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Research Scholarships in Japan (MEXT Scholarships)

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Scholarship Overview

  • The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) in Japan offers scholarships to international students who want to pursue graduate studies at Japanese Universities as research students under the MEXT Scholarship Program.
  • These research scholarships are offered for two years, and include 6 months of preparatory study of Japanese.

Host School(s)

  • Japanese Universities

Field(s) of Study

  • Applicants should select the field of study that is identical to what they majored in at university, or any related field.
  • These fields of study must be subjects that the applicant will be able to study and research at graduate level in Japanese universities.

What does the scholarship cover?

Recipients of this scholarship receive:

  • A monthly allowance of ¥143,000 to ¥148,000.
  • Education fees – for the entrance examinations, matriculation and tuition
  • Travelling expenses to and from Japan

How many scholarships are given?

  • Around 4.000 scholarships will be given in 2019.

Which countries are targeted?

  • Any country that has diplomatic relations with Japan (168 countries and regions.)

Am I Eligible to Apply?

All applicants for this fellowship must:

  • Be a national of a country that has diplomatic relations with Japan
  • Have been born on or after April 2, 1985
  • Satisfy the qualification requirements for admission to a master’s degree course or a doctoral degree course at a Japanese graduate school
  • Be prepared to take a Japanese language course or show proof of proficiency
  • Submit a health certificate in the prescribed format signed by a physician indicating that the applicant has no physical or mental conditions that will hinder his or her studies in Japan
  • Obtain a student visa at the Japanese diplomatic mission located in the applicant’s country of origin.
  • Be willing to contribute to mutual understanding between Japan and their home country by taking part in activities at schools and communities during their stay in Japan, and contributing to the internationalization of Japan

How Do I Apply – Next Steps

  • Applications should be sent to Japanese diplomatic missions by the deadline.
  • The application should include:
    • Application form
    • Placement Preference Form
    • Field of Study and Research Plan
    • Certified grade transcripts for every year at the last university attended
    • Certified degree certificate from the last university attended
    • Recommendation letter from the president, dean or advisor of the current university or the last university attended
    • Medical certificate in the prescribed format
    • Certificate of language proficiency
    • Recommendation letter from the present employer
    • A 4.5 by 3.5 cm photo of the applicant attached to the application form
  • All examinations and interviews will be conducted at the Japanese diplomatic missions in the applicant’s home country.
  • The Japanese diplomatic missions conduct the First Screening of applicants. Submitted application documents are examined, written academic examinations are administered, and interviews are conducted.
  • Applicants who pass the First Screening will be recommended to MEXT. MEXT then conducts the Second Screening of these applicants, and decides who receives the scholarships.

Closing Date

  • The application deadline is country specific, falling between April and June 2019.

How do I get more information?

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