Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho: MEXT) Scholarships

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of the Government of Japan offers scholarships to foreign students who wish to study at Japanese universities.

To date, some 79,000 students from approximately 160 countries and regions around the world have studied in Japan under the Japanese Government MEXT Scholarship program established in 1954. As of May 1, 2009, there were 10,168 foreign students studying in Japan as Japanese government scholarship students.

Warning: In some countries there are fradulent organisations that offer to help students apply for these Japanese Government scholarships in return for a deposit. The only ways to apply for a Japanese Government scholarships are through the Embassy of Japan in your home country, or through a participating Japanese university. You will not be asked to pay a deposit to apply for the scholarships.

Scholarships offered to New Zealand citizens in New Zealand
  1. Research (Graduate) Students - Now Open!
  2. Undergraduate Students - Now Open!
  3. Japanese Studies Students

Further Information

 

Presentations and Careers Expos

Presentations in Wellington:

  • Thursday, 2 May 2013, 12:00pm-1:00pm
    Murphy MYLT 220, Kelburn Campus, Victoria University of Wellington

Careers Expo in Wellington:

  • Thursday, 17 May 2011 – 11:00am-2:00pm
    Victoria University Campus Careers Expo
    Alan MacDiarmid Building, Kelburn Campus, Victoria University

 

Research (Graduate) Students

Applications for the 2014 scholarship are now open!

This scholarship is open to students from New Zealand to undertake research or a graduate degree in Japan.

Applicants must be New Zealand or Samoan citizens and must be 34 years of age or younger as of 1 April 2014. Applicants must have either an undergraduate degree, or the same or a higher level of academic ability as that of a university or college graduate. The term of scholarship is either 18 months or two years (including 6 months of Japanese language studies), however, the scholarship may be extended to complete a Master's or Doctor's degree. The area of study must be the same field that the applicant has studied or a related field.

Samoan citizens may now choose to sit the scholarship examination and have their interview in either Auckland, New Zealand instead of Apia, Samoa.

Application Forms and Guidelines

Application forms may be downloaded from the Study in Japan website below.  Please be sure to use only the correct 2014 Research Scholarship application forms.

2014 Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship - Research (Graduate) Student Application Forms and Guidelines

Previous Exams

Previous exam papers for the 2007 to 2010 scholarship exams are available online for reference.

Previous MEXT Scholarship Exams

Further Information

Study in Japan Comprehensive Guide

2014 Scholarship Timeline for New Zealand applicants


April Applications open
22 May Applications close. All applications must arrive by 4:00pm (NZ citizens only).
5 June Examinations held
6-13 June Interviews held
July Primary screening decision notification
January 2014 Secondary screening decision notification
February 2014 Final decision notification
April 2014 Departure for Japan for 2 year scholarship
October 2014 Departure for Japan for 18 month scholarship

 

Undergraduate Students

Applications for the 2014 scholarship are now open!

This scholarship is available to applicants who were born between 2 April 1992 and 1 April 1997, and must have completed 12 years of school education by March 2014, or have completed courses in a school comparable to a high school. Applicants must be New Zealand citizens. A five-year scholarship is offered, including the first year in Japanese language training, beginning in April 2014. For those majoring in medicine or dentistry the term of scholarship is seven years, including the first year in Japanese language training.

Application Forms and Guidelines

Application forms may be downloaded from the Study in Japan website below.  Please be sure to use only the correct 2014 Undergraduate Scholarship application forms.

2014 Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship - Undergraduate Student Application Form and Guidelines

Previous Exams

Previous exam papers for the 2007 to 2010 scholarship exams are available online for reference.

Previous MEXT Scholarship Exams

Further Information

Study in Japan Comprehensive Guide

2014 Scholarship Timeline


April Applications open
22 May Applications close. All applications must arrive by 4:00pm.
5 June Examinations held
5-13 June Interviews held
January 2014 Decision notification
April 2014 Departure for Japan

 

Japanese Studies Students

Application for the 2013 scholarships are now closed. The information below is for reference only.

This scholarship is available to those wishing to pursue an intensive course of Japanese language and introduction to Japanese studies.

Applicants must be New Zealand citizens who are between 18 and 30 years old of age at the point of application. Applicants must be enrolled as undergraduate students in faculties or schools which major in Japanese language or Japanese culture in a university outside Japan at the time when they come to Japan and must be enrolled in the home institution on completion of the scholarship and return to their home countries.

Application Forms and Guidelines

  1. Application Form [MS Word]
  2. Recommendation Form

Alternatively, identical copies of the application forms and guidelines can be downloaded from the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship website.

Previous Exams

Previous MEXT Scholarship Exams

Further Information

Study in Japan Comprehensive Guide

2013 Scholarship Timeline


February Applications open
7 March Applications close
12 March Examinations and interviews held
August Decision notification
October Departure for Japan

 

 

Contact Details

Please enquire to the office where you intend to sit examinations and be interviewed.

For further enquiries, please contact:

Japan Information & Cultural Centre
Embassy of Japan
(L18 The Majestic Centre,
100 Willis Street)
PO Box 6340
Marion Square
Wellington 6141

Tel (04) 495 8332
Email:david.heffernan@wl.mofa.go.jp

Consulate-General of Japan
Level 12, ASB Bank Centre
135 Albert Street
PO Box 3959
Auckland 1140

Tel (09) 303 4106
Email:info-cul@ac.mofa.go.jp

Consular Office of Japan
(Temporary Office)
12 Peterborough Street
Christchurch 8013
(PO Box 13-748
Christchurch 8141)

Tel: (03) 371 0222
Fax: (03) 365 3173
Email: cultural.chc@wl.mofa.go.jp

 

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