Application Procedures for MEXT Scholarship Research Students

Application Procedures for Tokyo Tech-recommended Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Students Research Student Program commencing in September 2020

Admission Date: Late September 2020 (to be announced)

Number of Admitted Students: Several

Program Type(s): Research Student Program (non-degree)

Note: Students may apply for proceeding to a master's or doctoral program at Tokyo Tech

Application Period: September 12, 2019 — November 29, 2019

Tokyo Tech-recommended recipients of the Japanese Government (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology - MEXT) Scholarship will enroll in Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) as Research Students (non-degree) in September 2020.

Scholarship recipients who have demonstrated excellent academic achievement and who have passed the entrance examination for April 2022 or earlier may be eligible to enroll in Tokyo Tech's master's or doctoral programs and to extend the duration of the MEXT Scholarship under certain conditions.

Please note that applicants for the International Graduate Program (A) starting from September 2020 are not eligible to apply for this program.

The Research Student Program is a non-degree program, while the International Graduate Program (A) is a degree program for master's and doctoral students.

The qualifications stated below are based on the guidelines provided by MEXT for the previous round of recruitment. The new guidelines for the MEXT Scholarship commencing in September 2020 will be published in December 2019. Should there be any changes to the application requirements, announcement will be made through each applicant's prospective academic supervisor at Tokyo Tech.

1. Eligibility

Eligibility is limited to applicants who are not residing in Japan and who will be able to arrive in Japan prior to the enrollment period as a graduate-level student. In addition, applicants must have demonstrated excellent academic achievement with a grade point average of 2.30 (out of 3.00) or above in the last two academic years and meet certain criteria.

Finally, each applicant must have obtained either of the following items:

• An official recommendation from a university with which Tokyo Tech has a formal agreement
• An official recommendation from the president or representative (e.g. director or dean) of a university with which Tokyo Tech has established bilateral activities

2. Nationality

Applicants must have the nationality of a country that has diplomatic relations with Japan.

3. Age

In principle, applicants must have been born on or after April 2, 1985.

4. Academic Background

Applicants must have academic ability equal or superior to that of a Japanese university graduate. The applicant will be deemed to have academic ability equal or superior to that of a Japanese university graduate, if they:

1.

have successfully completed 16 years of education outside Japan

2.

have graduated from a university or college in Japan

3.

have successfully completed 3 years or more of education at a university or college outside Japan and obtained a degree equivalent to a bachelor's degree

4.

have successfully completed 15 years of education and obtained a degree equivalent to a bachelor's degree outside Japan, and are individually assessed and recognized by the relevant School at Tokyo Tech as having an outstanding academic record

5.

are from a country which does not require 16 years of education prior to completing an undergraduate-level education but satisfy both of the conditions noted below, and is individually assessed and recognized by the relevant School at Tokyo Tech as having academic ability equivalent to or higher than that of graduates of a Japanese university

(a)

Persons who have spent at least one year as a research student or research fellow at a university or research institution in or outside Japan after successfully obtaining a bachelor's degree

(b)

Persons who are at least 22 years old by the day before the admission date

Note: Eligible applicants include those who otherwise satisfy or will satisfy qualification requirements for admission to a Japanese graduate school.

5. Field of Study

Applicants should apply for the field they studied at the previous university or its related field.

6. English or Japanese Proficiency

Applicants must be proficient in the English or Japanese language and meet one of the following conditions:

(1)

Have obtained an English language proficiency test score that is equivalent to CEFR level B2 or higher or have passed N2 or N1 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) on or after November 29, 2017

(2)

Have been awarded or expect to be awarded by the time of Tokyo Tech enrollment an undergraduate or graduate degree from an institution where all instruction was in English or Japanese

(3)

Possess a level of proficiency in either English or Japanese equivalent to that stated in (1) and be able to provide supporting evidence

7. Health

Applicants must be physically and mentally able to pursue studies at Tokyo Tech.

8. Arrival in Japan

Applicants must be able to leave for and arrive in Japan within two weeks before the date of the beginning of the third quarter in September 2020.

9. Visa Requirement

Before arriving in Japan, those selected to receive the MEXT Scholarship must acquire Student visas. Please also note that those who change their visa status to a status other than Student after arrival in Japan will lose their status as Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship recipients as of the date their visa status changes.

Note: It is not guaranteed that those who change their visa status from Permanent Resident or Long-term Resident to Student will be able to revert to their former status after finishing their period as MEXT Scholarship Students.

