✔Admission-Based Scholarships
Scholarships are gift funds awarded to students based on academic achievement; special talent, interests, or qualities; financial need; or other criteria defined by the scholarship donor.
Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (文部科学省 Monbu-kagaku-shō), known as MEXT offers scholarships to international students who wish to study in graduate courses at Japanese universities under the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program.
▶ Scholarship Benefits
Monthly Stipend
| Doctoral course Student | ¥145,000 |
| Master's course Student | ¥144,000 |
| Research Student | ¥143,000 |
※ The amounts are subject to change.
※ There will be a screening for obtaining the scholarship whenever changing the courses above to continue the study.
Round-Trip flight ticket between your home country and Japan
Each successful applicant will be provided with an economy class flight ticket from their home country to JAPAN. (Except Domestic flights in both home country and Japan.) ※A return air ticket will be given only after successful completion within the standard length of the enrolled course.
Fee Exemption
All fees for admission, tuition and entrance examinations at the university will be exempted. ※The tuition fee will be exempt during the minimum length of the enrolled course.
▶ Scholarship Acquisition Approaches
The Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Engineering Sciences (IGSES) at Kyushu University offers several educational programs for Doctoral and Master’s course students. There are three recommended approaches to obtain a Japanese government (MEXT) scholarship as described below:
| ●Embassy recommendation | University recommendation | ||
| ●University recommendation -No Recruitment for 2024- |
●University recommendation (IEI Program, D-a: Middle East and Africa) |
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| Responsible organization of application | Japanese embassy/consulate in each country <List of Japanese embassies> |
Kyushu University (IGSES, KU) At first, find a potential supervisor from this list | Kyushu University (IGSES, KU) At first, find a potential supervisor from this list |
| Enrolment | April 1, 2024 or October 1, 2024 |
October 1, 2022 | October 1, 2024 |
| When and to whom apply | Japanese embassies usually open the call for applicants between March and May.The deadline differs according to embassies. | Digital data should be submitted to a prospective supervisor in January, 2022. After the preliminary screening, successful applicants must post paper-based documents in early February, 2022 to IGSES, KU. | Digital data should be submitted through the website by October 31, 2023. After the preliminary screening, successful applicants must post paper-based documents in early February, 2024 to IGSES, KU. |
| Available seats | Depends on countries and regions where Japanese embassies are located | 1 or 2 applicants are selected in IGSES, KU each year. | 6 per year |
| Eligibility | ►under 35 years old as of April 1, 2024 | ►under 35 years old as of April 1, 2022 | ►under 35 years old as of April 1, 2024 ►Applicants must be nationals of countries listed in the Appendix |
| Requirements/ degree | ►Doctoral Course: Applicants must hold a master’s degree (or equivalent) from a university, or be expecting to receive a master’s degree by March 30, 2024(October 2024 enrolment: September 30, 2024). ►Master’s Course: Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) from a university, or be expecting to receive a bachelor’s degree by March 30, 2024 (October 2024 enrolment: September 30, 2024). |
►Doctoral Course: Applicants must hold a master’s degree (or equivalent) from a university, or be expecting to receive a master’s degree by September 30, 2022. Master’s Course: Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) from a university, or be expecting to receive a bachelor’s degree by September 30, 2022. |
►Doctoral Course: Applicants must hold a master’s degree (or equivalent) from a university, or be expecting to receive a master’s degree by September 30, 2024. |
| Requirements/ academic score *APC is different from GPA. |
Academic Performance Coefficient (APC) in the last 2 years must be at least 2.3 on 3.0 scale. | Academic Performance Coefficient (APC) in the last 2 years must be at least 2.3 on 3.0 scale. | Academic Performance Coefficient (APC) at the Graduate School (Master’s course) must be at least 2.3 on 3.0 scale. |
| Requirements/ English | Satisfy one of the following two ►Official English qualification: equivalent or higher than B2-CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) ► Japanese language test (JLPT): at least N2 |
Satisfy one of the following two ►Official English qualification: equivalent or higher than B2-CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) ►Japanese language test (JLPT): at least N2 |
Official English qualification: equivalent or higher than B2-CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) |
| Screening process | 1st screening Document-based screening and interview will be from May to July, 2023 in each Japanese embassy. Successful applicants of 1st screening must contact a prospective supervisor to acquire a "Letter of Provisional Acceptance" from the KU by August 25, 2023. KU will issue a "Letter of Provisional Acceptance" by late December, 2023 to successful applicants. 2nd screening All applications will be transferred to MEXT through each embassy. |
Document evaluation and at least three online interviews | Document evaluation and at least three online interviews |
| Announcement of final screening result | From Jan to Feb, 2024. The exact date of the notification depends on embassies. |
Result of screening in KU will be notified in March, 2022. Final notification by MEXT will be the end of June, 2022. | Result of screening in KU will be notified in early January, 2024. Final notification by MEXT will be the end of June, 2024. |
| Entrance exams for graduate program | After the final notification from the Japanese embassy, please contact a prospective supervisor. *Application for graduate program/research student is additionally required. | Application for graduate program/research student is additionally required. | Application for MEXT scholarship and doctoral program is unified. |
| Type of programs that successful MEXT scholarship applicants can enroll in | ► Doctoral program: IGSES doctoral program,
IEI program ► Master’s program: IGSES master program, G-30 program ► Research student *1 |
► Doctoral program: IGSES doctoral program, IEI program ► Master’s program: IGSES master program, G-30 program ► Research student *2 |
Doctoral program: IEI program |
| Contact | Japanese embassy in each country | Potential supervisor of IGSES, KU | Potential supervisor of IGSES, KU |
▶Note
►Please check each embassy’s website for the latest information for embassy-recommendation scheme. List of the websites of Japanese embassies is available here.
►Applicants must be excellent international students at a postgraduate-level living outside of Japan (except for University recommendation(IEI Program)), and able to arrive in Japan from October 2024 (Embassy recommendation: October 1, 2024) to study.
►Applicants already have the status of residence of “study abroad” at the date of arrival.
<*1>
Research Student (Embassy recommendation)
A Research Student position can be obtained via the Embassy Recommendation approach to obtain a MEXT scholarship. This is a special appointment which allows the student to conduct experimental research under the supervision of an appropriate Professor. During the time spent as a Research Student, no formal participation in other educational activities is required.
Research Students are not classified as Master's or Doctoral candidates and hence are not affiliated to any particular program or school. The maximum period a Research Student can receive a MEXT scholarship is 2 years. After each 6-month interval during this 2-year timeframe it is possible to transfer to an applicable Master's or Doctoral program depending on the entrance requirements of the program of interest. IGSES requires Research Students to re-register with the graduate school for each 6-month period. During the time employed as a Research Student, the value of the MEXT scholarship is the same as that for a Master's student.
Appointment as a Research Student is an excellent opportunity to focus on research work only and obtain publications before undertaking formal study. The only academic requirement for appointment is candidates must hold at least a Bachelor’s Degree in an appropriate subject and meet the conditions outlined by the embassy.
**These are general information. If you have any questions, please contact Japanese embassy/consulate in each country.
<*2>
Research Student (University recommendation for general program)
Successful applicants who utilize this approach are firstly enrolled into the university as “research students”. This is a special term which allows the student to conduct research under the direction of their supervisor but undertake no other educational activities. Such students are neither classified as Master's nor Doctoral candidates. This special status can last for approximately 1 and a half years after which the student should transfer to the appropriate Master's or Doctoral Program. As such this status may be regarded as a precursor position before undertaking formal study.
✔Appendix: Preferred Countries and regions for application for IEI Program funded by MEXT scholarship: Middle East and Africa
| Middle East | Africa | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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- Applicants who are nationals of countries listed in the above table will be given priority in the selection for the IEI Program funded by MEXT scholarship: Middle East and Africa.
- Nationals of the above countries, who currently reside elsewhere are also given priority.
- Nationals of the above countries, who currently reside elsewhere are also eligible. In such a case, a successful applicant is required to obtain a study VISA at the Japanese embassy located in the applicable country. In addition, airline tickets from the applicable country to Japan will be issued. Note that airline tickets from an additional non applicable country to Japan will not be provided.