APPLICATION GUIDELINES

JAPANESE GOVERNMENT (MEXT) SCHOLARSHIP FOR 2018

(COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY STUDENTS)

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology(MEXT) offers scholarships to international
students who wish to study at Japanese college of technology of the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship
Program for 2018 as follows.

1. DEFINITION OF “COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY STUDENTS”

Those who are enrolled in a course of study or in an advanced course at a college of technology, or who are
receiving preparatory education in the Japanese language and other subjects prior to placement at the college of
technology.

2. FIELDS OF STUDY
Those who wish to study in Japan as students at a college of technology must choose a field of specialization
(major) from among (1) to (8) below.
(1) Mechanical Engineering; (2) Electrical and Electronic Engineering;
(3) Information, Communication and Network Engineering; (4) Materials Engineering; (5) Architecture;
(6) Civil Engineering; (7) Maritime Engineering; (8) Other Fields
Note 1: Applicants must select a “Field of study” and “Majors and related key terms” from the Annex
“Majors and Related Key Terms for Fields of Study” and enter them in “Preferred Field of Study
and Majors elements” 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.
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
of major from ones under “(4) Materials engineering.”
Note 3: An Applicant who wishes to “(7) Maritime engineering” must have vision of 0.5 or more in either
eye with or without glasses, and no color-blindness.
Note 4: Applicants for a major in the fields categorized as “(8) Other Fields” (International Communication,
Management Information Engineering, etc.) may have difficulties in finding colleges of technology
capable of accepting them.

3. QUALIFICATIONS AND CONDITIONS

MEXT is now accepting applications from international students for study in Japan. Our aim is to foster human
resources who will become bridges of friendship between grantee’s country and Japan through study in Japan and
who will contribute to the development of both countries and the wider world.
(1) 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. However,
persons with dual nationality who hold Japanese nationality and whose place of residence at
the time of application is outside of Japan are eligible to apply as long as they choose the
nationality of the foreign country and give up their Japanese nationality by the date of their
arrival in Japan. Applicant screening will be conducted at the Japanese Embassy/Consulate
General (hereinafter referred to as the “Japanese diplomatic mission”) in the applicant’s
country.
(2) Age: Applicants, in principle, must have been born between April 2, 1996 and April 1, 2001.
(3) Academic Background: Applicants, in principle, must have graduated from an upper secondary school (viz.
have completed 11 years of school education starting from elementary school).
(Applicants who will meet the above qualifications by March 2018 are eligible.)
(4) Japanese Language: Applicants must be willing to learn Japanese. Applicants must be interested in Japan
and be willing to deepen their understanding of Japan after arriving in Japan. In
addition, in general, applicants must be willing to receive college of technology
education 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, the selected applicants must be able to arrive in Japan between the 1st and
7th of April 2018.
(7) Visa Requirement: The applicant shall receive a “Student” visa, as stipulated in Appended Table 1(4) of the
Immigration Act, and enter Japan with the residence status of “Student.” In regards to
the visa, it should, in principle, be issued at the Japanese diplomatic mission in the
applicant’s country.
(8) Others: While the applicant is studying in Japan, he/she shall contribute to mutual understanding between
Japan and the home country by participating in activities at schools and communities with the aim
of contributing to the internationalization of Japan. The applicant shall make efforts to promote
relations between the home country and Japan by maintaining close relations with the university
attended after graduation, cooperating with the conducting of surveys and questionnaires after the
return home, and cooperating with all relevant projects and events conducted by Japanese
diplomatic missions in the applicant’s country.
(9) Any applicants who meets any or all of the following conditions is ineligible. If identified after the start of
the scholarship period, the applicant will be required to withdraw from the scholarship:
① Those who are military personnel or military civilian employees at the time of their arrival in Japan;
② Those who cannot arrive in Japan during the period designated by MEXT or the accepting college;
③ An applicant who is a previous recipient of a Japanese government scholarship;
④ Those who are currently also applying to another program (Research Students, Undergraduate Students,
Specialized Training College Students programs) under the Japanese Government (MEXT) scholarship
system;
⑤ Those who are already enrolled in a Japanese university or other institution with a residence status of
“Student,” or who are enrolled, or plan to enroll, in a Japanese university or other institution as a
privately-financed international student from the time of application to the MEXT scholarship program in
the applicant’s country until the commencement of the period of the MEXT scholarship. However, this
stipulation does not apply to those who, even though they are currently studying as a privately-financed
international student in Japan, verifiably complete their studies within the end of the fiscal year and return
to their home country;
⑥ Applicants who are expected to graduate at the time of application and cannot satisfy the qualifications
and the conditions related to academic background by the deadline given;
⑦ Those who are planning to receive scholarship money from an organization other than MEXT (including
a government organization of the applicant’s country) on top of the scholarships provided by MEXT after
the arrival in Japan;
⑧ Holders of dual nationality at the time of application who cannot verify that they will give up Japanese
nationality by the time of the arrival in Japan;
⑨ Those who change their residence status to that of other than “Student” after their arrival in Japan.

