MEXT Scholarships for Specialized Training College Program, 2022-2023

Applications are opened for the Japanese Government MEXT Scholarships for Specialized Training College. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan offers scholarships to international students who wish to study at Japanese specialized training colleges under the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarships Program.

The program is available for candidates enrolled in a post-secondary course at a specialized training college. Each grantee will be enrolled at a preparatory educational institution designated by MEXT for the first year of the scholarship period. The preparatory course is a one-year intensive course in the Japanese language, Japanese affairs, and other subjects necessary for preparation for proceeding to a specialized training college.

Applicants wishing to apply for an Undergraduate or a Bachelor’s degree program should click on the following link: MEXT scholarship program for undergraduate’s studies. Applicants wishing to apply for a Research, Master’s or PhD degree program should click on the following link: MEXT scholarship program for graduate studies.

Program Details

• Host institutions: specialized training college in Japan.
• Fields of study: Technology, Personal Care and Nutrition, Education and Welfare, Business, Fashion and Home Economics, Culture and General Education.
• Number of awards: Not specified.
• Duration: The Scholarship period will last for three years from April 2023 to March 2026, including one-year
  preparatory education.
• Eligible countries: Open to nationals of countries that have diplomatic relation with Japan.

MEXT Scholarships for Specialized Training College Benefits

Selected candidates for the Specialized Training College will enjoy the following benefits:

1. Allowance: 117,000 yen per month. A supplemental regional allowance of 2,000 yen or 3,000 yen per month will be added to the monthly scholarship amount for the grantees studying or conducting research in specially designated regions.
2. Education fees: Fees for the entrance examination, matriculation, and tuition at specialized training colleges and preparatory educational institutions will be paid by MEXT.
3. Transportation: MEXT will provide round trip economy-class flight ticket to and from Japan.

MEXT Scholarships for Specialized Training College Eligibility

To apply for the MEXT (MONBUKAGAKUSHO) scholarship, candidates must satisfy the following criteria:

1. Nationality: Applicants must have the nationality of a country that has diplomatic relations with Japan. However, persons with dual nationality who hold Japanese nationality and whose place of residence at the time of application is outside of Japan are eligible to apply as long as they choose the nationality of the other country and renounce their Japanese nationality by the date of their arrival in Japan.
2. Age: Applicants, in principle, must have been born on or after April 2, 1998. Exceptions are limited to cases in which MEXT deems that the applicant could not apply within the eligible age limit due to the situation or circumstances of the applicant’s country (military service obligation, loss of educational opportunities due to disturbances of war, etc.)
3. Academic Background: Applicants must satisfy any one of the following conditions
   1. Applicants who have completed 12 years of schooling in countries other than Japan. (Applicants who will meet these conditions by March 2023 are eligible.)
   2. Applicants who have completed studies at a school equivalent to a Japanese upper secondary school in countries other than Japan (Applicants who will meet these conditions by March 2023 are eligible.).
   3. Applicants who have successfully passed an academic qualification examination that is equivalent to the completion of 12 years of schooling in countries other than Japan.
   4. Other than the above ①, ② and ③ conditions, applicants who are eligible for enrollment in a post-secondary course at a specialized training college at the time of application.
4. Japanese Language: Applicants must be willing to learn Japanese.

Similar opportunities

1. Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program in the USA;
2. Heinrich Böll Foundation scholarships in Germany;
3. Schwarzman Scholars program at Tsinghua University.

How to Apply for the MEXT Scholarships for Specialized Training College

To apply for this government scholarship program, candidates must submit required documents to the Japanese diplomatic mission in their country by the designated deadline. Please confirm application period and requirements with the Japanese embassy or consulate in your country.

Required Documents

1. Application Form
2. Academic transcript(s) for all school years of last school/university attended (If the applicant has not yet graduated, submit a certificate of prospective graduation from the university)
3. Certificate(s) of graduation of school/university attended (If the applicant has not yet graduated, submit a certificate of prospective graduation from the school/university)
4. Recommendation letter from the president/dean or the academic advisor at the current or last university attended
5. Medical certificate
6. Certificate of enrollment (Only for those currently enrolled in a university)
7. Certificate of university enrollment qualification examination (Only for those who passed the university enrollment qualification exams
8. Certificate of language proficiency (Only in case the applicant has documents attesting to competency in Japanese or English; submit 2 copies)

Documents must be written in Japanese or English, or translation in either of these languages should be attached. The applicants must submit two application packets: one is a complete set of original documents and the other is a complete set of their copies. Write the document number from ① to ⑧ in the upper right-hand corner of the first page for all the documents.

The deadline to submit applications varies by Japanese diplomatic mission. Make sure to confirm the deadline at the website of the Japanese diplomatic mission in the country of your nationality or in some other ways.

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