Japanese Government Scholarships

The Japanese Government Scholarship is a merit-based scholarship offered to undergraduates and master’s degree students to pursue further education in Singapore. If you want to know more about the Japanese Government scholarship, the eligibility criteria for the Japanese Government Scholarship, the requirements for the Japanese Government Scholarship, and the types of scholarship that fit into this category, you will have to read till the end of this article.

Japanese Government Scholarships

Top Japanese Government Scholarships

1. Rotary International Masters Certificate

The Rotary International Masters Award is one of the many scholarships the Japanese Government offers. The Rotary annually selects over 130 development leaders worldwide to receive fully funded academic scholarships to pursue a Professional Development Certificate Program or a Masters Degree Program in Japan. This joint venture is related to peace, conflict resolution, and prevention from all the participating peace centers around the world. These include the United States of America, Japan, United Kingdom, Australia, Sweden, Thailand, and Uganda.

All fellowship recipients will not study at a Rotary Peace Center in their home country, except candidates from Thailand and Uganda. The candidates from Thailand who attend the center at Chulalongkorn University and candidates from Uganda who may attend the center at Makerere University can study in their home country. The scholarships awarded are a Professional Development Certificate Program or Master’s Degree Program in peace and conflict resolution and prevention fields. It is mainly for those who are endorsed by their local Rotary District.

The Rotary Peace Scholarship awards close to 50 fellowships for master’s degree students and 80 for certificate studies. The fellowships cover tuition, room and board, transportation and airfares, internship, and field-study expenses. The Host Institutions are:

  • Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, both in the United States. The program is Master of International Development Policy Program (MIDP) or can be various degrees offered by the University of North Carolina.
  • International Christian University in Japan. The program is a Master’s Degree in Peace Studies.
  • The University of Bradford, England. The program is Advanced Practice in Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution.
  • University of Queensland, Australia. The program is Master of Peace and Conflict Studies (MPACS)
  • Uppsala University, Sweden. The program is Peace and Conflict Studies (MS.Sc.)
  • Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. The program is a Professional Development Certificate in Peace and Development Studies (PgCert)
  • Makerere University, Uganda.

Eligibility Criteria:

  • The Rotary Peace Fellowship Award is for professionals with work experience related to international relations or peace and conflict prevention and resolution. The prospective applicants must meet the following requirements:
  • The applicant should have three years of related work experience for the master’s degree program.
  • The applicant should have five years of related work experience for the certificate program. They should be able to clearly explain how their studies in Japan will promote peace and align with Rotary’s mission.
  • The candidates from Makerere University must either be from Africa, have worked in Africa, or work with African communities or initiatives outside the continent.
  • The applicant must be proficient in English
  • The applicant must have a bachelor’s degree
  • The applicant should demonstrate leadership skills and have a solid commitment to cross-cultural understanding and peace in Africa. Working with African communities or initiatives outside the continent is an added advantage.

Application Procedure:

The deadline for candidates to submit applications to the respective Rotary district in their home country is 15 May 2022. All districts must submit applications they have endorsed to The Rotary Foundation by 1 July 2022. The scholarship awards you the opportunity to study in the USA, Japan, UK, Australia, Sweden, Thailand, Uganda. Before you begin the applications, please read the application instructions and ensure you visit the official website for detailed information on how to apply for this scholarship.

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2. JFUNU Masters Degree

The Japan Foundation United Nations Universities (JFUNU) Scholarship is a merit-based scholarship for outstanding applicants from developing countries who have demonstrated financial assistance and who are admitted to the Master of Science in Sustainability Programme at United Nations University – Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS). The Host Institution is the United Nations University – Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS). It is a limited scholarship for a Master of Science in Sustainability. It is focused on Citizens of developing countries listed in the latest OECD DAC list.

The DAC List of ODA Recipients shows all the countries and territories eligible to receive official development assistance. These countries consist of all low and middle-income earners based on gross national income (GNI) per capita as published by the World Bank. This is except for G8 members, European Union members, and countries with a firm date for entry into the European Union. The list also includes all of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) as defined by the United Nations (UN). The scholarship provides a monthly allowance of 120,000 JPY for living expenses for a maximum of 24 months and tuition is fully waived for the scholarship recipients. But the travel costs to and from Japan, visa handling fees, and health insurance must be covered by the student.

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Eligibility Criteria:

  • All applicants for the Master of Science in Sustainability must meet the following criteria to be considered for the JFUNU Scholarship. They are:
  • The applicant should have completed a Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from a recognized university or Institution of higher education in a field related to sustainability. Applicants who expect to receive a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent before the entrance period of September 2022 are still eligible.
  • The applicant should have a GPA of 2.8 or above on a 4.0 scale. This is equivalent to a 70% pass on a 100% mark for the bachelor’s degree earned.
  • The applicant should have a minimum score of 600 on the English As a Foreign Language Test or 7.0 on the International Education Language Testing System as the standard for English language qualifications required by UNU-IAS.
  • The applicants must be persons from developing countries as listed by the OCED DAC list who can demonstrate a need for financial assistance.
  • The applicants must not be currently living in Japan or have a working Visa at the time of the application.
  • All intending applicants who want to pursue a second master’s degree at UNU-IAS are not eligible to apply for the scholarship.

