Mode of Recruitment (for Those outside Japan)

1. Embassy Recommendation
2. University Recommendation

1．Embassy recommendation

In this type of scholarship, scholarship recipients are recruited and initially screened by a Japanese embassy (or consulate general, depending on the country).
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.

Research student, Undergraduate student, College of technology student, and Special training college student

Recruitment for those arriving in Japan in next April is made between April and May. The initial screening (documentary examination, written test and interview) is made at the embassy between June and July. The embassy then recommends the selected candidates to the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by late August.

Teacher training and Japanese studies student

Recruitment for those arriving in Japan in next September-October is made between December of the previous year and the following February. Screening is conducted between February and March. Selected candidates are recommended to the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the beginning of April. Past exam questions of these courses have not been disclosed. Please refer to the Japanese and English examination questions in the Past Examination Questions above.

2．University recommendation

1. Research students and Japanese studies students who will be studying in Japan as an exchange student based on inter-university student exchange agreements can be screened through the national, public or private Japanese university involved as a candidate for a Japanese Government Scholarship. The university directly recommends the selected candidates to the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).
2. Research students recommended by a university for study in Japan as government-sponsored scholarship recipients basically arrive in Japan in September-October.

Eligible Field of Study: Eligible field of study for applicants who wish to study study through the Japanese Government Scholarships as undergraduate student include:

(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.

Postgraduate Applicants

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.

Selection Criteria and Eligibility: To be eligible for the Japanese Government Scholarships:

• 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.)
• Health: Applicants must be free from any mental or physical disabilities that would be an impediment to the
  pursuit of university study.
• Military personnel or military civilian employees at the time of arriving in Japan are not eligible.
• Availability on arriving in Japan by April/ October 2020

 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.
  Specialized Training College Student: Applicants generally must have been born between April 2, 1995 and April 1, 2003.
• 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: High school graduate with a mathematics score of B3 or higher.

Number of Scholarships: Not specified

Value of Scholarship:

• Allowance: The amount of the scholarship disbursement per month has yet to be determined.
• Transportation to Japan
• 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.

Duration of Scholarship: 

For undergraduate, 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.

Eligible African Countries: Africa: 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

Other Eligible Countries: See link below for eligible European, Middle East, Asian and other developing countries

How to Apply: Apply below

Visit the Scholarship website for application

For previous Exam Papers, Click Here

Important Notes: Please note that applications forms for the current exercise is clearly marked – (2021). Applications made with the 2020 forms will, therefore, not be processed by the Embassy