the New Tokyo International Airport or any other international airport that the assigned university usually uses. Expenses such as domestic transportation from home address to the international airport, airport tax, airport usage fees, special taxes on travel, or inland transportation within Japan will NOT be supplied. The grantee who returns to his/her home country within the fixed period after the expiration of his/her scholarship will be supplied, in general, upon application, with an economy-class airplane ticket for the travel from the New Tokyo International Airport (or any other international airport that the assigned university uses as a normal route) to the international airport nearest to his/her home address. Insurance premiums for travel to/from Japan shall be borne by the grantee.

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 non-degree student or fails the entrance examinations, he/she will pay for entrance examinations.

See the official website for complete scholarship benefits.

(1) Nationality: You must be a national of a country that has diplomatic relations with the Japanese government. Stateless persons can also apply. If you have Japanese nationality at the time of application, you are not eligible. If you hold dual nationality and live outside Japan, you are eligible only if you will expatriate from Japan by the time you arrive. Screening takes place at the Japanese diplomatic mission in the country of your nationality.

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

(3) Academic Background: You must have graduated from a Japanese university or have academic ability equal or superior to that of a Japanese university graduate. You are considered to have equal or superior ability if you:

• have completed or will complete a 16-year school curriculum in a foreign country (or an 18-year school curriculum if you want to enroll in a doctoral course in medicine, dentistry, veterinary science, or pharmacy founded on a 6-year department or faculty); or

• are or will be aged 22 or older, have taken an individual entrance qualification examination, and have been judged by a Japanese graduate school as equal or superior in academic ability to a university graduate (or 24 or older if you want to enroll in a doctoral course in medicine, dentistry, veterinary science, or pharmacy founded on a 6-year department or faculty).

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

(4) Japanese Language: You must be willing to learn the Japanese language, be interested in Japan, be enthusiastic about deepening your understanding of Japan after arrival, and be capable of studying and researching while adapting to life in Japan.

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

(6) Arrival in Japan: In principle, you 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 a 'College Student' (ryugaku, 留学) visa before entering Japan. The visa should be issued at the Japanese legation located in the country of your nationality. If you change your resident status to anything other than 'College Student' after arriving in Japan, you will immediately lose your status as a Japanese government scholarship student.

(8) Applicants who meet any or all of the following conditions are not eligible. If identified after acceptance of the scholarship grantees, the applicants will be required to withdraw from the scholarship:

• If an applicant is a service member or a civilian employee registered on the active military list at the time of his/her arrival in Japan;
• Those who cannot arrive in Japan during the period designated by MEXT or the accepting university;
• If an applicant is a previous recipient of a Japanese government scholarship, and, does not have educational research experience more than three years from the first day of the month following the final payment of the previous scholarship to the beginning of the payment of this scholarship, as of April 1, 2015. This does not apply to the past recipient of 日研&日韓共同理工scholarships who have graduated or are to graduate their universities in their countries and the past students under the Yang Leaders Program;
• If an applicant is, in principle, currently enrolled in a Japanese university or other type of school with the resident status of 'College Student,' or will be enrolled in a Japanese university, etc. as another source or self-financed international student between the time of application for this scholarship in his/her country and the time the scholarship period is due to begin. This does not apply to current self-financed international students at Japanese universities who will complete their courses of study and return to their countries before the end of the current fiscal year;
• If an applicant is a grantee of a scholarship from other organization (including any governmental organization of his/her own country) than the Japanese government (MEXT) (Prospective beneficiaries are included);
• Applicants who are expected to graduate at the time of application and, cannot satisfy the qualifications and the conditions of academic background by the deadline given;
• Applicants of dual nationality who cannot prove their expatriation of the Japanese nationality by the time of arrival; or
• Applicants who wish, from the time of application, to conduct fieldwork or internship outside of Japan, since this scholarship program is intended for overseas students who wish to enroll in a Japanese university and do graduate research in Japan.

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

Applications are currently closed.

The application process differs by country, so ask 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 varies per country.

In cooperation with the governments of the applicants' countries the Japanese diplomatic mission will conduct primary screening of applicants by means of submitted application documents, written examinations (language) and interviews. Written examinations will be English and Japanese tests. The Japanese examination must be taken by all applicants, and the English by those who wish. The result of the Japanese examination will be used as reference data for placement of university and Japanese-language education to be provided upon applicants' arrival in Japan.

Visit the official website (links below) for detailed information on how to apply.