2018 Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho:MEXT) Scholarships for Foreign Undergraduate Students, Japan

Applications are open for Japanese Government Scholarships available for international students. Scholarships are available to pursue undergraduate studies in Social Sciences and Humanities and Natural Sciences at Japanese universities.

Japanese Government Scholarship aim is to foster human resources who will become bridges of friendship between your country and Japan through study in Japan and who will contribute to the development of both countries and the wider world.

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology: MEXT offers scholarships to international students who wish to study at Japanese universities as undergraduate students under the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program for 2018 as follows.

Applicants must either have completed 12 years of regular school education or have graduated from a school equivalent to an upper secondary school in Japan.

Course Level: Scholarships are available for pursuing an undergraduate degree at Japanese universities.

Study Subject: Those who wish to study in Japan as an undergraduate student must choose a field of study (major) from (1) or (2) below. Applicants may enter a first, second, and third choice

Social Sciences and Humanities Social Sciences and Humanities-A: 1. Law, 2. Politics, 3. Pedagogy, 4. Sociology, 5. Literature, 6. History, 7. Japanese language, 8. others. Social Sciences and Humanities-B: 1. Economics, 2. Business Administration. Note 1: Applicants who wish to major in fields other than those listed above (“others”) may have difficulties in finding universities that can accept them. Note 2: Any fields related to “Economics” and “Business Administration” in Humanities B are not included in “others.”

Natural Science s-A: Science (1. Mathematics, 2. Physics, 3. Chemistry), Electric and Electronic Studies (4. Electronics, 5. Electrical Engineering, 6. Information Engineering), Mechanical Studies (7. Mechanical Engineering, 8. Naval Architecture), Civil Engineering and Architecture (9. Civil Engineering, 10. Architecture, 11. Environmental Engineering), Chemical Studies (12. Applied Chemistry, 13. Chemical Engineering, 14. Industrial Chemistry, 15. Textile Engineering), other fields (16. Metallurgical Engineering, 17. Mining Engineering, 18. Maritime Engineering, 19. Biotechnology). Natural Sciences -B: Agricultural studies (1. Agriculture, 2. Agricultural Chemistry, 3. Agricultural Engineering, 4. Animal Science, 5. Veterinary Medicine, 6. Forestry, 7. Food Science, 8. Fisheries), Hygienic studies (9. Pharmacy, 10. Hygienics, 11. Nursing), and Science (12. Biology). Natural Science s-C: 1. Medicine, and 2. Dentistry

Note: A student who intends to major in Natural Sciences and would like to choose more than one major is required to choose and select first-, second-, and third-choice subjects from the subjects in parentheses from within the same course (i.e. Natural Sciences A, B or C). However, a student who selects Course C as his/her first choice may choose his/her second-choice subjects from Course B or C and thirdchoice subject from Course B as Course C offers only two subjects.

Scholarship Award: Scholarship includes:

Allowance: 117,000 yen per month. The scholarship is cancelled in principle if the recipient is absent from the university or preparatory Japanese-teaching institution for an extended period. In case that the recipient research in a designated region, 2,000 or 3,000 yen per month will be added. The monetary amount each year may be subject to change due to budgetary reasons. The scholarship will be also cancelled in principle in the following situations. If the recipient has been receiving the scholarship despite his/her falling under any of the following situations, the recipient will be ordered to return the amount of scholarship that he/she received during the period wherein he/she was involved with any of the following situations: The recipient is determined to have made a false statement on his/her application; The recipient violates any article of his/her pledge to MEXT; The recipient violates any Japanese laws and is sentenced to imprisonment with or without work for life or for a period of exceeding 1 year;  The recipient is subject to disciplinary action by the university, including expulsion(The scholarship payment may be stopped during the period up until punishment is decided by the university, etc.);  It has been determined that it will be impossible for the recipient to complete the course within the standard course period because of poor academic grades or suspension or leave of absence;  The recipient’s residence status has changed to one other than “College Student”? The recipient has received a scholarship from another institution (excluding those specified for research expenditures);  The recipient has proceeded to a higher level of education without receiving approval for an extension of the period of the scholarship.

Tuition and Other Fees: Fees for the entrance examination, matriculation, and tuition at universities will be paid by MEXT.

