Japan Offers Scholarships To Indian Students Pursuing Research, Check Details

The Government of Japan has invited applications from Indian students pursuing research for scholarships under the MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology) scholarship programme.

The scholarships are offered for the academic year 2025, with the application submission deadline set for May 3, 2024.

Scholarship Benefits:

Allowance: 

The scholarship will be paid depending on the course enrolled in. 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. Due to the situation of the Japanese Government's budget, the amount of payment may be subject to change each fiscal year. If a grantee is absent from the university for an extended period, the scholarship shall be suspended for that period.

• Students receiving preparatory education and non-regular students: 143,000 yen (approx Rs 77,358) per month.
• Regular students enrolled in master's or professional degree courses: 144,000 yen (approx Rs 77,902) per month.
• Regular students enrolled in doctoral courses: 145,000 yen (approx Rs 78,441) per month.

Education Fees: 

Fees for entrance examinations, matriculation, and tuition at universities will be paid by MEXT. However, the entrance examination fee will be borne by the grantees if they cannot proceed to the master's course.

Application Guidelines:

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) of Japan offers scholarships to international students interested in pursuing graduate studies at Japanese universities as Research Students, either as regular or non-regular students, under the MEXT scholarship programme.

Applicants must be enrolled in a master's course, a doctoral course, or a professional graduate course at a graduate school, or must be conducting research in a specialized field at an undergraduate department, graduate school, or institute attached to a university, etc., to complete the course, or must be receiving preparatory education in the Japanese language and other subjects before placement at the university, etc. (Excluding Young Leaders' Program Students or Teacher Training Students.)

Detailed information about the Japanese Government Scholarships for Research Students for 2025 can be found here.

Fields Of Study:

Applicants must apply for the field of study they majored in at university or its related field. Additionally, the fields of study must be subjects that applicants will be able to study and research in graduate courses at Japanese universities. The fields of study may be restricted to particular fields by the Japanese Embassy or Consulate (hereinafter referred to as "Japanese diplomatic mission") in the applicant's country.

Traditional entertainment arts such as Kabuki and classical Japanese dances, or subjects that require practical training in specific technologies or techniques at factories or companies, are not included in the fields of study under this scholarship program.

A student who studies medicine, dentistry, or welfare science will not be allowed to engage in clinical training such as medical care and operative surgery until he/she obtains a relevant license from the Minister of Health, Labor, and Welfare under applicable Japanese laws.

Age Limit:

Applicants must have been born on or after April 2, 1990. 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.). Personal circumstances (financial situation, family circumstances, state of health, circumstances related to the applicant's university or place of employment, etc.) will not be considered for exceptions.

Academic Background:

Applicants must satisfy any one of the following conditions for admission to either a master's or doctoral course at a Japanese graduate school in which they wish to first enroll. (Applicants who will certainly satisfy any of the following conditions by the time of enrollment are eligible.)

Master's course / Doctoral course:

Applicants who have completed 16 years of school education in countries other than Japan.

Applicants who have completed a program with the standard study period of three years or more at universities or equivalent educational institutions in countries other than Japan and received a degree equivalent to a bachelor's degree.

Other than the above conditions, applicants are eligible for enrollment in a master's course / doctoral course (first phase) at a Japanese graduate school.

Doctoral Course:

Applicants who have been awarded an overseas degree equivalent to a master's degree or professional degree.

Applicants who have graduated from universities and have been involved in research study at universities or research centres (including overseas universities and research centres) for two years or more and recognised.

Period Of Scholarship:

Non-regular students:

• Grantees who arrive in Japan during the April term: The scholarship period will last from April 2025 until the end of March 2027.
• Grantees who arrive in Japan during the October term: The scholarship period will last from September or October 2025 until the end of March 2027.
• In either case, the first six-month period of the scholarship will be a term of preparatory education of the Japanese language (hereinafter referred to as "the preparatory education") for those who require such education.
• In cases of arrival in Japan in other months than those specified above, MEXT will decide the period of scholarship separately.