Studying In Japan

A handful of university courses in Japan are only available in Japanese. However, a small number of universities offer four-year undergraduate degrees with courses taught entirely in English. Most international students are expected to study Japanese at a language school before proceeding to their major program.

Japanese Government Scholarships

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) offers scholarships to international students who wish to study at Japanese universities as undergraduate students under the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program annually.

The scholarship is for undergraduate students in the fields of Social Sciences, Humanities and Natural Sciences and open to Nationals of countries that have diplomatic relations with the Japanese government.

What the Scholarship Covers

The scholarship covers tuition and other fees, allowance of 117,000 yen per month, a monthly stipend of 2,000 or 3,000 yen may be provided to those undertaking study or research in designated regions, and travel costs to and from Japan.

The scholarship period will last for five years, including one-year preparatory education in the Japanese language and other subjects due to be provided upon arrival in Japan.

Academic Background

Applicants must meet one of the following conditions. However, applicants desiring direct placement must satisfy either the following 1 or 3 conditions.

1. Applicants who have completed 12 years of schooling in countries other than Japan. (Applicants who will meet the above qualifications by March 2020 are eligible. However, applicants wishing to enroll from the autumn term through direct placement must be expected to complete 12 years of schooling by August 2020.)
2. Applicants who have completed their studies at a school equivalent to a Japanese upper secondary school in countries other than Japan. (Applicants who will meet the above qualifications by March 2020 are eligible.)
3. Other than the above 1 and 2 conditions, applicants who are eligible for enrolment in a Japanese university at the time of application.
4. Japanese Language: Applicants must be willing to learn Japanese. Applicants must be interested in Japan and be willing to deepen their understanding of Japanese after arriving in Japan. In addition, in principle, applicants must be willing to carry out their academic studies in Japan in Japanese.
5. Health: Applicants must submit a health certificate in the prescribed format signed by a physician attesting that the applicant has no physical or mental conditions hindering the applicant’s study in Japan.
6. Arrival in Japan: In principle, applicants must be able to arrive in Japan between the 1st and 7th of April 2020. If an applicant is to enroll in his/her university from the fall semester through direct placement, he/she must be able to arrive in Japan during the period specified by the accepting university within two weeks before and after the starting date of the university’s relevant academic term for that year.
7. Visa Requirement: An applicant shall, in principle, obtain a “Student” visa at the Japanese diplomatic mission located in the applicant’s country of nationality, and enter Japan with the residence status of “Student.”

Application Instructions

Applicants are compulsorily required to submit their documents to the Japanese diplomatic mission in the applicant’s country by the required deadline. As the application process differs according to the country in which the Japanese embassy is located, please inquire at the Japanese embassy or consulate general in your country for details.  The deadline for the applications varies per country.

Scholarships in Japan for International Students

Here is a list of scholarships in Japan for international students

1. Sato Yo International Scholarship Foundation Program at Kyushu University
2. OIST Graduate Program for International Students in Japan
3. KMMF funding for International Students in Japan
4. University of Tokyo Todai Fellowship for International Students in Japan
5. Nitori International Scholarship Foundation” Private foundation grant in Japan
6. TU Research-Oriented Incoming Student (ROIS) International Scholarship in Japan
7. International merit awards at Temple University, Japan Campus.

Cost Of Living

The monthly living expenses in Japan for international students including tuition amount to 138,000 yen. Living expenses in regions like Shikoku region are at 104,000 yen, Kanto region with the living expenses of 154,000 yen, on the other hand, is more expensive to live in.

Sadly, international students spend more on food because of the difference in the available delicacy in Japan. 40,000 yen may be set aside for feeding.

National schools and universities charge the lowest tuition, and tuition will be the same regardless of the subject taken. Public universities by a slight margin cost more while the private schools do have different tuition costs for different courses

Application opens for Japan scholarship for international students from Africa and developing countries every year. These include MEXT scholarship, JICA scholarship, Japanese government scholarship, etc for undergraduate, master or PhD/doctoral degrees.

Start here to apply for scholarships in Japan for African students, developing countries and international students, from around the world.

Watch this Video on Top 10 Scholarships in Japan for International Students.