Studying in Japan implies that you will be living in one of the world's most urbanised and highly inhabited countries. With almost 37 million residents, the Greater Tokyo Area is the world's most populated! More than 300,000 international students over the years have chosen Japan so far as their study destination, for multiple reasons including scholarships in Japan for international students, a variety of English-taught programmes, and also a global teaching staff. The country is a member of numerous international organizations like the United Nations (UN), the Organization for Economic Co-operations and Development (OECD), and the Group of Seven (G7).

Japanese universities have excellent facilities for international students that have a global reputation in terms of innovation and research. This is reflected in the fact that almost 40 of their institutions are ranked among the World’s Top 200 universities. Japan is also ranked as the first in the Top 10 Places to Study Abroad in Asia for experiencing a new culture and second overall in Asia.  

Deciding to apply for university education in Japan will allow you to choose from a wide variety of universities (daigaku) catering to students from all over the world. Some universities provide four-year training which leads to a Bachelor's degree, while others offer six-year programmes for a professional degree. The Japanese government has made a big effort to attract international students in the last decades, by offering financial support to students through funding facilities such as scholarships in Japan for international students.

The University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, and Tokyo Institute of Technology are considered the top universities in the country, ranked very high in the world university rankings. Studying at universities offering scholarships in Japan will open the doors to an extraordinary student life with high-quality degrees. In Japan, you can choose among numerous Bachelor’s, Masters, or Doctorate programmes. You can study either in English or even Japanese if you can prove your language proficiency. The most popular majors to study in Japan include economics and business, science and technology, education, or humanities. 

In comparison to other popular study destinations such as the United States or the United Kingdom, tuition fees in Japan for international students pursuing Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate degrees are fairly affordable. Tuition costs in Japan are between 20 - 3,000 USD for Bachelor's degrees, 12,000 USD for Master's degrees, and 5,000 USD for Doctorate degrees every academic year.

In addition to that, keep in mind that each university application is accompanied by an application fee which differs based on the programme and university. Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD studies in medicine and pharmacy cost much more since the study period is significantly longer.
A variety of scholarships in Japan for international students are offered to attract more and more ambitious students to study and eventually work in Japan. However, the qualifications and amounts of the scholarships for study in Japan greatly differ. It depends upon your degree, university, course choice, and most importantly your application details

Here’s a list of some of the best scholarships for international students to study in Japan:

Japanese Government (MEXT) Postgraduate Scholarships

The Japanese MEXT Scholarships are offered to UK graduates who wish to pursue postgraduate studies in Japan. This award is offered on an annual basis to those with a minimum of a bachelor's degree and who are under the age of 35 and wish to continue their studies in Japan. These scholarships in Japan for international students are offered for both research and taught postgraduate courses. Concerning a taught course, any additional entry requirements specified by each particular university must be met. As a part of this programme, the Japanese Government provides return airfare, tuition fees, and a monthly grant of ¥143,000 (subject to change).

The MH Scholarship For Privately-Financed International Students

This is a scholarship program for privately-financed international students with excellent academic and character records who are enrolled in undergraduate schools, graduate schools, colleges of technology, specialized courses in specialized training colleges, or university preparatory courses, and are facing financial difficulties. These are some of the best scholarships for international students and their value is as follows:

• Graduate/undergraduate level: 48,000 yen per month
• Japanese language institutes: 30,000 yen per month

This scholarship is tenable for 12 months from when it was received. The candidate applying  must have a student visa and must not be receiving the Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho) Scholarship or any other Foreign Government Scholarship.

ADB-Japan Scholarship Programme

The ADB-Japan Scholarship Programme (JSP) offers about 140 postgraduate scholarships a year for studies in economics, management, science and technology, and other development-related fields. For scholars engaged in research, a special grant may be available for thesis preparation. In special circumstances, computer literacy, preparatory language, and other similar courses may also be covered under the scholarship. These scholarships in Japan for international students cover the following:

• full tuition fees
• monthly subsistence allowance (including housing)
• books and instructional materials
• medical insurance
• travel expenses

 JASSO Scholarships

International students who have been accepted into a Japanese university under a student exchange agreement are eligible to apply for the scholarship for short-Term Study in Japan, administered by JASSO. This scholarship consists of a monthly stipend of 80,000 yen, provided throughout the period of stay in Japan. Applications for these scholarships in Japan for international students should be made to Kyoto University through the student's home institution, together with those for the exchange program itself. Direct applications from the students themselves, to either Kyoto University or JASSO, are not accepted.

JFUNU Scholarships For PhD In Sustainability Science

The Japan Foundation for UNU (JFUNU) Scholarship is available to outstanding students from developing countries who can demonstrate financial needs and are accepted for a PhD Programme in Sustainability Science at the United Nations University Institute for Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS). These Japanese university scholarships provide a monthly allowance of 120,000 JPY for living expenses for a maximum of 36 months. Travel costs to and from Japan, visa handling fees, and health/accident insurance costs must be covered by the student. The tuition fees are fully waived for the scholarship recipients.

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