10. Ineligibility

Applicants who meet any of the following conditions are not eligible, and if identified after the start of the scholarship period, they will be required to withdraw from the scholarship:

1.

Those who are military personnel or military civilian employees at the time of their arrival in Japan or during the scholarship period

2.

Those who are not able to arrive in Japan during the period designated by the Japanese Government (MEXT) and Tokyo Tech

3.

Those who previously received a Japanese government scholarship. This condition does not apply to: those who have educational or work experience for more than three years between the following month of the conclusion of the previous scholarship and the month of the first disbursement of this scholarship; past grantees of Japanese Studies Students Program, Japan-Korea Joint Government Scholarship Program for the Students in Science and Engineering Departments, and the Young Leaders' Program

Note: Monbukagakusho Honors Scholarship for Privately-Financed International Students is not included in Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarships.

4.

Those who apply for this scholarship through other universities or apply for other scholarships from MEXT that overlap with this scholarship

5.

Those who are already, or going to be, enrolled in a university or institution in Japan with a visa status of Student as a privately-financed international student before the scholarship period starts. This condition does not apply to those who are going to complete their study, return to their home country, and newly acquire a Student visa before the scholarship period starts

6.

Those who are intending to receive a scholarship from an institution other than MEXT (e.g., JASSO or government of their home country) that overlaps with this scholarship

7.

Those who do not meet the academic background qualifications by the admission date

8.

Those who hold dual nationality of Japan and another country at the time of application and cannot verify that they have given up Japanese nationality by the date of their arrival in Japan

9.

Those who are expecting to conduct long-term research activities outside Japan or take an extended leave of absence

10.

Those who have already obtained a doctoral degree and do not plan to pursue a degree

11. Community engagement

Applicants for the scholarship should be willing to promote mutual understanding by participating in community events held in Japan.

After returning to their home country, former recipients are expected to maintain close contact with Tokyo Tech, cooperate in surveys, participate in events conducted by local Japanese diplomatic missions, and endeavor to support relations between their home country and Japan.

From October 2020 to March 2022 (18 months) as a Research Student

The monthly stipend will not be provided for September 2020.

[Information for MEXT Scholarship Research Students who will proceed to degree programs at Tokyo Tech]

If a scholarship recipient desires to proceed from the Research Student Program to a degree program at Tokyo Tech and has made outstanding academic achievements that meet certain criteria, it may be possible, contingent upon passing a screening by MEXT, to have the term of their MEXT Scholarship extended.

An extension of the term of the scholarship will not be approved if they fail to advance to a regular graduate program.

If they choose to proceed to a master's degree program and the extension of their scholarship is approved, the succeeding period of the MEXT Scholarship will be two years of a master's degree program. They may apply for another extension of the scholarship when proceeding to a doctoral program, provided that they had a grade point average of 2.50 or above out of 3.00 in the master's program and satisfy certain criteria. However, extensions are not guaranteed, as the number of scholarship students selected for extended financial support is quite limited.

The scholarship will be cancelled if they proceed to a more advanced level of education without receiving approval for the extension of the period of the scholarship.

Tokyo Tech-recommended MEXT Scholarship students cannot enter a graduate school of a university other than Tokyo Tech.

1. Stipend

Scholarship recipients will be provided a monthly stipend of 146,000 JPY (Research Student). This stipend is subject to change as specified by the regulations of the MEXT Scholarship program.

The Scholarship will be terminated in the following cases:

1.

If the recipient is determined to have made a false statement on their application

2.

If the recipient violates any article of their pledge to the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

3.

If the recipient violates Japan's laws and regulations and is sentenced to imprisonment of more than one year

4.

If the recipient is subjected to disciplinary action taken by Tokyo Tech, such as expulsion or removal from the register

5.

If it has been determined that it will be impossible for the recipient to complete their graduate program within the standard time period because of poor academic grades or suspension from Tokyo Tech

6.

If the recipient does not acquire a Student visa before arriving in Japan, or if the recipient’s status of residence in Japan has changed to one other than Student as defined in Appended Table I-4 of the Immigration Act

7.

If the recipient has received a scholarship from another institution (excluding those specified for research expenditures)

8.

If the recipient proceeds to a more advanced level of education without receiving approval for an extension of the period of the scholarship

9.

