How to apply for MEXT scholarship?

MEXT is the generally used acronym for the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. You may also be familiar with it via its Japanese name, Monbukagakusho. It provides international students coming to Japan access to the Japanese Government Scholarship programme.

MEXT initiated the Global 30 Project in 2009 to internationalise Japanese higher education through the collective plans and strategies of its thirteen member universities. Thanks to MEXT, studying in Japan has never been easier!

MEXT scholarship: Benefits 

There are three primary MEXT Scholarship benefits:

• Full tuition exemption
• Monthly allowance
• Round-trip airfare from the students’ homes to Japan

The MEXT Award is the most well-known Japanese scholarship among overseas students who aspire to study in Japan due to its considerable advantages. After all, who wouldn’t desire a monthly income in addition to waived university tuition?

7 forms of MEXT scholarships

Under the Japanese Government Scholarship Program, MEXT offers seven types of scholarships: Young Leaders’ Program (YLP) Students, Research Students (Graduate School Students & Research Students), Teacher Training Students, Undergraduate Students, College of Technology Students, College of Specialised Training College Students, and Japanese Studies Students.

Young Leaders Initiative (YLP) Students 

Who: Graduates of colleges or universities with job experience

Monthly Allowance: Rs 142,904

Duration: 12 months

The Young Leader’s Program (YLP) is one of the MEXT Scholarship Programs to produce future national leaders in Asia and other regions. By building a network of national leaders and enhancing their awareness of Japan, the YLP fosters a positive relationship between countries and students, specifically targeting young public officials who are expected to play an active role in Asia and other regions.

Young Leader’s Program (YLP) is a particularly designed program for pupils interested in the following academic disciplines: School of Government, Business Administration, Law, Local Governance, and Medical Administration. MEXT awards around 80 students on the YLP each year with scholarships.

Students in Research (Graduate School Students & Research Students)

Who: Graduates of colleges and universities (or prospects). Those with the same academic ability as a university graduate

Monthly allowance: Rs 84,443 – Rs 85,624 (Depending on the degree)

Duration: Maximum of two years for non-regular students

This scholarship program enables international students to pursue graduate studies or research in a specialised subject as Research Students (non-regular students). Even if you begin as a non-regular student, you can seek a scholarship extension if you choose to continue to a normal graduate degree or advance to a PhD course. The amount and duration of this scholarship vary depending on the type of student you are, with roughly 2,500 graduate students and research students getting this award. Non-regular students receive a monthly stipend of 143,000 yen for a maximum of two years (including six months of Japanese language training). Regular students enrolled in master’s courses receive 144,000 yen per month, while those enrolled in doctorate studies receive 145,000 yen per month for the length of time required to finish the regular program of the respective courses.

Teacher Training Students

Who: University or teacher-training college graduates with at least five years of experience as (1)teachers in active service of primary or secondary schools in their native countries or (2)teachers in teacher-training schools (excluding universities) in their home countries.

Monthly allowance: Non-degree students: Rs 84,000; Master’s course: Rs 85,000; Doctoral course: Rs 85,624 

Duration: up to 1 1/2 years

This fellowship is open to international teachers who wish to undertake training based on Japanese school education as Teacher Training Students at particular Japanese universities. The scholarship period will end upon the completion of the required training course at the accepting university, and you will be unable to ask for an extension. During this time, accepted students, approximately 100 each year, will receive a monthly stipend of 143,000 yen.

Undergraduate Students

Who: Applicants between the ages of 17 and 22 who have completed at least 12 years of schooling and have qualifications deemed adequate for enrollment in a Japanese institution at the time of application.

Allowance: Rs 69,000 (Additional stipend for the designated area)

Duration: five years (7 years: Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary, Pharmaceutical Sciences of a 6-year system)

If you apply for this scholarship through MEXT, you will be required to complete a year of preparatory coursework before enrolling in college. This scholarship will be awarded for a period of five years: one year for preparatory studies and four years for undergraduate studies (one plus six years for pharmacy, medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine). You may be able to forgo the preparatory study if the undergraduate course at your destination university does not require Japanese language skills. In this instance, the scholarship length will be four years (six years for pharmacy, medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine). The monthly payment will be 117,000 yen, plus an additional 2,000 or 3,000 yen if the student studies in a specially designated zone. annually, approximately 150 students are awarded scholarships.

