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Scholarships

Japanese Government Scholarship

Confirm details on the Japanese Government Scholarship here.

1. Embassy-Recommendation

Selection Process: Applicant >> Japanese Embassy/Consulate >> Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)

(1) Japanese embassy or consulate opens application at the request of MEXT.
Confirm the types and timing of programs open to application with the embassy/consulate in your area.
(2) Types of international students accepted at Niigata University are Research Students, Teacher Training Students, Undergraduate Students, and Japanese Studies Students.
(3) Candidates are selected by application document screening, written examination and an interview.
(4) If you are accepted and wish to attend Niigata University, you must find an academic supervisor at Niigata University and obtain permission for acceptance. (This does not apply to undergraduate students.)
(5) MEXT finalizes the selection based on the recommendation from Japanese embassies and consulates, and subject to consultation with the selection committee and prospective accepting universities.

Applicants who passed the primary selection for Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship

(i) If you are seeking acceptance as a graduate student or Research Student at Niigata University, or permission for acceptance as a Research Student, please fill out Inquiry Form. In submitting the form, upload the set of application documents submitted to the Japanese embassy/consulate (such as application form, academic transcript from the home university, recommendation from the home university, and research plan with the confirmation seal affixed by the Japanese embassy/consulate) and the certificate for passing the primary selection issued by the Japanese embassy/consulate.

(ii) Gather sufficient information on whether Niigata University offers programs/courses matching your objectives and research plan, and you can find your preferred academic supervisor. For further information about our researchers/academic staff and each graduate school, see Inquiry Form. We advise you to consider carefully to ensure that Niigata University offers what you are looking for.

2. Niigata University Recommendation

This recommendation is available only Research Students and Japanese Studies Students.

Selection Process: Applicant >> Home Country University >> Niigata University >> Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)

(1) Confirm that your university (home country) has a student exchange agreement with Niigata University.
(2) If you wish to attend Niigata University, consult with the academic supervisor at your university, and find an academic supervisor at Niigata University to obtain permission for acceptance.
(3) Procedure for recommendation by your university (home country) to Niigata University must be completed by mid-January.
(4) Niigata University will select a candidate based on application document screening, etc. and make a recommendation to MEXT.
(5) MEXT finalizes the selection based on the recommendation.

Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Students (Research Students/University Recommendation/General Section)  Application Guidelines [Excerpt/English Translation]

<Note>
The following document is an excerpt of the MEXT Scholarship application guidelines (Japanese version) published annually by MEXT. Niigata University translated and extracted essential matters for people interested in studying in Japan (for "general section" for "Research Students (university-recommended)" only.) For details on each item, please check out the MEXT application guidelines.

Applicant Qualifications and Conditions

  • Eligibility
    The scholarship is granted to graduate-level international students with outstanding academic records who have newly come to study in Japan.
    Applicants who are not currently enrolled in a degree program must have a grade point average of 2.30 or more* for their most recently attended programs. Applicants currently enrolled in a degree program must have a grade point average of 2.30 or more* in the current degree program. Both are expected to maintain the equivalent level during the scholarship period. In addition, they must meet one of the following "Language Proficiency."
    * How to calculate grade points:
    The grade points are calculated by the formula in the table below, substituting the point into the formula.

Formula:
(((Number of units with grade point 3) * 3) + ((Number of units with grade point 2) * 2) + ((Number of units with grade point 1) * 1) + ((Number of units with grade point 0) * 0)) / (Number of total registered units)

  • Age
    As a general rule, applicants must be below age 35 on April 1 of the year of enrollment.

  • Academic background and fields of study
    Applicants must satisfy the admission requirements for either master's course or doctoral course at a Japanese graduate school (this includes applicants who will certainly satisfy any of the requirements by the time of enrollment). In addition, the applicant's major in the university or any related fields of study must be available for research in the accepting graduate school.

  • Language Proficiency
    Applicants must be fluent in Japanese or English, satisfying any of the following conditions.

