2015 Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program for International Students

Applications for the 2015 Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program for International Students is ongoing. 

The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) offers scholarships to international students who wish to study in graduate courses at Japanese universities either as (non-degree) student or regular student for a degree under the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program for 2015.

Applicants should apply for the field of study they majored in at university or its related field. And fields of study must be subjects which applicants will be able to study and research in graduate courses at Japanese universities. 

Scholarship Value

The scholarship includes an allowance of 143,000-145,000 yen per month, an additional monthly stipend of 2,000 or 3,000 yen may be provided to those undertaking study or research in specially designated regions, travel costs to and from Japan, and school fees.

Eligibility

Applicant must:

• Have the nationality of a country which has diplomatic relations with the Japanese government. Stateless persons can be applicants, too. Applicants who have Japanese nationality at the time of application are not eligible.
• Have been born on or after April 2,1980.
• 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
– 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
– is or will be aged 22 or older and has taken an individual entrance qualification examination and has been judged by a Japanese 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.
• Be willing to learn the Japanese language, interested in Japan and enthusiastic about deepening their understanding of Japan after arriving, and capable of engaging in study and research while adapting themselves to life in Japan.
• Be physically and mentally healthy enough to take graduate studies at universities in Japan.
• 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).
• Selected applicants must acquire “College Student” （ryugaku,留学） visas before entering Japan. The visas should be issued at the Japanese legation, located in the country of applicants’ nationality. Applicants who change their resident status to any status other than “College Student” after their arrival in Japan will immediately lose their status as Japanese government scholarship student.

Application Procedure and Deadline

The application process varies/differs according to different countries; applicants are advised to make inquiries 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 of the applications differs from one country to another and courses by October 2015.

For more details visit the official 2015 Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program for International Students website – http://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/koutou/ryugaku/boshu/1346643.htm