Students at Technological Colleges

Who: Those ages 17 to 22 who have completed secondary school (11 years or longer, starting with elementary school) or are in the process of doing so.

Monthly allowance: Rs 69,000 (Additional stipend for the designated area)

Duration: four years (4.5 yrs: Marine Eng.)

This scholarship may be of interest to you if you want to attend Japanese schools of technology as a College of Technology Student. You may select an area of study from the following options:

• Mechanical Technology
• Engineering Electronics and Electricity
• Engineering of Information and Communication Networks
• Construction Engineering Materials
• Construction Engineering
• Maritime Technology

The scholarship will be awarded for four years, including one year of preparatory study. If you obtain this scholarship, your monthly allowance will be 117,000 yen, similar to the previous two awards. After that, if you have an exceptional academic record when you graduate from a college of technology, you may be eligible for a scholarship extension if MEXT deems you eligible following an examination.

Students with Higher Education

Who: Those ages 17 to 22 who have completed secondary education (11 years or longer, starting with elementary school) or are in the process of doing so.

Monthly allowance: Rs 69,000 (additional allowance for chosen location)

Duration: 12 months

This scholarship is for international students who wish to study in Japanese specialised training colleges or the equivalent of vocational schools. You may select an area of study from the following options:

• Technology
• Personal Hygiene and Diet
• Education and Assistance
• Business Style and Domestic Science
• The Humanities and General Education

The duration of the scholarship is three years, which includes one year of preparatory study. If you obtain this scholarship, your monthly allowance will be 117,000 yen, the same as with other awards. Similar to the College of Technology Scholarship, if you graduate from a specialised training college with an exceptional academic record, you may be eligible for a scholarship renewal following a successful assessment by MEXT. Approximately fifty students annually earn this prize.

Japanese Studies Students

Who: Applicants between the ages of 18 and 30 who are undergraduates at foreign(non-Japanese) universities majoring in fields related to the Japanese language or Japanese culture at the time of their departure from Japan.

Monthly allowance: Rs 69,000 (Additional stipend for the designated area)

Duration: one academic year

If you are an international student who wishes to gain a deeper grasp of the Japanese language, politics, and culture, the Japanese Government offers you this scholarship. To be eligible for this scholarship, you must be enrolled as an undergraduate student at a university in your country. The scholarship period follows the time required to complete the program of study at the accepting university. This duration should be within one year, and no extension requests will be accepted. After the scholarship period ends, you will receive a certificate for completing the specified course, and you should resume your study of the Japanese language and culture at your home university. Through this period, you will receive a monthly allowance of 117,000 yen, and an average of 500 students receive this scholarship annually.

MEXT scholarship: Procedure for applying

The application procedure consists of four major phases, as outlined below:

1. Document examination
2. Written exams
3. Interview
4. Final document examination by MEXT

Document examination

Download and prepare the necessary documents from the website of the Japanese Embassy in your country. In total, you must prepare three documents: the Application Form, the Certificate of Health, and the Recommendation Form (unless you choose to bypass the one-year preparation course and enrol directly at a university). In that case, you must prepare four documents).

Written exams

The written examinations vary based on your major (arts or science). Those majoring in Social Sciences and Humanities (arts) will be required to study English, Japanese, and Mathematics, whilst those majoring in Natural Sciences will be required to take English, Japanese, and Mathematics in addition to two sciences. If you applied with a Natural Science A major, you must take Physics and Chemistry, and if you applied with a Natural Science B or C major, you must take Biology and Chemistry. Several previous-year exams are available online; therefore, you should practice with them before the main exam.

Interview

This is the most difficult stage of the four. Arrive at least fifteen minutes before your interview, and dress appropriately. “Why did you choose (insert: the universities you chose) as your top three choices?” “Why did you choose (insert: the majors of your choice) as your top three choices?” “What will you do if you do not receive the major of your choice?” “Why do you want to study in Japan?” “How proficient are you in Japanese?” and “Can you introduce yourself? (In English and/or Japanese)” are the most frequently asked questions. Prepare answers to these questions and maintain a modest demeanour throughout the interview.

Final document examination by MEXT

Now you only have to wait! MEXT (in Japan) will get all of your documentation from stages one through three, and they will make the final determination. If you pass, you will be contacted through email and letter and allocated to either Osaka University (Minoh campus) or Tokyo University of Foreign Studies for your preparatory course (unfortunately, you will not be able to choose which university you want to go to).

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