If the recipient withdraws from Tokyo Tech or transfers to another university

The monthly stipend will not be granted to a recipient who takes a leave of absence or is long absent from Tokyo Tech.

Furthermore, if scholarship stipends were issued during the period in which one of the preceding cases applied, the recipient may be ordered to return stipends received during that period.

2. Travel Costs

(1) Transportation to Japan

According to their itinerary and route as designated by MEXT, recipients will be provided with an economy class air ticket from the international airport closest to their place of residence to Narita or Haneda International Airport. In principle, the address given on the application form shall be recognized as the residence.

Expenses related to domestic travel from the recipient’s place of residence to the nearest international airport, airport taxes, airport usage fees, special taxes necessary for travel, travel expenses within Japan (including airline transit costs), travel insurance premiums, carry-on luggage or unaccompanied baggage expenses, etc., will NOT be covered.

Air travel from a country other than that of the recipient’s country of citizenship will not be covered by the scholarship. This provision does not apply if there are no direct flights from the recipient’s country, or if there are no Japanese diplomatic missions in the recipient’s country. In this case, however, the recipient must bear at their own expense travel and lodging costs incurred in the third country.

Air tickets will not be covered if the recipient chooses to travel to Japan before or after the period designated by MEXT.

(2) Transportation from Japan

An economy class air ticket for a flight from Narita or Haneda International Airport to the international airport closest to the recipient’s place of residence in their country of citizenship will be provided upon separate application as long as the recipient returns to their country during the final month in which they receive the scholarship. Expenses related to travel expenses within Japan (including airline transit costs), airport tax, airport usage charges, special taxes on overseas travel, domestic travel from the international airport in the recipient’s country to their place of residence, insurance premiums, carry-on luggage or unaccompanied baggage expenses, etc., will NOT be covered.

Note 1: Air ticket for the return will not be provided to those who stay in Japan after the scholarship period ends (e.g., for entering another university or obtaining a job) or who decide not to proceed to more advanced degree programs although they have applied for an extension of the scholarship period.

Note 2: Air tickets for temporary return to the recipient’s country will not be covered by the scholarship.

Note 3: In some cases, the air tickets may be provided by Tokyo Tech.

3. School Fees

Fees for matriculation, tuition and entrance examinations will be waived by Tokyo Tech.

• Download application forms

Application Deadline: November 29, 2019

1. Finding an Academic Supervisor

Prior to submitting application materials to the International Student Exchange Division, applicants must arrange for a Tokyo Tech faculty member to serve as an academic supervisor before the stated application deadline. In order to be considered for admission, the applicant must first find an academic supervisor. The applicant is required to communicate directly with their intended academic supervisor at Tokyo Tech and obtain the consent of the desired faculty member to serve in this capacity. Applicants must directly contact the intended academic supervisor via email and provide a self-introductory statement and a letter of intent for their period of study at Tokyo Tech.

Applicants must request that their intended academic supervisor write a "Letter of Acceptance" (Form 5). The intended academic supervisor must conduct an interview with the applicant, prepare the letter and fill out other forms, and submit them to the International Student Exchange Division by January 7, 2020. If the intended academic supervisor is not sure about the application procedures, let them contact International Student Exchange Division (tokyotech.mext@jim.titech.ac.jp).

For further information on our faculty members, please refer to the "STAR Search" (Researchers' Database) on Tokyo Tech's website.

Some academic supervisors may require submission of additional documents before the stated deadline.

2. Documents to be Prepared

(1)

Checksheet and Questionnaire (Form 1) (double-sided printing)

(2)

Application Form (Form 6) (double-sided printing, original, no photocopies)

Photograph (4.5 cm × 3.5 cm, taken within the past six months, upper body, full-faced) is needed. Write your name and nationality on the reverse side. The photograph must be pasted on the application form. A digital photograph inserted in the form is also acceptable.

(3)

Field of Study and Research Plan (Form 7) (double-sided printing)

(4)

Official Academic Transcripts from both undergraduate and graduate schools (originals or certified copies)
Attach reference materials about the grading system if it is not seen on the academic transcripts.

(5)

Certificate of Graduation or Expected Graduation from both undergraduate and graduate schools (originals or certified copies)

(6)

Summary of Thesis (free format)

Applicants who have not written a formal thesis are requested to submit the details of their research at the last university attended.