    ○Japanese
    1. Applicants who have passed the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) Level N2 or higher at the time of regular degree course enrollment.
    2. Applicants who have completed an educational course that meets the requirement for enrollment in a master's course or doctoral course, using Japanese as the principal language.
    3. Applicants that the accepting university can determine as possessing the Japanese language proficiency equivalent to criteria 1. or better.

    ●English
    1. Applicants who have passed the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) Level B2 or higher at the time of regular degree course enrollment.
    2. Applicants who have completed an educational course that meets the requirement for enrollment in a master's course or doctoral course, using English as the principal language.
    3. Applicants that the accepting university can determine as possessing the English language proficiency equivalent to criteria 1.or better.

    *Please note that applicants recommended to MEXT as non-degree-seeking students must meet criteria 1, 2, or 3 for Japanese or English language proficiency also at the time of recommendation. In addition, when applying to MEXT for an extension of the scholarship period as degree-seeking students, the applicants must meet criteria 1 or 2 for Japanese or English language proficiency. In this case, criteria 3 for Japanese or English language proficiency is not acceptable.

    *For both degree-seeking and non-degree-seeking students, if they are expected to graduate from or complete the course at the time of recommendation, they can be recommended as applicants meeting the language proficiency criteria 2.

  • Arrival in Japan
    In principle, applicants 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 (September or October) for that year.

Period of Scholarship

The period of scholarship depends on the course enrolled after arriving in Japan.

(1) For applicants who plan to be enrolled as research students or auditing students (hereinafter referred to as "Research Students etc. (Non-Degree-Seeking Students)",) as a general rule, the period is from October of the current fiscal year to March of the year after next, with a maximum period of one year and six months.

(2) For applicants who plan to be enrolled in the master's, doctoral, or professional graduate courses, the period will be the necessary period for completion of the necessary regular course (standard period of study). For integrated doctoral courses, the first and second years are treated as master's courses, and the third to fifth years are treated as doctoral courses when handling the scholarship period.

(3) Research Students etc. (Non-Degree-Seeking Students) wishing to advance to a regular degree course in a graduate school as a regular student, or regular students in a master's or professional graduate course wishing to proceed to a doctoral course, with outstanding academic achievement that meets certain criteria may apply for an extension of the scholarship period for advanced study (hereinafter referred to as "extension") and may have the scholarship period extended upon a successful examination by MEXT. Not everyone is granted the extension. Some points to note:

  1. The extension of the scholarship period will only be permitted if the successful students have passed an entrance examination for a regular degree course at a graduate school in which they wish to enroll.
  2. Research Students etc. (Non-Degree-Seeking Students) cannot extend the scholarship period if they stay in non-degree courses.
  3. For students admitted to advanced courses without receiving approval for the extension of the scholarship period for advanced study, MEXT will cancel the scholarship. (Even in such cases, it is possible for the students to be enrolled in advanced courses as privately financed international students.)
  4. When Research Students etc. (Non-Degree-Seeking Students) are advancing to regular graduate school courses, or when students enrolled in master's or professional degree courses are advancing to doctoral courses, such students cannot advance to graduate schools of other universities. (Even in such cases, it is possible for the students to be enrolled in advanced courses of other universities as privately financed international students.)

Scholarship Benefits

  • Allowance
    If a grantee is absent from the university for an extended period, the scholarship shall be suspended for that period.
    1. Research Students etc. (Non-Degree-Seeking Students): 143,000 yen per month
    2. Regular students enrolled in master's or professional degree courses: 144,000 yen per month
    3. Regular students enrolled in doctoral courses: 145,000 yen per month

  • Traveling expenses
    -Airfare to Japan from your home country
    -Airfare from Japan to your home country

  • Education fees
    Fees for the entrance examination, admission, and tuition at the university will be paid by the accepting university.

Notes

Special services regarding visa applications are only provided for governmental scholarship students. If students want to live with dependent family members, the grantee should call them after arriving in Japan.

3. Japanese Studies Program

(a) Course Guide

2024 Japanese Studies Program Course Guide
Japanese [609kb]

4. Teacher Training Program

(a) Course Guide

2024 Teacher Training Program Course Guide
Japanese [200kb] English [76kb]