Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarships for Research Students 2025

First Screening:

• The first screening of applicants will be conducted by Japanese diplomatic missions through examination of submitted application documents, written examinations of language proficiency, and interviews.
• The written examinations will assess proficiency in both Japanese and English. These examinations are mandatory for all applicants. The results of the Japanese language exam will be used to determine appropriate preparatory education after the grantee's arrival in Japan. Additionally, the English proficiency test may be waived for applicants from countries where English is an official language. Applicants are advised to follow the guidance provided by their home country's overseas diplomatic establishment.
• The date and time for notification of the first screening results will be announced separately by Japanese diplomatic missions in the applicant's country.
• The reasons for the results will not be disclosed. Passing the first screening does not guarantee selection as a MEXT Scholarship grantee. The results will be used as a reference for the second screening and university placement.

Second Screening:

• MEXT conducts the second screening based on the results of the first screening, which is overseen by the Japanese embassy or consulate in the applicant's country. Applicants are selected as MEXT scholarship students once their placement at a university is confirmed.
• Applications may be rejected due to proliferation concerns, including those related to weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and related items.

University Placement:

• Successful applicants are generally placed at the university that issued them a provisional acceptance letter.
• MEXT will consult with the three universities listed on the applicant's placement preference application form. The applicant will be placed at the university that approves their admission after these consultations.
• If an applicant's preferences include both national and private or non-national public universities, the Japanese government's budget may prioritize placement at a national university, regardless of the applicant's ranking on the placement preference application form. 
• If the university judges based on the results of the written language exam taken during the first screening, that an applicant's Japanese language proficiency is not sufficient to understand lectures and research guidance, including those for experiments and practical training, the applicant will be placed in a six-month Japanese-language preparatory course at an institution designated by the university or MEXT upon arrival in Japan. Upon completion of the course, the grantee will enter the university for advanced education.
• Applicants deemed to have sufficient proficiency for research by the accepting university may be directly admitted as regular or non-regular students.
• The Japanese diplomatic mission will notify applicants of the final selection results and their assigned university between January and February 2025. The selection rationale will not be disclosed, and objections to university placement cannot be accepted.

• Applications received after the specified date and time will be automatically rejected.
• No supporting documents are required for the preliminary application stage.
• If shortlisted after the preliminary screening, applicants will be notified and instructed to submit the application form along with the required supporting documents as detailed in the guidelines.
• Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Japanese Government reserves the right to modify or cancel the arrival date, scholarship award, and application guidelines outlined here. This right applies at any time, before or after the announcement of final selection results.
• Unforeseen circumstances are events beyond the reasonable control of MEXT or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs including Japanese embassies and consulates general. This includes but is not limited to acts of God, government actions including local governments, hereafter referred to as "government", actions by government authorities such as travel or immigration restrictions due to infectious diseases imposed by Japan or other countries; compliance with laws, regulations, or orders, fires, floods, torrential rain, earthquakes, acts of war (declared or undeclared), riots, revolutions, strikes, or lockouts.
• Scholarship payments will be transferred to each grantee's Japan Post Bank (JP Bank) account opened after arrival in Japan. MEXT cannot transfer funds to other accounts.
•  To cover immediate living expenses, grantees are advised to bring approximately US$2,000, as the first scholarship instalment arrives one to one and a half months after arriving in Japan. 
• Grantees who test positive for infectious diseases, including tuberculosis during the mandatory medical exam must undergo treatment and be fully recovered before arrival in Japan.
• Upon arrival in Japan, grantees are required to enroll in the National Health Insurance (Kokumin Kenko Hoken).
• While not mandatory, it is highly recommended for grantees to acquire an Individual Number Card (My Number Card) upon arrival in Japan. This card simplifies various administrative procedures in the country.

Note:- For detailed information, kindly refer to the 'Scholarship Detail Document'.