(7)

English Proficiency Test Score Report (original, no photocopies)

Applicants are required to submit English proficiency test score reports from TOEFL-iBT, Revised TOEFL Paper-Delivered Test, TOEIC, or the IELTS Academic Module taken on or after November 29, 2017. Score reports from the Institutional Testing Program of TOEFL or TOEIC (TOEFL-ITP, TOEIC-IP), and other proficiency tests not specifically listed above will not be accepted. Regarding TOEIC, score report from L&R paired with S&W will be accepted. Although score from only TOEIC L&R will also be accepted, applicants should otherwise prove their speaking & writing abilities. Score from only TOEIC S&W will not be accepted.

Native English speakers and students who have been awarded an undergraduate and/or graduate degree* from an institution where all instruction was in English may not be required to submit English proficiency test scores. Such applicants should consult their intended academic supervisor prior to submission of the application form to verify that they are exempt from this requirement. Whether or not an applicant needs to provide an English proficiency test score report will be determined by the academic supervisor's department, and the requirement is not automatically waived. If the exemption is approved, the chair of the department will send them a notice by email. Applicable candidates are required to submit a copy of this email with other application documents.

Note: Undergraduate and graduate degrees should be equivalent to the Japanese educational definitions of undergraduate, master's or doctoral degrees.

(8)

Recommendation Letter

Applicants must be recommended by either a university with which Tokyo Tech has a formal agreement or a university with which Tokyo Tech has established bilateral activities. Applicants must obtain an official letter of recommendation from the university's president or representative (director or dean) addressed to the President of Tokyo Institute of Technology (free format) (original, no photocopies). The letter must be submitted from the university from which the applicant graduated or from which the applicant will graduate.

(9)

Evaluation Sheet with a Recommendation Letter from a Supervisor, Head of Department, etc. of the last university attended to verify the potential of applicant (Form 9) (original, no photocopies)

(10)

Copy of Applicant's Passport (the page(s) with applicant's name, nationality, date of birth and photo)

3. Submission of Application Documents

Submission of application documents is a two-step process:

1.

Applicants must send a set of materials mentioned below to International Student Exchange Division by email by 5 p.m., November 29, 2019 (JST).

2.

Around early January, International Student Exchange Division requests all applicants to revise and submit completed application documents including recommendation letter from applicants' last-attended institution. All application documents listed in subsection 2 "Documents to be Prepared" above must reach the International Student Exchange Division by the designated application deadline in January by registered mail, courier service or a similar service.

Documents to be submitted by email by November 29

Attach photocopies or Word doc/Excel sheet of documents below to the email. The size of the attached file should not exceed 6MB in total. Applicants may use ZIP file format to compress the files. Files compressed using other archive file formats may not be accepted. For details of each document, refer to subsection 2: "Documents to be Prepared" above.

(1)

Checksheet and Questionnaire

(2)

Application Form

A cut-and-paste image of applicant's signature inserted in the form is acceptable at this time.

(3)

Field of Study and Research Plan

(4)

Official Academic Transcripts

(5)

Certificate of Graduation or Expected Graduation

(6)

Summary of Thesis

(7)

English Proficiency Test Score

(8)

Recommendation Letter

(10)

Copy of Applicant’s Passport

Note:

1.

Application documents must be written in either Japanese or English. Any document written in any other language must be accompanied with a Japanese or English translation.

2.

Tokyo Tech will not accept or consider any documents received after the stated deadline or any incomplete applications.

3.

Tokyo Tech cannot respond to any inquiries regarding receipt of individual application documents. The applicant is responsible for tracking all materials. Tokyo Tech strongly encourages sending the documents by registered mail, courier, or a similar service that provides tracking numbers and receipt verification services.

4.

Submitted documents will not be returned under any circumstances. Tokyo Tech will not provide photocopies of submitted documents. Please keep a copy of all documents for personal reference. If the applicant needs to keep the original copy, please submit a certified copy instead.

5.

Admission may be withdrawn at any time, even after enrollment, if the application documents are found to be invalid or containing any false information.

4. Notification of the Results

In March 2020, Tokyo Tech will announce its selection of candidates to be recommended for the MEXT Scholarship. Please note that a recommendation by Tokyo Tech does not mean that the applicant will be accepted by MEXT as a scholarship recipient. If MEXT rejects the recommendation, Tokyo Tech cannot offer admission. If the applicant would like to enroll to Tokyo Tech Research Student Program without MEXT Scholarship, they must separately apply for the privately-funded research student program. The official announcement of MEXT Scholarship recipients will be made in July 2020.