MEXT （Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology） offers scholarships to international students who wish to study at a Japanese college of technology under the Japanese Government （MEXT） Scholarship Program for 2011 as follows.
1. FIELDS OF STUDY
Those who wish to study in Japan as exchange students at a College of Technology must choose a field of specialization （major） from among （1） to （7） below.
（1） Mechanical Engineering; （2） Electrical and Electronic Engineering; （3） Information, Communication and Network Engineering; （4） Materials Engineering; （5） Architecture and Civil Engineering； （6） Maritime engineering; （7） Other Fields.
Note １: Applicants must select a “Field of study” and “Majors and related terms”
from the attachment “Majors and Related Key Terms for Fields of Study” and enter in “Chosen field of study in Japan” on the application form. Applicants may enter a first, second and third choice of field of study.
For each of the three choices be sure to enter your desired subject of study, referring to the attachment “Majors and Related Key Terms for Fields of Study.”
Note 2: （4） Materials engineering may not be studied in combination with other fields of study. Applicants wishing to choose more than one major, should select their first, second and third choice from within （4） Materials engineering.
Note 3: Applicants for a major in the fields categorized as （7） Other Fields （International Communication, Management Information Engineering, etc.） may have difficulties in finding colleges of technology capable of accepting them.
2. QUALIFICATIONS
（1） Nationality:
The Applicant must have the nationality of a country which has diplomatic relations with the Japanese government. This applies at such times to stateless persons,too. The Applicant who has Japanese nationality at the time of application will not be eligible. Applicant screening will be made at the Japanese Embassy/Consulate General （hereinafter referred to as “Japanese legation”） in the country of Applicant’s nationality （except where two or more countries are attended by the same Japanese legation）.
（2） Age:
The Applicant must have been born between April 2, 1989 and April 1, 1994.
（3） Academic Background:
The Applicant must have completed a school curriculum equivalent to an upper secondary school （a 11-year or longer curriculum starting at elementary school）. （Included is any Applicant who will satisfy the above qualifications by March, 2011.）
（4） Japanese Language:
Applicant must be willing to learn the Japanese language and receive college of technology education in it.
（5） Health:
The Applicant must be mentally and physically healthy enough to pursue study at a college of technology in Japan. An Applicant who wishes to major in maritime engineering must have 0.6 or more vision in either eye with or without glasses, and no color-blindness.
（6） Arrival in Japan:
In principle, the selected Applicant must be able to leave for and arrive in Japan between the 1st and 7th of April 2011. Travel expenses will not be provided if the Applicant chooses to travel to Japan before this set period. If the Applicant is unable to travel to Japan within the dates set, the scholarship will be cancelled.
（7） Visa Requirement:
If selected, Applicant will be required to acquire a “College Student （ryuugaku （留学））” visa prior to coming to Japan. Applicants who are already in Japan before the start of the scholarship period under a visa other than College Student are required to change it to College Student by the end of the month preceding the start of the scholarship. （An applicant who comes to Japan with a visa or resident status other than that of “College Student” will not qualify for a Japanese government’s scholarship. Also keep in mind that an Applicant who changes his/her resident status to any status other than “College Student” after entry into Japan will lose his/her status of a Japanese government scholarship student upon such change of status.）
（8） Any applicant who meets any or all of the following conditions is not eligible. If identified after the start of the scholarship period, the applicant will be required to withdraw from the scholarship:
[1] If he/she is a service member or a civilian employee registered on the active military list at the time the scholarship period is due to begin.
[2] If he/she is a grantee of a scholarship from an organization （including a governmental organization of his/her own country） other than the Japanese government （MONBUKAGAKUSHO: MEXT）;
[3] If the applicant is a previous recipient of a Japanese government scholarship. Unless more than three years have passed since the first day of the month following the final payment of the previous scholarship, as of April 1, 2011; or
[4] If he/she is, in principle, currently enrolled in a Japanese university with the resident status of “College Student,” or will be enrolled in a Japanese university as an other source or self financed international student between the time of application for this scholarship in his/her country and the time the scholarship period is due to begin. This does not apply to current self- financed international students at Japanese universities who will complete their course of study and return to their country before the end of the current year.
3. TERM OF SCHOLARSHIP
Scholarship awards will be tenable for four years from April, 2011 to March, 2015 including one-year preparatory education in the Japanese language and other subjects due to be provided upon arrival in Japan. For scholarship grantees majoring in maritime engineering, the term of scholarship will be four and a half years up to September, 2014.
Note: If a grantee graduates from a college of technology and is admitted for enrollment in an advanced course at a college of technology or university as a junior transferee, he/she may have the term of his/her scholarship extended upon successful examination by MEXT provided that he/she has outstanding academic achievement that meets certain criteria. If a grantee completes an advanced course at a college of technology and satisfies the requirements established by the National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation, he/she may apply to the Institution for a bachelor’s degree in engineering.
4. SCHOLARSHIP BENEFITS
（1） Allowance: Under the fiscal 2009 budget each grantee will be provided monthly with 125,000 yen （an additional monthly stipend of 2,000 or 3,000 yen may be provided to those undertaking study or research in specially designated regions.） （However, this will be subject to change, however, depending upon the annual budget of each year）. The scholarship will not be paid to a grantee who takes a leave of absence or is long absent from his/her college of technology or the preparatory Japanese-teaching institution.
The scholarship will be cancelled for a grantee in the following cases. Furthermore, if scholarship payments were made during the period the following cases applied, the grantee may be ordered to return scholarship payments received during that period.