4. PERIOD OF SCHOLARSHIP
(1) The scholarship period will last for four years from April 2018 to March 2022, 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 scholarship period will be four and a half
years, lasting up to September 2022.
(2) Extension of period of scholarship
If a grantee graduates from a college of technology, is admitted for enrollment in an advanced course at a
college of technology or, in principle, a university as a junior transferee and has outstanding academic
achievement that meets certain criteria, he/she may have the period of his/her scholarship extended upon
successful examination by MEXT. 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.
5. SCHOLARSHIP BENEFITS
(1) Allowance: 117,000 yen per month. The scholarship is cancelled in principle if the recipient is absent from
the college of technology or preparatory Japanese-teaching institution for an extended period.
In case that the recipient research in a designated region, 2,000 or 3,000 yen per month will be
added. The monetary amount each year may be subject to change due to budgetary reasons. The
scholarship will be also cancelled in principle in the following situations. If the recipient has
been receiving the scholarship despite his/her falling under any of the following situations, the
recipient will be ordered to return the amount of scholarship that he/she received during the
period wherein he/she was involved with any of the following situations:
① The recipient is determined to have made a false statement on his/her application;
② The recipient violates any article of his/her pledge to MEXT;
③ The recipient violates any Japanese laws and is sentenced to imprisonment with or without
work for life or for a period of exceeding 1 year;
④ The recipient is subject to disciplinary action by the college of technology, including
expulsion(The scholarship payment may be stopped during the period up until punishment is
decided by the college, etc.);
⑤ It has been determined that it will be impossible for the recipient to complete the course
within the standard course period because of poor academic grades or suspension or leave of
absence;
⑥ The recipient’s residence status has changed to one other than “Student”;
⑦ The recipient has received a scholarship from another institution (excluding those specified
for research expenditures); or
⑧ The recipient has proceeded to a higher level of education without receiving approval for an
extension of the period of the scholarship.
(2) Tuition and Other Fees: Fees for the entrance examination, matriculation, and tuition at universities will be
paid by MEXT.
(3) Traveling costs:
① Transportation to Japan: In principle, MEXT stipulates the travel schedule and route, and provides an
economy-class airline ticket for the flight from the international airport closest
to the recipient’s residence (in principle, the country of nationality) to Narita
International Airport or to any other international airport on the normal route to
the accepting college. The grantee shall bear at his/her own expense all costs
related to domestic travel from the grantee’s residence to the nearest
international airport, airport taxes, airport usage fees, special taxes necessary
for travel, travel expenses within Japan (including airline transit costs), travel
insurance expenses, etc. The grantee shall also bear at his/her own expense
travel and lodging costs incurred in a third country if the grantee must travel to
a third country before coming to Japan for visa purposes because there are no
Japanese diplomatic missions in his/her country. In principle, MEXT will not
provide the airline ticket in cases when the grantee arrives in Japan from a
country other than the country of nationality because the grantee had moved to
the country before the arrival in Japan.
 ② Transportation from Japan: Grantees shall graduate the college of technology and return to the home
country by the end of the final month of the period of scholarship (Section 4
above) designated by MEXT. Based on the Application by the grantee,
MEXT, in principle, shall provide an economy-class airline ticket from
Narita International Airport or the international airport used for the normal
route to and from the accepting college to the international airport (in
principle, in the country of nationality) nearest to the returning recipient’s
residence. The grantee shall bear at his/her own expense all costs related to
travel from the grantee’s residence to the nearest international airport,
airport taxes, airport usage fees, special taxes necessary for travel, travel
expenses within the country of nationality (including airline transit costs),
travel insurance expenses, etc.
Note 1: Should the grantee return to the home country before the end of the period of scholarship due to
personal circumstances, or reasons (1) ①~⑧ above, MEXT will not pay for the return travel
expenses.
Note 2: If a grantee continues to stay in Japan after the scholarship period has ended, he/she will not be paid
travel expenses to return to the home country for a temporary return.

6. SELECTION AND NOTIFICATION

(1) The Japanese diplomatic mission in those countries will conduct First Screening of applicants by means of
submitted application documents, interviews and academic examinations.
[Examination subjects]
① All applicants wishing to study “(4) Materials engineering” must sit for examinations in Japanese, English,
mathematics, and chemistry.
② All applicants wishing to study in fields other than “(4) Materials engineering” must sit for examinations
in Japanese, English, mathematics, and physics.
③ Calculators and other devices may not be used during the written examinations.
(2) The date and time of the notification of the results of the First Screening will be specified separately by the
Japanese diplomatic mission in the applicant’s country; the reasons for the results of the screening will not
be announced. Those who pass the First Screening will not necessarily be selected as recipients of the
MEXT Scholarship.
(3) Applicants who have been selected through this First Screening will be recommended to MEXT. MEXT will
then conduct the Second Screening of the recommended applicants and decide the scholarship grantees.
MEXT may select candidates from each field of study.
(4) Applicants will be informed of the results of the Second Screening by the Japanese diplomatic mission in the
applicant’s country by January of the year of arrival in Japan.

7. PREPARATORY EDUCATION PRIOR TO PLACEMENT AT COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

(1) Preparatory Education: 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 a 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.
(2) Change of Field of Study: A grantee will not be permitted to change his/her field of study.
(3) Point for consideration: A grantee will not be allowed to proceed to a college of technology if he/she is
determined to be incapable of completing the prescribed course at the preparatory
school. (The grantee will be required to return to his/her home country upon such
determination. Expenses for the return to the home country will not be paid by the
scholarship.)

8. EDUCATION AT COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

(1) Entrance into a 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.
 (2) Graduation: A college of technology operates under a five-year course requiring graduation from a junior
high school for entrance, but the grantees of this scholarship will be enrolled into a third-year
course and receive specialized education for three years prior to graduation (or three and a half
years for those who major in maritime engineering). A grantee who graduates will be awarded a
diploma and an associate degree.
(3) Language Used in Education: All classes will be given in the Japanese language.
(4) Change of Field: The same condition as stipulated in Preparatory Education 7. (2) above applies.

9. APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Applicants must submit the following documents to the Japanese diplomatic mission in the applicant’s country by
the required date. The submitted documents will not be returned.
1original

1copy
No. Documents Remarks

Please use the FY2018 application form.

① Application form ○ ○
(See 4 below.)
Academic transcripts for all school
② years of last school attended
○ ○
For applicants expecting to graduate,
Graduation certificate of last school
③ attended
○ ○ graduation certificate of school expected to
graduate from (See 5 below.)
Letter of recommendation from the
Format up to recommender; samples
④ principal or teacher of last school ○ ○
available.
attended
⑤ Health examination certificate ○ ○ Please use FY2018 health certificate form.
Only for those currently enrolled in a
⑥ Certificate of enrollment ● ●
university.

Note 1: Documents indicated by the black circle () should be submitted only by the applicant.
Note 2: These documents must be written in Japanese or English, or translations in either of these languages
should be attached.
Note 3: One original and one copy must be submitted for each document. Always write the document number,
from one to six, (refer to the numbers in the table above) in the upper right-hand corner for all the
documents.
Note 4: Please use the fiscal 2018 versions of the Application Form and the Placement Preference Form. The
applicant’s photograph to be attached to the Application Form should be of clear quality, taken within
six months of submission, and printed on paper specially for photographs. The photograph should be
4.5 x 3.5 cm., upper-body, full-faced, no hats. Please write applicant’s name and nationality on the
back of the photograph. Applicants may also paste the photograph data to the Application Form and
print out the Application Form.
Note 5: The graduation certificate and the degree certificate obtained from the last school attended may be
photocopies, provided that, the copies are attested by an authorized person of the university or other
institution.

10. NOTES
(1) The recipient is advised to learn, before departing for Japan, the Japanese language and to acquire some
information about Japanese weather, climate, customs, university education, and conditions in Japan, as well
as about the difference between the Japanese legal system and that of his/her home country.
(2) As the first installment of the scholarship payment will be made from one month to one and a half months
after the grantee’s arrival in Japan, the grantee should bring at least approximately US$2,000 with him/her to
Japan to cover immediate living expenses and other necessary expenses.
(3) Recipient must enroll in National Health Insurance (Kokumin Kenko Hoken) upon arrival in Japan.
(4) Accommodations:
① In principle, each grantee will be able to live in a dormitory during the preparatory education.
② After entering a college of technology, a grantee will be able to live in a dormitory belonging to the
college.
(5) Information regarding the MEXT Scholarship recipient (name, gender, date of birth, nationality, accepting
college/university/graduate school/undergraduate school, field of specialty, period of enrolment, career path
after completion of scholarship, contact information [address, telephone number, e-mail address]) may be
shared with other relevant government organizations for the purpose of utilization for international students
programs implemented by the Japanese Government (support during period of study in Japan, follow-up
survey, improvement of the international student system). Former recipients of MEXT Scholarships are asked
to cooperate with any possible requests from the Japanese Government for the provision of relevant
information after the recipient’s graduation in Japan.
Information regarding MEXT Scholarship recipients (excluding date of birth and contact information) may be
included in publicity materials prepared by the Japanese Government for promoting the acceptance of
international students in Japan, particularly in order to introduce former MEXT Scholarship recipients who
are playing active roles in countries around the world.
Grantees are requested to accept the handling of the personal information described above as specified in the
written oath stipulating the matters for compliance as MEXT Scholarship recipients, which must be submitted
after the applicant is accepted as a MEXT Scholarship recipient. Except in cases of special circumstances,
those granting permission for the handling of personal information will be accepted as MEXT Scholarship
recipients.
(6) The English texts attached to the Application Guideline and the Application Form are for convenience only.
English expressions do not change the Japanese content, so if there are any questions about the content of the
written text, those should be inquired at the Japanese diplomatic mission in the applicant’s country.
(7) More detailed information on this scholarship program is available at the Japanese diplomatic mission in the
applicant’s country.
(8) In addition to the regulations stipulated in this guideline, those that are necessary to implement the Japanese
Government Scholarship are determined by the Japanese government.