Travelling CostsTransportation to Japan: In principle, MEXT stipulates the travel schedule and route, and provides an economy-class airline ticket for the flight from the international airport closest to the recipient’s residence (in principle, the country of nationality) to Narita International Airport or to any other international airport on the normal route to the accepting university. The grantee shall bear at his/her own expense all costs related to domestic travel from the grantee’s residence to the nearest international airport, airport taxes, airport usage fees, special taxes necessary for travel, travel expenses within Japan (including airline transit costs), travel insurance expenses, etc. The grantee shall also bear at his/her own expense travel and lodging costs incurred in a third country if the grantee must travel to a third country before coming to Japan for visa purposes because there are no Japanese diplomatic missions in his/her country. In principle, MEXT will not provide the airline ticket in cases when the grantee arrives in Japan from a country other than the country of nationality because the grantee had moved to the country before the arrival in Japan. Transportation from Japan: Grantees shall graduate the accepting university and return to the home country by the end of the final month of the period of scholarship (Section 4 above) designated by MEXT. Based on the Application by the grantee, MEXT, in principle, shall provide an economy-class airline ticket from Narita International Airport or the international airport used for the normal route to and from the accepting university to the international airport (in principle, in the country of nationality) nearest to the returning recipient’s residence. The grantee shall bear at his/her own expense all costs related to travel from the grantee’s residence to the nearest international airport, airport taxes, airport usage fees, special taxes necessary for travel, travel expenses within the country of nationality (including airline transit costs), travel insurance expenses, etc.

Note 1: Should the grantee return to the home country before the end of the period of scholarship due to personal circumstances, or reasons 8. (1) ?~? above, MEXT will not pay for the return travel expenses

Note 2: If a grantee continues to stay in Japan after the scholarship period has ended, he/she will not be paid travel expenses to return to the home country for a temporary return.

Scholarship can be taken in Japan

Eligibility: The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) is now accepting applications from overseas students for study in Japan. The aim is to foster human resources who will become bridges of friendship between their 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 foreign country and give up their Japanese nationality by the date of their arrival in Japan. Applicant screening will be conducted at the Japanese diplomatic mission in the applicant’s country.

Academic Background: Applicants must either have completed 12 years of regular school education or have graduated from a school equivalent to an upper secondary school in Japan. (Applicants who will meet the above qualifications by March 2018 are eligible. Includes those wishing to enroll for direct placement in the fall term who are expected to graduate by the end of August 2017.) Applicants who satisfy the entrance requirements for a Japanese university are also eligible. (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 after arriving in Japan. In addition, in principle, applicants must be willing to carry out their academic studies in Japan in Japanese.

 Health: Applicants must be free from any mental or physical disabilities that would impede the pursuit of study at Japanese universities.

 Arrival in Japan: In principle, applicants must be able to arrive in Japan between the 1st and ?th of April 2017. If an applicant is to enroll in his/her university from the fall semester through direct placement, he or she must be able to leave for and arrive in Japan by the date specified by the accepting university.

Visa Requirement: Applicants must acquire College Student (ryugaku) visas before entering Japan. They then enter Japan with the College Student (ryugaku) residence status. Please also note that those who change their visa status to one other than College Student after arrival in Japan will lose their qualification to be Japanese Government Scholarship recipients from the date when their visa status changes.

Others: While the applicant is studying in Japan, he/she shall contribute to mutual understanding between Japan and the home country by participating in activities at schools and communities with the aim of contributing to the internationalization of Japan. The applicant shall make efforts to promote relations between the home country and Japan by maintaining close relations with the university attended after graduation, cooperating with the conducting of surveys and questionnaires after the return home, and cooperating with all relevant projects and events conducted by Japanese diplomatic missions in the applicant’s home country.

Nationality: Students who have the nationality of a country which has diplomatic relations with the Japanese government can apply for this scholarship.

List of Countries: (Asia-Pacific: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Vietnam. North America: Canada and United States of America. Latin America and the Caribbean: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentine, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Commonwealth of Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay and Venezuela. Europe: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyz Republic, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan and Vatican. Middle East: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen and Palestinian Authority. Africa: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Cape Verde, Chad, Comoros, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabonese Republic, Gambia, Ghana, Republic of Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Zambia, Uganda and Zimbabwe)

College Admission Requirement

Entrance Requirement: Applicants must either have completed 12 years of regular school education or have graduated from a school equivalent to an upper secondary school in Japan. (Applicants who will meet the above qualifications by March 2018 are eligible.

Test Requirement: No

English Language Requirements: Applicants from outside the home country will often need to meet specific English language/other language requirements in order to be able to study there.

Japan Scholarship

How to Apply: Applicants will need to submit:

Application Form (a prescribed form)

Placement Preference Form

Academic transcript for the past 3 years

Graduation certificate from the last school attended (or certificate of expected graduation for an applicant due to graduate) transcript issued either by alma master or by applicants’ national government

Recommendation from the principal or the adviser of the last school attended

Medical certificate

Certificate of enrollment (for an applicant currently enrolled in a university) if applicable

Certificate of passage of university entrance qualification examination (if applicable)

Application Form

Application Deadline: The deadline of the applications differs according to the country. Please contact with Japanese embassy or consulate general in your country.

Scholarship Link