What You Need to Know About Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program

MEXT is one of three ministries that run the JET Programme. It also offers the Monbukagakusho Scholarship, also known as the MEXT or Monbu-shō scholarship.

Types of Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program

Fields of Study:

Scholarship Benefits:

• Eligibility is limited to applicants who are not residing in Japan and who will be able to arrive in Japan prior to the enrollment period as a graduate-level student.

  In addition, applicants must have demonstrated excellent academic achievement with a grade point average of 2.30 (out of 3.00) or above in the last two academic years and meet certain criteria.

  Finally, each applicant must have obtained either

  • An official recommendation from a university with which Tokyo Tech has a formal agreement
  • An official recommendation from the president or representative(e.g. director or dean) of a university with which Tokyo Tech has established bilateral activities.

  2. Nationality

  Applicants must have the nationality of a country that has diplomatic relations with Japan. Applicants with Japanese nationality are not eligible unless they are dual nationals of Japan and another country and reside outside of Japan at the time of application. Dual national applicants selected for the scholarship will be required renounce their Japanese nationality by the date of their arrival in Japan.

  3. Age

  In principle, applicants must have been born on or after April 2, 1983.

  4. Academic Background

  Applicants must have graduated from a Japanese university or have academic ability equal or superior to that of a Japanese university graduate. The applicant will be deemed to have academic ability equal or superior to that of a Japanese university graduate, if he/she:

  1. (1) has completed or will complete a 16-year school curriculum in a foreign country; or
  2. (2) is or will be aged 22 or older and has taken an individual entrance qualification examination and has been judged by Tokyo Tech as being equal or superior in academic ability to a Japanese university graduate.

  Note: Eligible applicants include those who otherwise satisfy or will satisfy qualification requirements for admission to a Japanese graduate school.

  5. Major Field of Study

  Each applicant should apply for the field of study he/she studied at the previous university or a related field. Each applicant must identify a field in which he/she can receive education and perform research at Tokyo Tech.

  6. Japanese Proficiency

  For research in fields which require Japanese language (e.g. Japanese history, linguistics), applicants must have the ability to conduct research in Japanese.

  7. Health

  Applicants must be physically and mentally able to pursue studies at Tokyo Tech.

  8. Arrival in Japan

  Applicants must be able to leave for and arrive in Japan within two weeks of the date set by Tokyo Institute of Technology for the beginning of the third quarter in September 2019.

  9. 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 their visa status changes.

  10. Community engagement

  Applicants should be willing to participate in community events held in Japan to promote mutual understanding.

  After returning to their home country, scholarship recipients shall maintain close contact with Tokyo Tech, cooperate with the conducting of post-return survey questionnaires, participate in events conducted by local Japanese diplomatic missions, and endeavor to improve relations between their home country and Japan.

  11. Other

  Applicants who meet any or all of the following conditions are not eligible, and if identified after the start of the scholarship period, they will be required to withdraw from the scholarship

  1.  Those who are military personnel or military civilian employees at the time of their arrival in Japan;
  2.  Those who cannot arrive in Japan during the period designated by MEXT or Tokyo Tech;
  3.  Those who previously received a Japanese government scholarship and who, for more than three years between the conclusion of the previous scholarship period and the selection for this scholarship, have not conducted education or research. This condition does not apply to the past recipients of Japanese studies scholarships, Japan-Korea Joint Government Scholarship Program For The Students In Science And Engineering Departments and the Young Leaders Program;
  4.  Those who concurrently apply for a MEXT Scholarship through a different program, such as the MEXT Scholarship through Embassy Recommendation, etc.;
  5.  Those who are currently enrolled at a Japanese university with College Student (ryugaku) residence status; those enrolled, or scheduled to be enrolled, at a Japanese university as a privately-financed international student during the period between the filing of the the scholarship application in the home country and the start of the provision of the scholarship. This condition does not apply to current self-financed international students at Japanese universities who will complete their courses of study and return to their countries before the start of the scholarship period;
  6.  Those who are currently receiving or plan to receive Japanese or other government-funded or private scholarships;
  7.  Those who are expected to graduate at the time of application and cannot satisfy the qualifications and the conditions related to academic background by the deadline given;
  8.  Those who are holders of dual nationality at the time of application and cannot verify that they will renounce Japanese nationality by the time of their arrival in Japan;
  9.  Those who wish, from the time of application, to conduct fieldwork or participate in an internship outside of Japan, since this scholarship program is intended for overseas students who wish to enroll in a Japanese university and do graduate research in Japan; and
  10.  Those who have already obtained a doctoral degree and do not plan to enter a degree program after participating in the Research Student Program.

Mext Scholarship Application: