Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarships for Postgraduate Research

Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarships for Postgraduate Research

We are no longer accepting applications for the 2010-2012 MEXT Postgraduate Scholarships. The application window for the 2011-2013 Scholarships will begin in April 2010.

This award is offered on an annual basis to those with a minimum of a bachelor's degree, under the age of 35, who wish to continue their study as research students in Japan. Although the Scholarship is primarily a research award, enrolment onto a taught degree course may be possible in some cases. No knowledge of Japan or the Japanese language is necessary. Grantees can pursue research in any field as long as it is related to their field of expertise or previous study. It can be difficult, however, to place students who wish to study visual and performing arts. Candidates are encouraged to establish contacts with Japanese academics in their field when applying for the scholarship. University preferences are taken into account as far as possible. Scholarships are tenable from either April or October each year. Those leaving in April will hold their award for two years, whilst those departing in October will hold theirs for 18 months. The Japanese Government provides return air fare, school fees and a monthly grant of ¥150,000 ( subject to change). All enquiries should be directed to: Coordinator for Educational Affairs Japan Information and Cultural Centre Embassy of Japan, 101-104 Piccadilly London W1J 7JT Tel: 020 7465 6583 E-mail: scholarship@jpembassy.org.uk

Below are further details of the MEXT Scholarships for Research Students

Fields of study Eligibility Term of Scholarship Scholarship benefits Selection Placement and Education at University

Fields of Study

Humanities and Social Sciences: Literature, History, Aesthetics, Law, Politics, Economics, Commerce, Pedagogy, Psychology, Sociology, Music, Fine Arts, etc Natural Sciences: Pure Science, Engineering, Agriculture, Fisheries, Pharmacology, Medicine, Dentistry, Home Economics, etc. * Students majoring in medicine or dentistry will not be allowed to carry out clinical studies by conducting medical examinations or performing operations, unless they are permitted by the Minister of Health and Welfare under the provisions of the Japanese laws concerned. ** Fields of study must be one of those available at Japanese universities. Traditional entertainment arts, such as kabuki and Japanese dancing, as well as practical training given by factories or companies is excluded.

Eligibility

Nationality: Applicants must have British nationality, eg. A UK, Isle of Man or Channel Islands passport. Those who do not hold British Citizenship or British Overseas Territories Citizenship should contact the Japanese Embassy in their own country. Applicants who have Japanese nationality at the time of application will not be eligible. Age: Applicants must be under the age of 35 as of April of the year they wish to depart for Japan. Academic Background: Applicants must be university graduates or those who will graduate from a university or college by March or September of the year they wish to depart for Japan. Study Area: The study area must be within or related to the field that the applicant has previously studied (or is now studying). Japanese Language: Applicants must be willing to study the Japanese language and to receive instruction in Japanese. Health: In view of the expected psychological challenges due to cultural and environmental changes, mental as well as physical health is an essential prerequisite. Arrival in Japan: Applicants must be able to leave for and arrive in Japan between the 1st and 7th of April or between the 1st and 7th October.

Military personnel and military civilian employees registered on the active list are ineligible. The Scholarship may be cancelled if grantees fail to arrive in Japan by the appointed date. Applicants who have been awarded a Japanese Government Scholarship in the past will not be selected as Grantees unless they have had a few years of research or teaching experience after returning to their home country. However, former "Japanese Studies" scholarship students may apply for admission to the Research Student Programme once they have completed their undergraduate programme after returning to their home countries. Applicants who are already enrolled in a Japanese university are not eligible to apply. Applicants who have been awarded another scholarship which coincides with the term of the Japanese government scholarship are not eligible.

Term of Scholarship

Applicants may choose one of the following two categories:

Two years from April to March. The term will normally include 6 months study of the Japanese language, to be given to those whose knowledge of the language is insufficient to pursue their studies. One year and a half from October to March. The term will normally include 6 months study of the Japanese language, to be given to those whose knowledge of the language is insufficient to pursue their studies. Applicants for a two-year scholarship will sometimes not be accepted due to the circumstances of the university; in such a case, the applicant may be considered for an 18-month one.

Scholarship Benefits

Allowance: ¥150,000 (subject to change) per month will be given to each Grantee during the term of his/her scholarship, with the understanding that the Scholarship will be suspended if the Grantee is absent from university for a lengthy period of time. Return airfare to Japan School Fees: Fees for the entrance examination, matriculation and tuition at universities will be exempted. 6-month Japanese language course (if deemed necessary by the university) Help finding accommodation Medical expenses: Students may receive subvention for part of their medical expenses in Japan.

Selection

The Embassy of Japan in London will select preliminary candidates by inviting short listed candidates to interview. Those who have been selected as preliminary candidates will be recommended to MEXT, who will choose tentative Grantees through a screening committee. The scholarship Grantee will finally be selected after the university placement has been confirmed.

In principle, applicants who wish to pursue such fields of study as Japanese linguistics, Japanese literature, Japanese history, Japanese law etc., will not be selected as Grantees unless they have sufficient knowledge of the Japanese language to follow these courses. As part of the preliminary selection, an assessment test in Japanese will be given to all applicants. Candidates may also opt to take an English examination, in which case the highest result will be forwarded to MEXT.

Placement and Education at University

Candidates recommended for a scholarship will be required to gain admission as a research student or regular student at a university in Japan. In some cases MEXT will help with the placement. Final placement confirmation will be made by MEXT after consultation with the universities concerned. No objection by the Grantee can be made regarding the university placement. A Grantee whose knowledge of the Japanese language is insufficient will be placed on a 6-month language training course upon arrival in Japan. A Grantee whose knowledge of the Japanese language, at the time of application, is recognised by MEXT as sufficient to conduct his/her studies may be placed at a university without a preparatory course in the Japanese language. A Grantee will usually be enrolled at a university as a non-degree student, i.e. a research student (kenkyu-sei) or an auditor (choko-sei). Those who wish to enter a Masters or Doctorate programme must sit and pass the entrance examination given by the university concerned after having studied for at least 6 months as a non-degree research student.

Interview with a Japanese government scholar alumnus My experience as an art student in Japan, Wuon-Gean Ho (June 2008) My experience as an art student in Japan, Alexandra Blum (February 2007)