2021 University Recommended Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship

(2) Eligibility

International students with outstanding academic records (*1) who wish to enter Japan in September, 2021 as a new student (*2) to study in the Master’s or Doctoral Program at the Graduate School of Science.

• (*1) Applicants who have already graduated from their latest degree program should have a final grade point of 2.30 or higher, while current students should have a grade point of 2.30 or higher for their current courses, and both should be expected to maintain the same academic standards during the course of the scholarship program.
  * Grade points shall be calculated according to a formula specified by MEXT.
  Furthermore, students must meet one of the criteria given under “(7) Language Proficiency” given below.
• (*2) Please refer to (11) Non-eligibility 5. to confirm your eligibility.

(3) Nationality

We are only able to nominate an applicant who holds one of the nationalities specified by MEXT.
This year’s nationality provisions have yet to be announced (the announcement is expected to reach us after the application period has closed), however, in the last round, only those who hold a nationality found on MEXT’s list of Priority Nationalities below were eligible for nomination.

To see the list of priority nationalities, please click here.

Also, applicants must have the nationality of a country with diplomatic relations with the Japanese government. Applicants who have Japanese nationality at the time of application are ineligible. However, Japanese nationals that reside outside of Japan at the time of application, having dual citizenship with another country, and plan on relinquishing their Japanese nationality before arrival, may apply.

(4) Age

Applicants must be born on or after April 2, 1986.

(5) Academic background

Applicants must have the necessary qualifications to be admitted to the Graduate School of Science, the University of Tokyo as a Master’s or a Doctoral Program student.

(6) Field of Study

Applicants must apply for the field of study that they studied at their previous university or a related field.

(7) Language Proficiency

Applicants must meet one of the language requirements in either English or in Japanese as described below:

• English
  1. Holds an English proficiency test score equivalent to B2 or above on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale (e.g. TOEFL iBT 72 or above, IELTS 5.5 or above).
     * To see what counts as “B2 or above on the CEFR scale”, please refer to the CEFR Equivalency Chart.:
     To see the CEFR Equivalency Chart, please click here.
  2. Has completed an educational program whose primary language of instruction is English that satisfies the entrance requirements to the Master’s Program or Doctoral Program at the Graduate School of Science, the University of Tokyo.
• Japanese
  1. Has passed the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) with a score of N2 or higher.
  2. Has completed an educational program whose primary language of instruction is Japanese that satisfies the entrance requirements to the Master’s Program or Doctoral Program at the Graduate School of Science, the University of Tokyo.

(8) Health

Applicants must be physically and mentally healthy enough to pursue their studies.

(9) Arrival in Japan

Applicants must be able to leave their country and arrive in Japan by the date specified by the University of Tokyo. If an applicant is unable to travel to Japan within the designated period, he or she must decline the scholarship offer. If, for personal reasons, an applicant arrives in Japan outside the designated period, travel expenses for coming to Japan will not be paid to the applicant.

(10) Visa Requirements

Applicants must enter the country with the resident status of “Student”, having obtained the visa anew prior to traveling to Japan. The visa is to be issued by the Japanese embassy or consulate in the applicant’s country of nationality. Those who already have another residency status (permanent resident, long-term resident, etc.) will be required to return to their country of nationality, change their status to that of “Student” and then travel to Japan. Note that there is no guarantee that an application to change your resident status back to that of “permanent resident” or “long-term resident” etc. will be approved once you have completed your time as a Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship recipient.

Applicants should be aware that the scholarship will be cancelled if he/she arrives in Japan without a newly obtained “student” visa.

(11) Non-eligibility

Applicants in the following categories are ineligible for the Japanese Government (MEXT) scholarship. They must decline the scholarship offer if they are found to fall under any one of the following criteria upon their selection.

1. An active member of the military or a civilian employed by the military at the time of arrival or at any point during the period of the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship;
2. An applicant who is unable to travel to Japan within the period designated by MEXT or the University of Tokyo;
3. A former recipient of a Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship (including those who withdrew from the scholarship after coming to Japan) is ineligible unless he or she has had at least three years of educational or working experience since the month after completing the former scholarship period as of the beginning of the new scholarship period. This ineligibility criterion also does not apply if the formerly received scholarship is of one of the following types: (i) Japanese Studies Student (as long as the applicant has since returned to and graduated from or is expected to graduate from his or her home university), (ii) Japan-Korea Joint Government Scholarship Program for the Students in Science and Engineering, (iii) Young Leaders Program. Also, for the purpose of this clause, the MEXT Honors Scholarship does not count as a Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship.
4. An applicant who is also applying for a Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship for another AY2021 program.
5. An applicant who (i) is already enrolled in a Japanese university, institution, etc. under the “College Student” visa as of the time of application, or (ii) is or plans to be enrolled in a Japanese university, institution, etc. as a self-supported international student between the time of application and the start of the scholarship period. This clause does not apply to self-supported international students who are currently enrolled or are expected to enroll at a Japanese university but can confirm at the time of application that they will return to their country of nationality, newly obtain a “student” visa before the start of the scholarship period, and travel to Japan on the new visa.
6. An applicant who expects to receive a scholarship from any source other than the Japanese Government (MEXT), including those from their own country’s government body, at or after the beginning of the scholarship period.
7. An applicant who is “expected to graduate by the entrance date” at the time of application but then cannot provide proof of completing a degree by the designated deadline.
8. A Japanese national who has dual nationality with another country, and is not able to provide proof of relinquishing Japanese nationality by the day of arrival.
9. An applicant who is, as of the time of application, planning a long period of fieldwork or internship in a country other than Japan or a long-term leave of absence, etc.
10. One who has completed a Doctoral program and does not plan on obtaining another degree.

