Research Student Scholarship

2025/4/15
This scholarship offers applicants the opportunity to spend at least 18 or 24 months conducting independent research under a Japanese professor. Any field of study is eligible for the scholarship, but applicants must find a Japanese professor willing to supervise their research.
 
Applicants are advised to check the websites of Japanese universities to look for professors under their desired field of study. However, this does not guarantee that the applicant will be placed with that professor. Applicants are allowed to contact the professors directly when they pass the first selection.

Applications for this category are currently OPEN.

NOTE: Please read and follow the instructions carefully.
Your ability to follow the guidelines and instructions is the first step of the screening process.
 
1. Before applying for this scholarship, please ensure that you will be able to complete any pending obligations (e.g., return service) towards your employer, educational institution, or other relevant institutions before April 2026.
 
2. All submitted documents WILL NOT BE RETURNED. Should you foresee the necessity of keeping a copy of the requirements for your own purpose, it should be done BEFORE submission of documents. To signify that you accept and agree to this rule, please include the Agreement on Document Submission when you send your application. Applications which do not have this agreement will not be assessed during the document screening.
 
3. For the set of original documents, only originals or certified true copies of the Academic Transcript of Records and Certificates of graduation of school/university may be submitted. Notarized documents will also be accepted. Please ensure that information on certified documents can be clearly read. Furthermore, if the document is in a language other than English or Japanese, please provide a translation from the school/university.
 
4. CERTIFICATE OF HEALTH - The medical check-up may be undertaken in ANY hospital or health institution, as long as the prescribed form is used . Please ask the doctor to completely fill in all the required data, including their name and the complete address of the medical institution. Having incomplete data may affect your scholarship application. As much as possible, please ask the doctor to sign the form with their wet signature.
 
5. CERTIFICATE OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY – All applicants must submit a document attesting to their proficiency in the English language. Apart from certificates of reputable English proficiency tests (e.g., TOEIC, TOEFL, IELTS), a certificate indicating “English is the medium of instruction” issued by the school or university most recently attended by the applicant is also acceptable.
 
6. CERTIFICATE OF JAPANESE LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY – Certificates and scores from Japanese proficiency exams such as the JLPT, JFT-Basic, Japanese NAT-TEST, and other similar exams are acceptable for this requirement. Certificates of completion of Japanese language courses will not be accepted.

7. RECOMMENDATION LETTER – Letters with the wet signature of the recommender are most appreciated. If it is not possible for the recommender to physically sign the letter, the applicant may submit a notarized copy of the recommendation letter with an e-signature. Alternatively, the email thread indicating the request for the recommendation letter and the recommender’s response can also be included with the actual letter. Physically signed letters must be placed in sealed letter envelopes.
 
8. Please follow the number of copies for each document stated in the guidelines. For example, if the list asks for 1 original and 1 copy and the applicant is unable to give the original, 2 copies (1 certified true copy and 1 photocopy) of the document must be submitted. Only those with complete application documents will be assessed for the document screening.
 
9. Number the documents in the right upper corner according to their number on the list and remove all staple wires from documents. As much as possible, place all your documents in a single envelope or folder arranged according to the list. For easier checking of documents, please use paper clips or binder clips to divide documents per set. (One set consists of one original or copy of all documents listed in the guidelines. Separate the originals and the copies and arrange by number.)
 
10. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted to take the exams and interview. In accordance with MEXT regulations, candidates will be instructed to take the exam and interview in person at the Japanese Embassy in Pasay City. However, this may be subject to change.
 
11. Due to the huge volume of applications received every year, we are unable to confirm receipt of documents from each applicant. Please check with your courier service provider on how you can verify delivery/receipt of your documents. Inquiries on application status will not be entertained.
 
12. Please mail or hand-deliver your application package to the following address on or before the indicated deadline date below. Late applications WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
 
Attn: MEXT Scholarship Program (RESEARCH CATEGORY)
Japan Information and Culture Center
Embassy of Japan
2627 Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City 1300
 
In case the courier service asks for a specific point of contact, please show them this specific instruction. The Embassy is able to receive packages as long as the address is written correctly, like the one shown above.
 
For documents to be hand-delivered or sent using a same-day courier service, please proceed to the back entrance at Lancaster St. (accessible via F.B. Harrison St. only). The JICC will receive documents only on weekdays (except holidays) from 8:30am to 12:30pm, and 1:30pm to 4:45pm. The Embassy reserves the right to decline documents that arrive beyond the stated deadline and timeframe.

For documents to be sent using a later-date courier service (e.g. LBC, JR Express), the JICC will accept documents that were marked as sent on or before May 23, 2025. 
 
 
Deadline May 23, 2025 (Friday)
Exam and Interview Date TBA
Qualifications ●Applicants must have been born on or after April 2, 1991.
●Applicants must be university or college graduates.
●Applicants must intend to continue a course of study previously begun, i.e. shall not begin study in a field new to the applicant.
●After passing the first selection process, applicants must gain a “Letter of Provisional Acceptance” from a Japanese professor who is willing to supervise the study of the applicant.
● If the host university deems it necessary, the applicants may learn and receive instruction in the Japanese language.


Disclaimer: The application process for the 2026 Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho) Scholarship Program is subject to change under unavoidable circumstances.

Application Documents

*For PDF forms that can be filled in electronically, it is highly appreciated if you accomplish the form using an internet browser or PDF reader.

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