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1 Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho: MEXT) Scholarship Application Guideline (University Recommendation 2015) NOTE: It is a shorter, translated version of the Japanese original application guideline made for your reference. If there is any conflict between this version and the Japanese version, the original Japanese version will prevail. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) offers scholarships to international students who wish to study at Japanese universities as research students under the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program (University Recommendation) for 2015 as stipulated below. 1. QUALIFICATIONS (1) Applicants: The applicant must be an international student of graduate level who is newly coming to Japan, and must have a minimum GPA 2.3 or higher and be expected to maintain the equivalent level during the scholarship period. (2)Nationality: The applicant must hold the nationality of a country which has diplomatic relations with the Japanese government. An applicant who holds Japanese nationality at the time of application is not eligible. (3) Age: The applicant must have been born on or after April 2, (4) Academic Background: The applicant must be a graduate from a Japanese university or have academic ability equal or superior to that of a Japanese university graduate. A person will be deemed to have academic ability equal or superior to that of a university graduate, if he/she [1] has completed or will complete a 16-year school curriculum in a foreign country; or

2 [2] is or will be aged 22 or older and has taken an individual entrance qualification examination and has been judged by a graduate school as being equal or superior in academic ability to a university graduate. Note: Eligible applicants include those who otherwise satisfy or will satisfy qualification requirements for admission to a Japanese graduate school. (5) Major Field of Study: The applicant should apply for the field of study he/she studied at the previous university or any related field. The applicant must choose a field on which he/she can receive education and perform research at the university of his/her choice. (6) Japanese Language: In the research fields in which Japanese language ability is necessary (Japanese linguistics, Japanese literature, Japanese history, Japanese law, etc), the applicant who has insufficient Japanese language ability to pursue his/her research will not be accepted except under very special circumstances. (7) Health: The applicant must be physically and mentally healthy enough to pursue his/her study at university. (8) Arrival in Japan: The applicant must be able to leave for and arrive in Japan within two weeks of the date set by the receiving university for the beginning of the semester (in principle, in September or October, not April). (9) Visa Requirement: If selected, the applicant must obtain a College Student (ryūgaku) visa from the Japanese diplomatic mission in the country of his/her nationality, in principle, prior to their arrival in Japan. The applicant who is already in Japan under a visa other than the College Student visa for some special reasons is required to change it to the College Student visa by the end of the month preceding the start of the scholarship. (The applicant who comes to Japan with a visa or a resident status other than that of College Student

3 will not qualify for the Japanese government scholarship. Also, the applicant who changes his/her resident status to any status other than College Student after entering Japan will immediately lose the status as a Japanese government scholarship student.) (10) Other: Any applicant who meets any of the following conditions is not eligible. The applicant will be required to withdraw from the scholarship if the non-eligibility is identified after the start of the scholarship period. [1] If the applicant is an active member of the military or a civilian employed by the military at the time the scholarship period is due to begin. [2] If the applicant is unable to travel to Japan within the dates set by the receiving university [3] If the applicant was a grantee of a Japanese government scholarship in the past three years. This will not apply to a research-student applicant, who (i) was an international student in Japan received training in Japanese studies at a university but graduated from his/her home university, who (ii) was an international student in Japan under the Japan-Korea Joint Government Scholarship Program for the Students in Science and Engineering Departments or who (iii) was an international student in Japan under the Young Leaders Program. [4] If the applicant is currently enrolled in a Japanese university under the College Student visa, or is planning to be enrolled in a Japanese university during the period between the application and the receipt of the initial payment of scholarship, except in those cases where it is certain that the applicant will temporarily return to his/her own country prior to the receipt of the initial payment of the scholarship. [5] If the applicant has applied for the MEXT scholarship through more than one university or applied simultaneously for any other scholarships offered by the Japanese government (MEXT) or Japan Student Service Organization (JASSO). [6] If the applicant is currently a student and is unable to fulfill the requisite academic qualification for graduation by the designated date. [7] If the applicant has dual nationality at the time of application and cannot demonstrate that he/she has abandoned the Japanese nationality.. [8] If the applicant wishes to participate in any internships and fieldworks

