Japanese Government Scholarships for undergraduate, masters and research students (2020)

The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) is offering scholarships to international students who wish to study at Japanese universities as undergraduate and Masters students under the Japanese Government Scholarships (MEXT) Programme for 2020.

The purpose of the Japanese Government Scholarships is to promote mutual understanding and deepening friendly ties between Japan and other countries through the application of advanced knowledge regarding Japan’s language and culture.

 

Field of study eligible for Scholarship

Those who wish to study through the Japanese Government Scholarships as an undergraduate student must choose a field of major from (1) or (2) below. Applicants may enter a first, second, and third choice.

 

1. Social Sciences and Humanities: Social Sciences and Humanities-A: Laws, Politics, Pedagogy, Sociology, Literature, History, Japanese language, and others. Social Sciences and Humanities-B: Economics and Business Administration.
2. Natural Sciences: Natural Sciences-A: Science (Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry), Electrical and Electronic Studies (Electronics, Electrical Engineering, Information Engineering), Mechanical Studies  (Mechanical Engineering, Naval Architecture), Civil Engineering and Architecture (Civil Engineering, Architecture, Environmental Engineering), Chemical Studies (Applied Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Industrial Chemistry, Textile Engineering), and other fields (Metallurgical Engineering, Mining Engineering, Maritime Engineering, Biotechnology). Natural Sciences-B: Agricultural studies (Agriculture, Agricultural Chemistry, Agricultural Engineering, Animal Science, Veterinary Medicine, Forestry, Food Science, Fisheries), Hygienic studies (Pharmacy, Hygienics, Nursing), and Science (Biology). Natural Sciences-C: Medicine, and Dentistry.

For postgraduate, applicants 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.

 

Categories of scholarship

Scholarship are available under the following categories:

1. College of Technology students
2. Research students
3. Specialized Training College students
4. Undergraduate students

 

Value of Scholarship

• Transportation to Japan
• Allowance
• Transportation from Japan: The recipient who returns to his/her home country within the fixed period after the expiration of his/her scholarship will be supplied, upon application, with an economy-class airplane ticket for travel from the New Tokyo International Airport or any other international airport that the appointed university usually uses to the international airport nearest to his/her home address
• Tuition and Other Fees: Fees for the entrance examination, matriculation, and tuition at universities will be borne by the Japanese Government.

 

Eligibility and selection criteria

You should meet the following criteria to be eligible for the Japanese Government Scholarships:

1. Nationality: Applicants must have the nationality of a country that has diplomatic relations with Japan. An applicant who has Japanese nationality at the time of application is not eligible. Selection is conducted at facilities such as the Japanese Embassy /Consulate General (hereinafter “Japanese legation”) located in the country of the applicant’s nationality. (This shall not necessarily be applied in cases where one embassy covers multiple nations.)
2. Health: Applicants must be free from any mental or physical disabilities that would be an impediment to the pursuit of university study.
3. Military personnel or military civilian employees at the time of arriving in Japan are not eligible.
4. Availability on arriving in Japan by April/ October 2020
5. Age: Research Student: Applicants generally must have been born on or after April 2, 1985. Undergraduate Student: Applicants generally must have been born between April 2, 1995 and April 1, 2003. College of Technology Student: Applicants generally must have been born between April 2, 1995 and April 1, 2003. Specialised Training College Student: Applicants generally must have been born between April 2, 1995 and April 1, 2003.
6. Research Student: Undergraduate Degree holders from universities and/or colleges with a total mark of Second Class Upper Division or higher. Applicants for this program must submit a complete research proposal at the time of applying Undergraduate Student: Highschool graduate with a mathmatic score of B3 or higher.

 

Countries eligible

Nigerians and the following countries sin Africa are eligible for award

Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Cape Verde, Chad, Comoros, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabonese Republic, Gambia, Ghana, Republic of Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Zambia, Uganda and Zimbabwe

 

How to apply for the Japanese Government Scholarships

Follow these steps to apply:

1. Download application form

You can download the application form from here

2. Submit application

Once you have access to application form, submit after it has been completed

3. Review past questions

You can find and review past questions for the written exams here

 

Deadline

The deadlines of the applications differ according to the country. Please contact with Japanese embassy or consulate general in your country. But use 31st May, 2019 as a guide

 

Scholarship duration

For undergraduate, the scholarship period will last for five years from April 2020 to March 2025, including the one-year preparatory education in the Japanese language and other subjects due to be provided upon arrival in Japan. For Japanese Government Scholarships grantees majoring in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine or a six-year course in pharmacy, the scholarship period will be seven years until March 2026.

For postgraduate,  between 18 & 24 months.

 

Website

Visit the general scholarship webpage for details. For country specific details, please contact with Japanese embassy or consulate general in your country.