(12) Other Provisions

While they are studying in Japan, applicants are expected, as someone who will contribute to the globalization of Japan, to broadly participate in regional schools and activities to contribute towards the mutual understanding between their home country and Japan. Furthermore, they are expected to maintain a close link with the universities they studied at even after they have graduated and cooperate in various manners, such as answering questionnaires etc. Also, on returning to their home country, they must take part in the various activities organized by the Japanese government’s missions overseas to enhance the relationship between Japan and their home country.

2. Period of Scholarships

(1)For a recipient who will enroll in a Master’s Program or Doctoral Program, the scholarship will be payable for the standard period of time necessary for the recipient to complete his or her program (standard course term), starting from October 2021.

• Master’s Program = October, 2021 – September, 2023 (2years)
• Doctoral Program = October, 2021 – September, 2024 (3years)

(2)Extension of the Scholarship Period

If a grantee in the Master’s Program desires to proceed to the Doctoral Program, he/she may have the term of his/her scholarship extended upon a successful examination by MEXT and provided that he/she has made outstanding academic achievement that meets certain criteria. Note that extension will not be granted to all those who apply for an extension. Please also note that if he/she is to qualify for an extension of the MEXT scholarship but enters another graduate school or a graduate school of another university when entering the Doctoral Program, the approval of an extension of the scholarship is cancelled and the term of the scholarship is not extended.

3. Scholarship Benefits

(1) Allowance

The amounts of monthly stipend for AY2021 have yet to be determined. As an example, the monthly amounts for AY2020 will be presented below. (These amounts are subject to change depending on the size of the annual fiscal budget each year, commodity prices, etc.)

AY2020 actual amounts

144,000 yen/month (for a student of a Master’s Program), or 145,000 yen/month (for a student of a Doctoral Program)

(an additional monthly stipend of 2,000 or 3,000 yen may be added to those students undertaking study or research in some designated regions of the country).

The scholarship will not be paid to a recipient who is on a leave of absence or who has long been absent from his or her university.

(2) Traveling Costs

① Transportation to Japan:

Recipients awarded travel allowance will be provided, according to the itinerary and route designated for them by MEXT, with an economy class air ticket from the international airport closest to their place of residence to one of the international airports of Tokyo (Narita (NRT) or Haneda (HND)) (or an international airport the recipient’s host university normally uses). Please note that the cost of transportation from the recipient’s residence to the nearest international airport; airport tax and surcharges; other special local taxes incurred by travelling; local travel expenses within Japan (including any costs if transferring by air); travel insurance premiums; baggage and unaccompanied baggage; are the sole responsibility of the recipient.

MEXT or the university will provide an economy class air ticket to Narita International Airport (NRT) or the closest international airport to the university from a third country through which the applicant obtained their “Student” visa, if Japan does not have an overseas diplomatic establishment in their country of nationality. However, any costs incurred in travelling to the third country, travels within the third country and cost of accommodations incurred is the sole responsibility of the recipient.

The recipient’s residence is taken to be the current address given in the application. However, if a change of address is known beforehand (limited to within the recipient’s home country), residence will be taken as the latter. Moreover, an air ticket will not be provided if the recipient travels to Japan from a country other than that of their nationality. Air tickets will not be provided for travel from a third country for any reasons other than for obtaining visas.

② Transportation from Japan:

In principle, MEXT will issue airline tickets to recipients who return to their home country within the final month of the scholarship period as specified in “2. Period of Scholarship” above upon application following their graduation from university or completion of their research. Recipients will be provided with an economy class air ticket for a flight from Narita International Airport (or an international airport the recipient’s university normally uses) to the international airport closest to their place of return (in principle, within their home country). Please be aware that costs incurred for transportation from the recipient’s residence to the nearest international airport in Japan; airport tax and surcharges; other special local taxes incurred when travelling; local travel expenses within Japan (including any costs if transferring by air); insurance premiums for travel to Japan; sending baggage as well as unaccompanied baggage; are the sole responsibility of the recipient.

Recipients who return to their home country before the end of the scholarship period for personal reasons or because of items as stipulated in 4. Suspension of Scholarship Payment below will not be provided with return airfare.

Note:

Traveling expenses will not be included in the travel allowance if a recipient decides to remain in Japan (for example; continuing the education at a higher level or entering employment in Japan) after the period of scholarship ends and temporarily leaves Japan.

(3) School Fees

Enrollment and Tuition fees will be exempted.

(4) Suspension of Scholarship Payment

The scholarship will be cancelled in the following cases. If a recipient receives the scholarship even though he or she is ineligible due to one of the following reasons, the recipient may be ordered to return the amount of scholarship money received for the period concerned. Please note that payment of the scholarship may be stopped during the time decision is being made on the disciplinary action.

1. If any portion of the recipient’s application documents is found to be falsely or wrongly stated;
2. If the recipient is in breach of his or her pledge made to the Minister of MEXT (Monbukagakusho);
3. Expelled, suspended or given warnings or receive equivalent form of punishment from the university following disciplinary action according to the rules and regulations of the university or removed from the registry;
4. If the recipient breaks the Japanese law and is sentenced to more than one year of imprisonment with or without hard labor;
5. If it is determined that the recipient will not be able to complete his or her course within the standard course term, for example because of his or her poor academic achievement, suspension or leave of absence;
6. If the recipient leaves the University of Tokyo or is transferred to another graduate school;
7. If the recipient does not obtain a new “College student” visa status before entering Japan or if the recipient’s resident status changes to anything other than that of “College Student” at any point;
8. If the recipient receives another scholarship (except for a scholarship designated for research expenses);
9. If the recipient proceeds to a higher academic program without obtaining permission to extend the scholarship period from MEXT;

Visit Official Scholarship Website for Details.