4 outside of Japan (since this scholarship is offered to international students who wish to enroll in and conduct research at the Japanese universities). 2. TERM OF SCHOLARSHIP The term of scholarship will differ as follows depending on the course that a grantee takes in Japan: (1) If the grantee will enroll as a research student, non-degree student, or auditor, etc. (hereinafter referred to as Research Student ) after coming to Japan, the scholarship will be payable from October 2015 through March (2) If the grantee will enroll directly in a master's or doctoral program after coming to Japan, the scholarship will be payable for a period necessary for the grantee to complete his/her regular course (standard course term). (3) If the grantee desires to proceed to a regular graduate program from a research student course, or to a doctoral program from a master s program, 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. However, the following points should be taken note of: [a] The grantee cannot have the term of his/her scholarship extended as a research student. [b] If the grantee proceeds to a higher level of education without receiving approval for an extension of the term of the scholarship, the scholarship will be cancelled. He/she may, however, proceed to a higher level of education or continue with his/her study as a privately-financed student.) [c] If the grantee fails in an entrance examination during the above mentioned designated period as a Research Student, his/her term of the scholarship cannot be extended. [d] In cases where the grantee has applied for the extension of the term of the scholarship, if the grantee decides to return his/her country within the original term of his/her scholarship despite the application, in principle, his/her return travel expense will not be covered by the scholarship.

5 [e] The grantee who proceeds to a regular graduate program from a research student program is not permitted change his/her affiliation to any other graduate school/university. 3. SCHOLARSHIP BENEFITS (1) Allowance: The fiscal 2015 budget has not been fixed yet. For reference, under the fiscal 2014 budget, each grantee was provided monthly with 143,000 yen (students enrolled in a research student course), 144,000 yen (students enrolled in a Master s program), or 145,000 yen (students enrolled in a doctoral program). An additional monthly stipend of 2,000 or 3,000 yen may be provided to those undertaking study or research in specially designated regions. The scholarship will not be paid to a grantee who takes a leave of absence or is long absent from his/her university. 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, taken by his/her university or the preparatory Japanese-teaching institution; [4] If it becomes definitive that the grantee will not be able to complete his/her course within the standard course term because of his/her poor academic achievement or suspension; [5] If he/she leaves the university or transfers to another graduate school/university; [6] 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; [7] If he/she is provided with another scholarship (except for a scholarship

6 designated for research expenses); or [8] If he/she proceeds to a higher level of education without receiving approval for an extension of the term of the scholarship. (2) Transportation to Japan: The 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 university 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). N.B. [a]as mentioned above, in cases where the grantee has applied for the extension of the term of the scholarship, if the grantee decides to return his/her country within the original term of his/her scholarship despite the application, in principle, his/her return travel expense will not be covered by the scholarship. [b]travel insurance premiums to and from Japan should be purchased by the grantee. [c]travel expenses for returning to his/her own country will not be provided if the grantee continuously stays in Japan after his/her term of scholarship has expired. [d]starting from 2014, the university can also recommend the applicants whose travel expenses to and from Japan will be covered by the university or themselves. Please refer to the Note for Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho: MEXT) Scholarship (University Recommendation 2015) (3) Transportation from Japan: The grantee who returns to his/her home country within the last-payment month of his/her scholarship 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 university where the grantee is

7 placed) to the international airport closest to his/her place of return. (4) Fees: Fees for matriculation, tuition and entrance examinations at a university will be borne by the university. 4. RECOMMENDATION PROCEDURES AND SELECTION (1) Recommendation: Each university, after screening, will recommend designated number of applicants to the Japanese Government (MEXT) as the candidates. Starting from 2014, each university is required to select more than 75% of their applicants from one of the following regions: 1. ASEAN, 2. Central Asia, 3. India and South East Asia, 4. Russia and CIS, 5. Africa, 6. Middle East, 7. South America, 8. Central and Eastern Europe and 9. United States. (2) Selection: The Selection Committee of MEXT will decide on the grantees and their term of scholarships. Based on the result of screening and selection, MEXT will notify the result to the university in April (3) Documents to be Submitted: Each applicant must submit the following documents to the university by the specified date. [1] Application Form (Original, double-side printing) [2] Field of Study and Study Program Form (Original, double-side printing) [3] Certified Academic transcripts (graduate and/or undergraduate) issued by the last university attended (Copy) [4] Certificate of Graduation (or prospective graduation) from graduate/undergraduate school attended (Copy) [5] Proof that the applicant is academically outstanding (such that the Applicant ranks top 5% or 10% in the department) (Copy) [6] Proof of nationality (such as a copy of passport) [7] Official Letter of Recommendation from a high-ranking person (such as Dean or Director, must be directed to President of the university, Original)

8 [8] Photograph (4.5*3.5cm size, taken within the past six months, upper body, full-faced, no hats. Write your name and nationality on the back and paste it onto the application form. Original, digital photographs acceptable.) [9] Abstract of thesis (Copy) [10] Documents that prove the linguistic or academic ability of the Applicant (such as the score of TOEFL, TOEIC, Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT)) (Copy)