2012 Application Guidelines for Japanese Government Scholarship- Funded International Students (Research Students) (University Recommendation)

Transcription

1 202 Application Guidelines for Japanese Government Scholarship- Funded International Students (Research Students) (University Recommendation) The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) accepts applications for government scholarship- funded international students (research students) (general admission quota, International Priority Graduate Programs [PGP] admission quota, the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development [SATREPS] conducted by the Japan Science and Technology Agency [JST] quota, designated areas admission quota) as follows:. Applicant Qualifications and Conditions () Eligibility Talented individuals who come from overseas to study in Japan as international students at the graduate school level (2) Nationality Applicant must be a citizen of a nation with which the Japanese government has diplomatic relations. However, individuals who have Japanese citizenship at the time of application are not eligible. (3) Age Applicant must have been born on or after April 2, 977. (4) Academic Background Applicant must have graduated from a Japanese university, or be deemed to possess academic abilities equal to or greater than those of a Japanese university graduate. A person will be deemed to possess academic abilities equal to or greater than those of a Japanese university graduate if the following criteria are met:. The applicant has completed or expects to complete 6 years of school education in a foreign country (or 8 years of school education if the student intends to enroll in a doctoral program in the field of medicine, dentistry, or veterinary science, or in a 6- year pharmacology program). 2. The applicant has taken (or expects to take) an individual admission qualification examination and has been judged (or expects to be judged) by a graduate school as having academic abilities equal to or greater than those of a university graduate, and is aged 22 or older (24 or older if the student intends to enroll in a doctoral program in the field of medicine, dentistry,

2 or veterinary science, or in a 6- year pharmacology program). Note: Eligible applicants include those who otherwise satisfy or will satisfy qualification requirements for admission to a Japanese graduate school. (5) Major Field of Study Applicant should apply for the same field of study pursued during their undergraduate studies, or a related field. They must choose a field in which they are able to conduct research at their university of choice. (6) Japanese Language Skills An applicant pursuing a field of research that requires a certain level of Japanese language skills (such as Japanese linguistics, Japanese literature, Japanese history, Japanese law), but who lacks the necessary language skills, will not be selected for a scholarship except under special circumstances. (7) Health Applicant must be physically and mentally healthy enough to pursue study at the university level. (8) Arrival in Japan Applicant must be able to leave for and arrive in Japan within the period set by the receiving university, which will be within two weeks before or after the beginning of the semester (generally in September or October, excluding the semester starting in April). Individuals who cannot arrive in Japan during the specified period shall have their scholarship offer revoked. Travel expenses will not be provided if the applicant chooses to travel to Japan before the specified period.). (9) Visa Requirements Students must have a Student visa at the time of arrival in Japan. Applicants who are already in Japan under a visa other than a Student visa are required to change their visa to a Student visa by the end of the month preceding the scheduled start date of the scholarship. (Applicants who arrive in Japan with any visa or residency status other than a Student visa will immediately lose their status as a Japanese government scholarship student. You should also be aware that individuals who change their visa to any type of visa other than Student while living in Japan shall also be disqualified from being a Japanese government scholarship student as of the time their visa status changes.) (0) Other

3 An applicant who meets any of the following criteria is not eligible for a scholarship. If it is determined, after the scholarship has been awarded, that the student meets one of these criteria, they shall forfeit their scholarship.. Applicant is an active member or civilian employee of the military. 2. Applicant cannot arrive in Japan within the time period specified by the receiving university. 3. Applicant was a grantee of a Japanese Government Scholarship in the past, unless the applicant has had at least three years of research or teaching experience between the completion of their last scholarship and the start of this scholarship period. This exclusion will not apply to a research- student applicant, who (a) as an international student in Japan received training in Japanese language and Japanese studies at a university but graduated from his/her home university, or who (b) was an international student in Japan under the Japan- Korea Joint Government Scholarship Program for the Students in Science and Engineering Departments. 4. Applicant is already the recipient of a scholarship from an organization (including a governmental organization in his/her country of origin) other than the Japanese government (MEXT). 5. Applicant has applied to multiple universities for this scholarship, and is applying to support systems for international students offered by both the Japanese government (MEXT) and the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) (including those who have already been accepted by support programs for international students offered by MEXT and JASSO, and who plan to remain enrolled beyond the October semester of the 202 school year). 6. Individuals who live in (or plan to live in) Japan prior to the start of the October 202 semester (including students who plan to enroll in this university as privately financed international students for the 202 school year, and plan to remain enrolled beyond the October semester). Refers to individuals who have had a grade point average of 2.30 or higher over the past two years, and who are expected to be able to maintain that level of performance during the scholarship period. 2. Term of Scholarship The term of scholarship shall differ as follows depending on the program in which the grantee is enrolled.. In a case where the grantee will enroll as a research student, non- degree student, auditor, etc. (hereinafter referred to as a Research Student ) after coming to Japan, the term of scholarship shall be one year and six months, from October 202 to March 204.

