Monbukagakusho Scholarship Students
Monbukagakusho Scholarship Students
The information on this page is intended for prospective international students who are currently overseas and who wish to attend Kyoto University on a Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho:MEXT) Scholarship.
(※For privately-financed international students who are currently studying at Kyoto University, please refer to the page on "Scholarships for Privately-Financed International Students" for information on how to apply for a Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho:MEXT) Scholarship via the Domestic Selection process, and for information on other scholarships.
Outline of Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho: MEXT) Scholarship
There are seven categories of Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho: MEXT) Scholarships funded by The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology: 1) research students (graduate degree students & research (non-degree) students), 2) teacher training students, 3) undergraduate students, 4) Japanese studies students, 5) college of technology students, 6) professional training college students, 7) young leaders program (YLP) students.
Kyoto University accepts international students in the following categories:
| Research students | Undergraduate students | Japanese studies students |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate degree students, Research (non-degree) students | Undergraduate degree students | Japanese studies (non-degree) students at the International Center |
Application Procedures for Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho: MEXT) Scholarship (Overseas Selection)
Applicants may apply through the Overseas Selection Process in either one of two ways:
1) through the appropriate Japanese diplomatic mission overseas (Embassy Recommendation), or
2) through a Japanese university (University Recommendation)
※Domestic Selection is available only to privately-financed international students currently studying at a university in Japan. Applications may only be submitted after entering Kyoto University.
1) Embassy Recommendation
Recruitment and preliminary selection for Embassy Recommendation are conducted by the Japanese diplomatic missions in the applicant's home country. For further information, please direct your inquiries to the nearest Japanese diplomatic mission in your country.
※ Important Notice regarding Applications for Embassy Recommendations
Applicants were previously required to submit a “Letter of Acceptance” at the time of their application (or during the preliminary selection) for an Embassy Recommendation. Please be notified that, beginning in 2006, only those applicants who have passed the preliminary selection by the Japanese embassy will be qualified to contact prospective advisors for a “Letter of Acceptance.”
2) University Recommendation
For University Recommendations, Kyoto University screens the applications of students whose institutions have a student exchange agreement with Kyoto University and selects candidates to recommend to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) as research students. Please ask the international office of your home institution for detailed information.
Application Period, Eligibility, and Benefits
| Categories | Research students | Undergraduate students（*2） | Japanese studies students(*3) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Methods | Overseas Selection | Overseas Selection | Overseas Selection | ||
| Embassy Recommendation | University Recommendation | Embassy Recommendation | Embassy Recommendation | University Recommendation | |
| Application Period | Around March | Around January（*1） | Around March | Around December | Around January（*1） |
| Selection Methods | written test, interview, etc. | Screening of applicant's documents | |||
| Eligibility | Those who have graduated from a university undergraduate or higher program, or those who expect to graduate | Those who have completed secondary schools or the equivalent, or those who expect to graduate | Those who are enrolled at the undergraduate level in an overseas university at the time of their arrival in Japan and who will return to their home institutions upon completion of the Japanese Studies Students program (Advanced Japanese language proficiency is required.) | ||
| Age (at time of acceptance) | under 35 | over 17 and under 22 | over 18 and under 30 | ||
| Duration | ・For an applicant who expects to be enrolled as a research (non-degree) student: within 2 years including the Japanese language education period (the allotted Japanese language education period is 6 months, but those who have sufficient Japanese language proficiency may enter graduate schools directly)(*4) ・For an applicant who expects to be enrolled in a degree program (Master's, professional, or Doctoral): until completion of the same program (but not to exceed the usual number of years required for completion) | ・For an applicant who expects to be enrolled as a research (non-degree) student: within 18 months ・For an applicant who expects to expects to be enrolled in a degree program (Master's, professional, or Doctoral): until completion of the same program (but not to exceed the usual number of years required for completion) | 5 years including the Japanese language education period (the allotted Japanese language education period is one year)（*2） | one year | |
| Monthly Stipend | Research (non-degree) students 150,000 JPY Master's students 152,000 JPY Doctoral students 153,000 JPY | 123,000 JPY | 123,000 JPY | ||
| Students who study in certain designated regions will be provided an additional monthly stipend of 2,000 JPY or 3,000 JPY | |||||
| Tuition | Fees exempted | ||||
| Traveling Cost | one round-trip ticket provided | ||||
（As of April, 2011）
（*1） indicates the application period for applying to Kyoto University.
（*2） Undergraduate Students of Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho: MEXT) Scholarship are not accepted by the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences (6-year program) and Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University.
（*3） For details on the Japanese Studies Students program offered by Kyoto University, please refer to the page on "Japanese Studies Students Program" (Japanese only).
（*4） For details on the preliminary Japanese language education for MEXT research students and teacher training students who will proceed to graduate level research in Kyoto or Shiga regions, please refer to the page on "Intensive Japanese Language Course for Monbukagakusho Scholarship Students."
