The Monbukagakusho offers scholarships to international students with recommendations from their host universities under the following guidelines:

I. ELIGIBILITY AND CONDITIONS

1) Applicants must be graduate students who will newly enter Japan for the purpose of study.

2) Nationality Applicants must have nationality of a country that is recognized by the Japanese government as of April 1, 2009.

3) Age Applicants must have been born on or after April 2, 1974.

4) Educational Qualifications Applicants must have at least an undergraduate degree.

5) Major Fields Applicants must specialize in the same or related field as their area of study in their home university. It must also be a field in which the applicant can receive supervision and guidance at the institution where the applicant has been admitted.

6) Language All courses at this program are conducted in English. Applicants must possess a sufficiently high level of English proficiency to be able to take classes in English.

7) Health Applicants must be in both good physical and mental health.

Arrival in Japan Applicants must arrive in Japan on the date designated by the host institution in mid-September, 2009. Applicants will be notified of further details regarding arrival in Japan at a later date. Neither travel allowances nor lump-sums will be provided in cases where travel to Japan is not possible between the designated dates.

9) Application Deadline Ritsumeikan will undertake preliminary screening of applications prior to forwarding them to the Monbukagakusho (in addition to other documents prepared by the university). Completed applications must be submitted with all necessary documents to the Ritsumeikan University International Center at Kinugasa Campus or Biwako-Kusatsu Campus, depending upon the Graduate School you are applying to (address written below) by February 8, 2009. Faxes are also acceptable, however, all original documents must arrive at the respective Office of International Education by the above date.

*PLEASE NOTE:

1) Students cannot receive scholarships while maintaining the status of service personnel on active duty or an armed forces civilian employee.

2) Recipients will lose their eligibility for scholarship if they do not arrive in Japan between the designated dates.

3) Past recipients of Monbukagakusho Scholarship are ineligible for scholarship consideration if their application is within 3 years of the final payment of their prior scholarship.

4) Recipients of scholarships from organizations other than the Government of Japan, Ministry of Education, such as scholarships from the student’s own government or private organizations in Japan or overseas are not eligible for the Monbukagakusho Scholarship.

5) Students who have applied for the JASSO Short-Term Student Exchange Promotion (JASSO) Scholarship for 2009 may not apply. Further, students currently receiving a JASSO Scholarship may not apply.

6) Students are not eligible if already expected to enroll at a university in Japan in 2009.

7) Students intending to do field work outside of Japan during the scholarship period are ineligible to apply.

A “College Student” visa should be obtained before entering Japan.

9) Students who are chosen as scholarship students are not allowed to transfer from Ritsumeikan University to other universities.

(10) It is highly recommended that students who are chosen for the scholarship bring a lump sum of money for living expenses during their first couple of weeks in Japan.

II. SCHOLARSHIP DETAILS

1) Amount 170,000 yen per month (subject to change). However, the stipend will be reduced to 160,000 yen per month (subject to change) on or after the 13th monthly payment.

2) Tuition Fees This scholarship does not provide financial assistance towards payment of tuition fees, however Ritsumeikan University will exempt students from tuition fees.

3) Travel Allowances

(a) Travel expenses for coming to Japan

An economy class air ticket from the international airport closest to the present address of the student to Narita International Airport will be furnished (or to the closest international airport to the university where the student has been admitted, if this is financially more viable for Monbukagakusho). In the case that the student arrives at Kansai International Airport in Osaka, and the cost is more than that to Tokyo, the student will be required to pay the difference.

(b) Travel expenses for returning home

At the conclusion of the term of the scholarship, an economy class air ticket shall be provided from Narita International Airport (or from the closest international airport to the university where the student has been admitted, if this is financially more viable for Monbukagakusho) to the international airport closest to the place of the student’s residence (in the country in which the student holds citizenship), in the case that the student plans to return home by the designated date.

4) Term of scholarship payment From September, 2009 until the necessary allotted period of time required for graduation from a specific course is satisfied. (For the minimum number of years required for graduation)

III. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Please click the links to download forms.

1. 2009 Application form 2. 2009 Application form (Titled as: Attachment) 3. Field of Study and Study Program (Description of Major field of study and research planning. Additionally, within the Research plan column, summarize / outline a detailed plan for proposed theme of final thesis.) 4. Application Questionnaire 5. Certificate of Health 6. Certificates of completion or certificates/letters stating expected graduation date o f programs and academic degrees awarded by undergraduate or graduate schools (copy) 7. Academic transcripts issued by undergraduate or graduate schools attended ( to be attached with a clear indicator, such as GPA or specific rank order.) (copy) 8. Copy of the student's family or citizen register in the home country. If such a certificate cannot be obtained, a birth certificate is also acceptable (copy) 9. Recommendations by the dean or a person of higher position at the applicant’s school or institution (to be addressed to the President of Ritsumeikan University, Japan)(original) 10. Three (3) photographs of the student (taken within 6 months, 6x4 cm, from the waist up, full faced, no hats or caps on and including the student's name and nationality on the reverse side, one to be pasted on the designated spot on each form) 11. Summary of thesis written for degree most recently completed (applicant to attach with application) 12. Proof of linguistic talent/practical expertise (e.g., TOEFL, TOEIC, Scores from the “Japanese as a Foreign Language” section of the Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU) / Japanese Language Proficiency Test)

• 1. All documents must be written in English on A4 sized paper.
  2. Documents submitted with the application will not be returned to the applicant.
  3. Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted.
  4. Interviews (by Internet, e-mail) will be conducted by at least three instructors belonging to the applicant’s desired specialty / course and the interviews will be conducted about three times by each instructor.