Application Procedure:

All applications for admissions in the Japan Foundation United Nations Universities must be submitted through the online application form. During the admission selection process, all outstanding applicants from developing countries with demonstrated financial needs will be automatically considered candidates for the JFUNU scholarship award. The application deadline is  21 February 2022 (23:59 Japan Standard Time). Please note that it is important to read the 2022 Application Guidelines to access the application form and for detailed information on how to apply for this scholarship.

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3. Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarships for Young Leaders Program at GRIPS.

Masters Degree is a fully-funded scholarship available for exceptionally qualified candidates who have been accepted for study at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies – GRIPS. All international students who want to apply for the Young Leaders Program at the Institute GRIPS can apply for the Japanese Government Scholarships. This scholarship is a program through which international students can study at a Japanese university with a scholarship from the Japanese Government, specifically the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (Monbukagakusho, MEXT).

Through this initiative, the University of Tokyo accepts students as either Research students or Undergraduate students. The scholarship is allocated on a competitive basis, and only a limited number of scholarships are available for everyone. The candidates have to be overseas students that have been recommended by the Japanese Embassy/Consulate General, University, or Authority. The host Institution is the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS). It is a program for everyone who is doing a Master of Public Administration or a Master of Public Policy.

The School of Government focuses on national policy-making and accepts international students from twenty-nine different countries: People’s Republic of China, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey. The scholarship focuses on enhancing local governance and Government to respond to various regional issues in such areas as education, health, social welfare, and local development.

All applicants receive a monthly stipend of 242,000 yen per month (This rate was in the year 2020; the amount is subject to change). This is to cover living expenses such as food, university application fee, admission fee, tuition, clothing, room and board, transportation, medical treatment, insurance, and various miscellaneous expenses related to the study at GRIPS. As the stipend is fixed, it can be increased to cover family members. All the scholars will be given an economy-class air ticket from their home country to Japan upon enrollment at GRIPS and an economy-class air ticket from Japan to their home country upon completion of their studies at GRIPS.

Eligibility Criteria:

The Young Leaders Program is open to young public administrators and government officials who are expected to play active roles in the future as national leaders in their home countries. For all applicants, a minimum of three years of full-time work experience (five is mostly preferable) in the field in the applicant’s home country is a prerequisite for admission to the program. The admission procedure to the Young Leaders Program also requires a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from a recognized, accredited university of the highest standard as well as certifiable health.

  • The applicant should be under 40 years of age as of 1 October 2022.
  • The applicant should be proficient in English with a score of 79 on the Test Of English As A Foreign Language TOEFL or a score of 6.0 in the International Education Language Testing Scheme IELTS.
  • The applicant must be able to obtain a student visa before arrival in Japan.
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Application Procedure:

All the application procedures for Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho: MEXT) Scholarships are conducted through the Japanese embassies, consulates in your countries, or recommending authorities in the eligible countries. See the official website for details about the recommending authorities in your country. The application deadline varies, so intending applicants must check with their Japanese embassies for the submission date to the embassies. Ensure that you read the 2022/2023 Young Leaders Program Brochure and visit the official website for detailed information on how to apply for this scholarship.

Read Also: Best Sociology Scholarship Opportunities.

4. ADB/Japan Government Masters Degree

The Asian Development Bank-Japan Scholarship Program (ADB-JSP) is a merit-based scholarship that aims to provide an opportunity for well-qualified citizens of the African Development Bank’s developing member countries to undertake postgraduate studies in economics, management, science and technology, and other development-related fields at participating academic institutions in the Asian and Pacific Region. Upon completing their study programs, all scholars are expected to contribute to the economic and social development of their home countries.

The ADB-JSP provides scholarships only to participating academic institutions, and the programs are covered by the African Development Bank’s participating academic institutions. The programs covered by the ADB-JSP include postgraduate studies in economics, management, health, education, agriculture,  environment, natural resource management, science and technology, and other development-related fields. The only programs eligible for the ADB/Japan Scholarship funding are those offered at the participating academic institutions in the Asian and Pacific Regions. The total number of scholarship awards is about 300 scholarships annually.

The ADB-JSP Scholarship provides full tuition fees, a monthly housing allowance, allowance for books and instructional materials, medical insurance, and travel expenses. The scholarship is for one year with an extension to the second year of study, as appropriate, which shall be conditional on the scholar maintaining a satisfactory level of performance as determined by the institute. The maximum duration of the scholarship award is two years for master’s and doctorate programs.

