Japanese Government （MONBUKAGAKUSHO: MEXT) Scholarship For 2015

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 2015 as follows.

1.　FIELDS OF STUDY

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

(1)　Social Sciences and Humanities

Social Sciences and Humanities-A: Laws, Politics, Pedagogy, Sociology, Literature, History, Japanese language, and others.
Social Sciences and Humanities-B: Economics, and Business Administration.

(2)　Natural Sciences

Natural Sciences-A: Science (Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry), Electric and Electronic Studies (Electronics, Electrical Engineering, Information Engineering), Mechanical Studies  (Mechanical Engineering, Naval Architecture), Civil Engineering and Architecture (Civil Engineering, Architecture, Environmental Engineering), Chemical Studies (Applied Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Industrial Chemistry, Textile Engineering), and other fields (Metallurgical Engineering, Mining Engineering, Maritime Engineering, Biotechnology).

Natural Sciences-B: Agricultural studies (Agriculture, Agricultural Chemistry, Agricultural Engineering, Animal Science, Veterinary Medicine, Forestry, Food Science, Fisheries), Hygienic studies (Pharmacy, Hygienics, Nursing), and Science (Biology).

Natural Sciences-C: Medicine, and Dentistry.

2.　QUALIFICATIONS　AND CONDITIONS

(1)　Nationality:

Applicants must have the nationality of a country which has diplomatic relations with the Japanese government. Stateless persons can be applicants, too.

(2)　Age:

Applicants generally must have been born between April 2, 1993 and April 1, 1998.

(3)　Academic Background:

Applicants must either have completed a 12-year regular course of 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, 2015 are included.)

Note: Applicants who satisfy entrance eligibility for a Japanese university are also included.

(4)　Japanese Language:

Applicants must be willing to learn the Japanese language and deepen their understanding on Japan. In addition, in general, applicants must be willing to receive college education in Japanese.

(5)　Health:

Applicants must be physically and mentally healthy enough to pursue study at a university in Japan.

(6)　Arrival in Japan:

In principle, applicants must be able to arrive in Japan between the 1st and 7th of April 2015. In case where an applicant starts 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.

(7)　Visa Requirement:

Selected applicants must acquire “College Student” （ryugaku,留学） visas before entering Japan. The visas should be issued at the Japanese diplomatic mission, located in the country of applicants, nationality.

3.　TERM OF SCHOLARSHIP

(1)　Scholarship awards will be tenable for five years from April 2015 to March 2020, including one-year preparatory education 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 term of scholarship will be seven years until March 2022.

(2)　The preparatory education requirement can be waived for grantees who have sufficient knowledge of the Japanese language to pursue their study or who wish to enter a university which demands no Japanese language ability (via direct placement). In this case, the awards will be tenable for four years (or for six years for those majoring in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine or in a six-year course in pharmacy). If a grantee graduates earlier or withdraws from his/her undergraduate course for early college entrance, the awards will be tenable until his/her graduation or withdrawal.

(3)　The term of scholarship in case of direct placement will start from the time of entrance to the university, taking into account the circumstances of the accepting university.

(4)　In regard to six-year majors in Pharmacy, the grantees must undergo the common examinations (CBT= Computer-based Testing, OSCE= Objective Structured Clinical Examination) implemented prior to practical training.  In cases when it is impossible for the grantees to fulfill the set standards necessary for practical training, the scholarship may be cancelled.

(5)　If a grantee graduates from an undergraduate course and is admitted to a master's course at a graduate school during the term of his/her scholarship, he/she may have the term extended upon successful examination by MEXT provided that he/she has outstanding academic achievement that meets certain criteria. The scholarship will be discontinued if approval is not granted.

4.　SCHOLARSHIP BENEFITS

(1)　School Fees:

Fees for the entrance examination, matriculation and tuition at universities will be paid by the Japanese Government.

(2)　Allowance:

Each grantee will be provided monthly with 117,000 yen. 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, the amount of allowance will be subject to change, however depending upon the annual budget for each 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.

(3)　Traveling Costs

［1］ Transportation to Japan:

Each grantee will be supplied generally, 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 place of residence* to the New Tokyo International Airport or any other international airport that the assigned university usually uses. Expenses such as inland transportation from his/her 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 address in the country of the recipient’s nationality stated in the application form is in principle regarded as the recipient’s “home address.”).
Note: Those who cannot arrive on the day that is described in "2. QUALIFICATIONS (6) Arrival in Japan" shall not be paid the travel expenses coming to Japan.

［2］ Transportation from Japan:

The grantee who returns to his/her home country within the fixed period after the expiration of his/her scholarship will be supplied generally, upon application, with an economy-class airplane ticket for the travel from the New Tokyo International Airport (or any other international airport that the appointed university uses as a normal route) to the international airport nearest to his/her home address.

Note 1: If a grantee returns home without an extension though having applied for extension of scholarship period, he/she will not be paid travel expenses to return home in general.
Note 2: Insurance premiums for travel to/from Japan shall be borne by the grantee.
Note 3: If a grantee stays in Japan and gets a job after the scholarship period has ended, he/she will not be paid travel expenses to return home as the temporary return.

For more information and application please visit Japanese Government （MONBUKAGAKUSHO: MEXT) Scholarship page.