4 2. If the grantee enrolls in a master s program, doctoral program, or professional graduate program after coming to Japan, the scholarship will be payable starting in October 202 for the period necessary for the grantee to complete the regular program (standard term of study). However, in the case of a consecutive doctoral program, the first two years are considered to be the master s program and the last three years are considered to be the doctoral program for scholarship disbursement purposes. 3. If the applicant is accepted as a research student under the PGP quota, the term of scholarship is limited to the term of the course in which the student is initially enrolled, which is recognized as having the proper program format. (However, the term of scholarship may be extended through an application process if the student continues on to a doctoral program [continues into their third year of a consecutive doctoral program]. For those in a master s- only program, the term of scholarship cannot be extended if the student continues on to a doctoral program.) For individuals who need to be enrolled for a period different from the term of the course (for example, because there is a need to be enrolled prior to the course to receive appropriate educational and research instructions), MEXT shall separately determine the term of scholarship. However, it shall not establish scholarships for terms of less than one year. 4. For those accepted as research students under the SATREPS quota, the scholarship will only cover their doctoral program (or starting in the third year of a consecutive doctoral program). Those enrolled in a non- degree program are not eligible. If a grantee desires to proceed to a regular graduate program from a Research Student program, or to a doctoral program from a master s or professional graduate program (or to continue on to the third year of a consecutive doctoral program), the grantee may have the term of their scholarship extended upon successful examination by MEXT provided that they can demonstrate outstanding academic achievement that meets certain criteria. However, not all of those who meet the established criteria will necessarily be granted a scholarship extension. Also, please be aware that a scholarship extension will only be approved in cases where the student is continuing their education. When a grantee is advancing from a Research Student program to a regular graduate school program, or when from a master s or professional graduate program to a doctoral program, the grantee will not be allowed to advance their education at another graduate school. 3. Scholarship Benefits () Scholarship amount The monthly scholarship amount for the 202 school year has yet to be set, so the monthly amounts from the 20 school year are shown below, for reference. (The monthly amounts are

5 revised each year based on budgets and current prices.) Amounts for the 20 school year: 50,000 (non- degree program students), 52,000 (master s students), 53,000 (doctoral students) (Students studying or conducting research in designated regions will receive an additional 2,000 or 3,000 per month.) However, the scholarship will not be paid if a student takes a leave of absence or is absent from classes for an extended period. The scholarship will generally be revoked in the following cases: If any scholarship monies are paid to the student even though one of the following applies, the grantee may be ordered to return any amounts already received.. If any of the student s application documents are found to contain false information. 2. If the student is found to be in breach of a pledge made to the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. 3. If the student has been subject to expulsion or other disciplinary action. 4. If it becomes clear that the grantee will not be able to complete their program within the standard course term due to poor academic achievement or suspension. 5. If the student withdraws from this university or transfers to another university. 6. If the student s Student visa status, as provided for in Paragraph - 4 of Appendix to the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, changes to any other status. 7. If the student receives another scholarship (except for a scholarship designated for research expenses). 8. If the student advances to a higher level of education without receiving approval for a scholarship extension. (2) Travel Expenses. Transportation to Japan MEXT shall decide on the grantee s itinerary and route, and shall provide the grantee with an economy class airline ticket from the international airport closest to their place of residence to Narita International Airport (or other international airport ordinarily used by the receiving university). The grantee shall be responsible for the cost of getting from their place of residence to the nearest international airport, airport usage fees, airport taxes, special taxes on overseas travel, and travel expenses within Japan (the place of residence of the grantee shall in principle be the address indicated on the application form). Air travel from a country other than the grantee s country of nationality will not be covered.

6 2. Transportation from Japan A grantee who returns to their home country within the last- payment month of their scholarship will be provided, upon application, with an economy class airline ticket for a flight from Narita International Airport (or other international airport ordinarily used by the receiving university) to the international airport closest to their place of return. Note: Insurance premiums for travel to/from Japan shall be borne by the grantee. The airport the grantee departs from and returns to must be located in the grantee s country of nationality. 3. Tuition and fees University tuition fees shall be borne by the university. 4. Recommendation Process and Selection () Recommendation Each university president shall recommend particularly qualified students who require scholarship support to the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology after examining the candidate at the university level, ranking the students for each recommendation quota, and submitting the required documents using the attached forms. When making recommendations, particular attention should be paid to ensuring that there is no bias toward any particular country in the candidate selection. (When selecting candidates under the general admission quota and PGP quota, a maximum of three students should be selected from a given country, such that the ratio of candidates from a given country is less than 50% of the total candidates. If a university cannot avoid exceeding this figure as a result of the university s international strategy, please provide a statement of reasoning explaining the situation [any format].) In the case of the SATREPS quota, only those who have been screened through a preliminary examination conducted by JST may be recommended. For courses being conducted by united graduate schools under the PGP initiative, recommendations are given by the course organizing university. (2) Selection Among the individuals recommended by each university president, scholarship candidates shall be examined by the Selection Committee. Based on this examination, MEXT shall select the scholarship recipients and term of scholarship. After the scholarship grantees have been identified, each university president shall instruct the candidates to contact the Japanese embassy or consulate in their region.

