Japanese Embassy - Japanese government Scholarships 

Benefit

Depending on your level of study, you will receive a monthly scholarship of about 700 to 1,450 EUR (ranging from ¥117,000 to ¥242,000). Your tuition fees, enrolment fees and examination fees will be fully waived, and you will receive a return flight to Japan. Undergraduate and language students receive approximately 700 EUR (¥117,000). Master’s and research students receive approximately 850 to 880 EUR (¥143,000 to ¥145,000). The ‘Young Leaders’ Master’s programme provides approximately 1,450 EUR (¥242,000). The funding covers the duration of your study programme: 1 years for students of Japanese Studies, up to 2 years for research students and up to 5 years (7 years for medicine) for Bachelor’s students. Many categories also include a preparatory Japanese language course lasting up to 1 years. The scholarship is funded by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).

Eligibility

• Nationality: You are a national of a country that maintains diplomatic relations with Japan. Applicants of any nationality may apply. If you also hold Japanese nationality, you must renounce it before entering the country.
• Where you study: You are studying at a university or college in Japan.
• Field of study: Every field is correct.
• Level and age: There are seven categories with different age limits. Students on bachelor’s degree programmes and vocational training courses must be younger than 25 and have completed 12 years of schooling. Students at universities of applied sciences must be younger than 25 and have completed at least 11 years of schooling. Students on research and teacher training programmes must be younger than 35 and hold a relevant university degree. Students of Japanese Studies are aged between 18 and 29 and are currently enrolled abroad on a degree programme related to Japan. The ‘Young Leaders’ Master’s programme is aimed at individuals under the age of 40 with professional experience as a manager or civil servant.
• Language: You are ready to study in Japanese.
• No double application: You are not applying for another MEXT scholarship at the same time.

How to apply

There are two ways to apply: via the Japanese Embassy or Consulate in your country, or via a Japanese partner university that recommends you. The application route via the Embassy involves a review of your documents, written examinations and an interview. Depending on your category, the examinations may cover Japanese, English, mathematics and science. Deadlines vary by country, so the embassy in your country will set the exact date. There is no application fee.

How realistic are your chances?

As this is a well-known government scholarship awarded worldwide, there is a large pool of applicants. The written examinations and the interview ensure that the selection process is truly rigorous. As places are allocated by country, you will usually be competing more with other applicants from your own country than with applicants from all over the world. If you have good grades, can study in Japanese and clearly fall into a specific category, you should start preparing for the exams well in advance – then your chances are good.