Eligibility Criteria:

  • The prospective applicant must be a national of an African Development Bank borrowing member country. These countries are Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, People’s Republic of China, Cook Islands, Fiji, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, the Federated States of
  • Mongolia, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, Niue, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam.
  • All applicants from countries that are no longer borrowing from ADB are not eligible for the ADB-JSP Scholarship.
  • The applicant should have gained admission to an approved MA/PhD course at an academic institution in Japan.
  • Before applying, the applicant should have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent with a superior academic record.
  • The applicant should have at least two years of full-time professional working experience acquired after a university degree before the application. Also, proficiency in oral and written English communication skills to be able to pursue studies is an added advantage.
  • The applicant should not be more than 35 years old at the time of application. For extreme cases, programs that are appropriate for senior officials and managers have an age limit of 45 years old.
  • As always, the applicant should be in good health.
  • The applicant must agree to return to their home country after the completion of studies in Japan.
  • All Executive Directors, Management and Staff of African Development Bank, Consultants, and relatives of the bank are not eligible for the scholarship. Also, the staff of academic institutions in the program is not eligible for the scholarship.
  • All applicants living in a country other than their home country are not eligible for scholarships.
  • The ADB-JSP does not support applicants who are already enrolled in graduate degree programs. Also, the joint partnership of ADB and Japan does not sponsor undergraduate studies, distance learning programs, short-term training, conferences, seminars, thesis writing, and research projects.

Application instructions:

All applicants should request information and application forms from the chosen Academic Institutions in the program. They should also indicate to that Institution that they are applying for admission and that they would like to be considered for the ADB-JSP Scholarship. The completed application form for the Institution and required documentation necessary including the ADB-JSP Information Sheet form should be submitted to the academic Institution. You must send applications for scholarships at least six months before the planned time that you wish to commence your studies. Please refer to the normal month of intake and deadline of application in the participating academic institutions before you begin your applications. Visit the official website for more detailed information on how to apply for this scholarship.

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5. Kochi University of Technology PhD Scholarships in Engineering for International Student

Kochi Universities of Technology Special Scholarship Program (SSP) was established in 2003 to support the university’s advanced research through highly capable doctoral students who are competent in their field. Every year in both April and October, the university enrolls selected doctoral students under specific research projects who pursue the doctoral course in English while at the same time assisting their host professor in their research projects to the advancement of society. The host institution is the Kochi University of Technology Department of Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, which awards a PhD in Engineering.

As of the time of this writing, we don’t know if the scholarship is ongoing, but as of October. 2013, it is confirmed that it is close to 42 Ph. D. candidates from 13 foreign countries who were studying in this program. The scholarship provides;

  • An exemption from 30,000 yen entrance examination fee, 300,000 yen enrollment fee, and 535,800 yen annual tuition fee.
  • A means to support your living expenses and 150,000 yen per month is paid for research project work.
  • 150,000 yen is provided for travel and living costs. This is given only to international applicants who are living outside Japan at the time of application.

Eligibility Criteria:

All intending applicants are required to meet all of the following conditions:

  • They should have or be scheduled to acquire a master’s degree before the enrollment date of KUT.
  • They should be 35 years old or under at the time of enrollment in the program.
  • They should have an excellent academic record and strong bachelor’s and master’s degrees from reputable universities around the world.
  • They should have the intention, adequate knowledge, and research skill to work in one of the designated research projects in their field, and they should have high English proficiency.

Application instructions:

You must choose a research project from the Special Scholarship Program Research Project List and then complete and submit all required documents by post. The application deadline for April and October is 30th September of the previous year. Another deadline for the October semester is 31 March of the same year. Please visit the official website for detailed information on how to apply for this scholarship.

Conclusion

There are different Japanese Government Scholarships today. It is your responsibility to find the one that aligns with your goals, take your time to check the eligibility criteria and the application procedure, and carefully apply. Remember that to secure any of the Japanese Government Scholarships, you as an applicant must read through the application guidelines carefully and follow the instructions.

Frequently Asked Questions on Japanese Government Scholarships

Is it difficult to obtain a MEXT scholarship?

After all, the MEXT scholarship is highly sought after. To succeed, you must be willing to outperform all other applicants. The best way to strengthen and distinguish your application is to develop a solid application strategy and base your application on it.

Can I study for free in Japan?

There are numerous scholarships available in Japan for which you could apply in order to study for free in Japan. Before flying to Japan, undergraduates can apply for a Japanese government scholarship or one of the nine external funding options available.

Can foreign students receive scholarships in Japan?

Many scholarships for international students have been made available in Japan by various organizations. However, the qualifications and amounts vary greatly between them. The majority of the scholarships are intended for international students studying at Japanese universities and colleges.

How do I apply for a scholarship from the Japanese government?

Visit the website of your country’s Japanese embassy. The MEXT scholarship can be found under the Education / Scholarship tab. Fill out the MEXT scholarship application form after downloading it. Submit the necessary documents (listed below) to the Japanese Embassy in your country.

How do I obtain a full scholarship in Japan?

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) provides scholarships to foreign students for one year of study at designated Japanese universities in order to deepen their understanding of the Japanese language, Japanese affairs, and Japanese culture.

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