7 (3) Documentation to Be Submitted (Use the List of Application Materials as a Checklist). Documents to be prepared by the university (attach to official documents) a) Japanese government scholarship- funded international student (research student) recommendation form (Form ) Original Copies One copy per recommended student b) List of recommended students (Form 2) c) Comprehensive performance assessment report based on an interview of the candidate (Form 3) d) Evaluation report (Form 4) (Only for general admission quota candidates) e) Internal recruiting and selection standards, selection system and processes (Form 5) f) Statement of reasoning (any format, only required when there is a bias in the countries represented by the recommended students) One copy per recommended student 2. Items to be obtained from the applicant and submitted by the university to MEXT Original Copies a) Application form (printed double- sided) Field of specialization and research plan b) Recommendation letter from the head of the research department (or someone of higher ranking) at the applicant s university, to be addressed to the president of the university to which the student is applying c) Photo (taken within the last six months, 4.5 cm 3.5 cm, upper body, from the front, without head wear; write the applicant s name and nationality on the back, and affix to the application form. Electronic data

8 allowed.) 3. Items to be obtained from the applicant and retained by the university Original Copies a) Certificate of the applicant's family registry or citizenship b) Transcripts from the last university attended (undergraduate or graduate), issued by the university attended (issued by the applicant s home university) c) Certificate of graduation or diploma (or expected graduation) from the last university attended (undergraduate or graduate). d) Transcripts showing that the applicant earned excellent grades at the last university attended (clearly indicating the applicant s performance at the last university attended through such measures as their GPA, letter grades for each class, or overall class ranking [Xth rank among their class of X number of students]). e) Thesis or dissertation abstract f) Materials that objectively indicate the applicant s language skills and specialized subject- matter skills (such as scores on the TOEFL, TOEIC, Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students [EJU] Japanese as Foreign Language Section, Japanese Language Proficiency Test [JLPT], or other similar test). (4) Other. These documents may be prepared in either Japanese or English, and should be consistently printed double- sided on A4 size paper using word processing software whenever possible. (Any documents prepared in other languages should be accompanied by a Japanese translation.) 2. Materials submitted shall not be returned to applicants. 3. The abstract of the graduation thesis should briefly describe the contents of the thesis. 4. If the application form is not filled out completely and accurately, or if any of the required documents are missing, the application will not be considered. Applications submitted after the specified deadline (applications must be postmarked by the specified date) shall not be accepted.

9 5. In some countries, the certificate of graduation may be issued by an administrative government office as an agent of the university, but full efforts must be made to confirm the content of the certificate, such as obtaining confirmation of the document by the student s university of origin. 6. The university shall be responsible for verifying the health status of the applicant. 7. The documents maintained by the university shall be appropriately maintained such that they may be produced upon request by MEXT. 5. Notification of Results Notification letters shall be sent to each university president in April 202 regarding students recommended under all quotas other than the PGP quota, and in June 202 for PGP quota students. MEXT will not notify individual applicants of their results. 6. Important Notes. Before international students arrive in Japan, the universities that accept those students shall ensure that they are fully aware of the term of the scholarship and other scholarship terms and conditions, and that they are aware of the required period of arrival in Japan and the details related to their entry into Japan (methods of obtaining a Student visa, for example). 2. Each university shall provide applicants with adequate information about its own academic policies and procedures. 3. There have been many cases in which students forget to complete the scholarship extension procedures when continuing their education. Each university should take adequate steps to ensure that such matters are not overlooked. 7. Other. Assistance related to the lodging and Japanese language education of students offered a scholarship through university recommendation shall be provided by the receiving university. 2. In some cases, an individual selected for a scholarship may be unable to leave their country due to the situation in that country, so universities should adequately take such situations into consideration in advance (obtaining departure permission and acquiring a passport can take quite a bit of time in countries like China, Russia, and Myanmar, so be sure to check into such issues). 3. If a university recommends a candidate who previously has been deported from Japan, and as a result has a hard time re- entering the country, be aware that their scholarship award will be revoked. 4. Requests for assistance with regard to applications for Student visas shall not be made through

10 a foreign embassy or consulate in a country other than the student s country of nationality. Thus, it is the responsibility of the university to complete any necessary procedures related to any individual who is living in a country other than their country of nationality. 8. For other details and important information regarding the application process, see the document entitled Important Information Regarding Applications.