For those who are interested to study in Japan in the undergraduate and graduate levels, here is another opportunity for you. Below are the procedures to send applications to Saitama University. Good luck!

Japanese Government Scholarship Program

The Japanese government scholarship program, which is provided based on the Guidelines for the Japanese Government Scholarship Program (launched on March 31, 1954, by a ruling of the minister of education), is offered to any international student who attends a Japanese university or other educational institution. Students who are studying in Japan under this scholarship program are called Japanese government scholarship students.

Methods of becoming a Japanese government scholarship student

While Living Overseas

Embassy recommendation

1. Application requirements
The applicant must have passed the primary screening for MEXT-sponsored international students (international research students) conducted by the Japanese diplomatic mission in his/her home country.
2. Submission of documents
(1) All documents must be submitted to the Japanese diplomatic mission in the applicant’s home country (stamped with the confirmation stamp of the diplomatic mission).
- Application
- Area of specialization and research plan
- Transcript from the last university attended
- Letter of recommendation from the president or applicant’s supervising professor from the last university attended
- Certificate of graduation from the last university attended (or certificate of expected graduation for those who have not yet graduated)
- Certificate of degree completion
- Abstract of doctoral thesis (only required of those planning to continue on to a doctoral program)
- Photos of the artistic works or recordings of performances (for those specializing in art or music)
(2) Certificate indicating that primary screening was successfully passed
(3) Other items required by each graduate school
Inquire for details.
Note: If the documents being submitted are in a language other than Japanese or English, they must be accompanied by a Japanese or English translation.
3. Selection method
Candidates will be selected by the admissions committee of each graduate school based on each applicant’s submitted documents, an interview, etc.

University recommendation

1. Application requirements
(1) Any applicant who received a formal recommendation from the president or other individual ranked at the department chair level or higher of a foreign university that has a history of exchange with this university
(2) Any applicant who is not from a university that has a regular exchange with this university but has been recommended by the president of this university as an individual who will improve the level of education and research at this university
(3) Any applicant who fulfills all application requirements indicated in the application guidelines
(4) Any individual committed to conducting research at this university
2. Submission of documents
(1) Application
(2) Area of specialization and research plan
(3) Copy of the applicant’s family registry or certificate of citizenship
(4) Letter of recommendation from the dean (or individual of higher ranking) of the graduate school with which the applicant is affiliated
(5) Photos (two identical copies, taken within the past six months, 4.5 cm  3.5 cm, upper body, taken from the front, no hats): Write your name and nationality on the back of the photos and affix them to the designated section of the application form.
(6) Certificate(s) of graduation or diploma(s) from the last university attended (undergraduate and graduate)
(7) Transcript issued by the last university attended (undergraduate and graduate)
(8) Transcript showing that the applicant earned excellent grades at the last university attended (clearly indicating the applicant’s performance, including his/her GPA, grade for each class, and overall class ranking [ranked Xth among his/her class of X number of students])
(9) Graduation thesis abstract
(10) Materials that objectively indicate the applicant’s language skills and specialized subject-matter skills (such as scores on the TOEFL, Japanese-Language Proficiency Test, or other similar test)

While Living in Japan

A privately financed international student with excellent grades and of outstanding character (who, at the time of application, is a third-year undergraduate student, fourth-year undergraduate student intending to continue on to graduate school, or master’s or doctoral program student intending to stay in Japan for one year or longer) may apply for a Japanese government scholarship. The application period is usually between November and December, but it may be earlier. Any student who wishes to apply should confirm the dates early and discuss his/her application with the administrative office of his/her department. Not all of those who are recommended by their departments will receive Japanese government scholarships.


		While Living Overseas		While Living in Japan
		Embassy Recommendation	University Recommendation	While Living in Japan
Graduate School Level	International research students	Yes	Yes	Yes (full-time graduate students)
Graduate School Level	International teacher trainees	Yes	No	No
Undergraduate Level	International undergraduate students	Yes	No	Yes (final year)
Undergraduate Level	International students studying Japanese language and culture	Yes	Yes	No