[1] If any of his/her application documents is found to be falsely stated;
[2] If he/she is in breach of his/her pledge made to the Minister of MONBUKAGAKUSHO（MEXT）;
[3] If he/she is subjected to disciplinary action such as expulsion or removal from register by his/her college of technology or the preparatory Japanese-teaching institution;
[4] If it becomes definitive that the grantee will not be able to graduate（or complete his/her course） within the standard course term because of his/her poor academic achievement or suspension;
[5] If his/her resident status of “College Student” as provided for in Paragraph 1-4 of Appendix to the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act changes to any other status; or
[6] If he/she is provided with another scholarship （except for a scholarship designated for research expenses）.
[7] If he/she proceeds to a higher level of education without receiving approval for an extension of the term of the scholarship
（2） Traveling costs:
[1] Transportation to Japan: Each grantee will be provided, according to his/her itinerary and route as designated by MEXT, with an economy class air ticket from the international airport closest to his/her place of residence to Narita International Airport （or following the itinerary normally used by the institution where the grantee is placed）. Expenses such as inland transportation from his/her place of residence to the nearest international airport, airport tax, airport usage charges, special taxes on overseas travel and travel expenses within Japan will be borne by the grantee （the place of residence of the grantee shall in principle be the address stated in the application form）. Air travel from a country other than the grantee’s nationality will not be covered, nor travel to Japan before April 1, 2011.
[2] Transportation from Japan: A grantee who returns to his/her home country within the last month of scholarship payment will be provided, upon application, with an economy class air ticket for a flight from Narita International Airport （or following the itinerary normally used by the institution where the grantee is placed） to the international airport closest to his/her place of return.
Note: Insurance premiums for travel to/from Japan shall be borne by the grantee. The airport the grantee departs from or returns to must be an airport of the country of his/her nationality.
（3） School Fees: Fees for entrance examinations, matriculation and tuition at a college of technology will be paid by the Japanese government.
5. SELECTION
（1） In cooperation with the governments of the applicants’ countries the Japanese legation will perform primary screening of applicants by means of submitted application documents, interviews and academic examinations.
Examination subjects:
All applicants wishing to study （4） Materials engineering must sit examinations in Japanese, English, mathematics, and chemistry.
All applicants wishing to study in fields other than （4） Materials engineering must sit examinations in Japanese, English, mathematics, and physics.
（2） Results of primary screening will be notified to applicants on the date designated by the Japanese legation .
（3） Applicants who have been selected by this primary screening will be recommended to MEXT.
（4） MEXT will perform final selection of the recommended applicants and select scholarship grantees.
6. COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION
（1） Preparatory Education prior to Placement in College of Technology:
Each grantee will be enrolled at a preparatory school designated by MEXT for a one-year intensive course in the Japanese language and other subjects necessary for preparation for proceeding to college of technology. The preparatory course lasts for one year, mainly consisting of education in the Japanese language as well as in Japanese Affairs, mathematics, etc.
Please keep in mind that a grantee will not be allowed to proceed to college of technology if he/she is determined incapable of completing the prescribed course at the preparatory school. （He/she will be required to return home upon such determination.）
（2） Entrance into College of Technology:
A grantee who has completed the prescribed course at the preparatory school will go on to a college of technology designated by MEXT. The college of technology will be decided by MEXT upon consultation with the college concerned. No objection by the grantee against the decision will be allowed.
（3） Graduation:
A college of technology operates under a five-year course requiring junior high school education for eligibility, but the grantees of this scholarship will be enrolled into a third-year class and receive specialized education for three years prior to graduation （or three years and a half for those who major in maritime engineering）. A graduated grantee will be awarded a diploma and an associate degree.
（4） Language Used in Education:
All classes will be given in the Japanese language.
（5） Change of Major Field:
A grantee will not be permitted in principle to change his/her major field of study.
7. APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Applicants must submit the following documents to the Japanese legation by the required date. The submitted documents will not be returned.
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（1） Application （by the prescribed forms）
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（2） Photographs （4.5 x 3.5 cm, Upper body, Full-faced, Uncapped） taken within the past 6 months （name and nationality should be written on the reverse; photo to be pasted onto the application documents. Digital photographs also acceptable）
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（3） Academic transcript for the past 2 or 3 years
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（4） Recommendation from the principal or the adviser of the last school attended
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（5） Graduation certificate of the last school attended （or certificate of expected graduation for an applicant due to graduate）
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（6） Certificate of enrollment （for an applicant currently enrolled in a university）
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（7） Medical certificate（on the prescribed form, to be issued by the medical institution designated by the Japanese legation ）
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Note 1: These documents must be written in Japanese or English. A document written in any other language must be attached with an English or Japanese translation.
Note 2: For item （5） above, a photocopy of the graduation certificate and/or the qualification will do, provided that the copy is attested by the relevant school.
Note 3: An application will not be examined unless all the documents mentioned above are fully and correctly completed.
8. NOTES
（1） All grantees are advised to learn the Japanese language and have basic knowledge about the weather, climate, manners and customs, and colleges of technology education in Japan as well as about the differences in the Japanese legal system and the one in their home country before they leave for Japan.
（2） Grantees should bring the approximate equivalent of US $1,500 to cover immediate needs after their arrival in Japan.
（3） Dormitory
[1] For one year after arrival each grantee will be able to live in a dormitory for international students operated by the Japan Student Services Organization.
[2] After entering a college of technology a grantee will be able to live in the dormitory established by the college.
（4） If you have any question about the matters set forth/not set forth herein or that are unclear, inquire at the Japanese legation, and follow their instructions, if any are given.
