Fully Funded MEXT Scholarship Program for Research Students 2019

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

Research Students are defined as those who are enrolled in a master’s course, a doctoral course, or a professional graduate course at a graduate school, or who are conducting research in a specialized field at an undergraduate department, graduate school, institute attached to a university, etc. without the aim of completing the course, or who are receiving preparatory education in the Japanese language and other subjects prior to placement at the university.

Applicants for this scholarship should apply for the field of study they majored in at university or its related field. Moreover, the fields of study must be subjects which applicants will be able to study and research in graduate courses at Japanese universities. The fields of study may be restricted to particular fields by the Japanese Embassy/Consulate General (hereinafter referred to as the “Japanese diplomatic mission”) in the applicant’s country.

The scholarship covers:

[1] Allowance.

[2] Education fees.

[3] Traveling Expenses.

The scholarship's duration is a maximum of two years from 2019 until 2021 including a 6-month period of Japanese language training for those who require such training.

Applicants must:

[1] Have the nationality of a country that has diplomatic relations with Japan. 

[2] Have been born on or after April 2, 1984.

[3] Satisfy the qualification requirements for admission to a master’s degree course or a doctoral degree course at a Japanese graduate school.

[4] Be willing to learn Japanese. Applicants must be interested in Japan and be willing to deepen their understanding of Japan after arriving in Japan. Applicants must also have the ability to do research and adapt to living in Japan. 

[5] Submit a health certificate in the prescribed format signed by a physician attesting that the applicant has no physical or mental conditions hindering the applicant’s study in Japan.

[6] Obtain a “Student” visa at the Japanese diplomatic mission located in the applicant’s country of nationality.

The following documents must be submitted with the application form:

[1] Placement Preference Form .

[2] Field of Study and Research Plan.

[3] Certified grade transcript for each academic year from the last university attended.

[4] Graduation certificate or degree certificate of the last university attended.

[5] Recommendation letter from the president/dean or the adviser of the current university or the last university attended or the university currently attending.

[6] Medical certificate.