Application Guideline for Japanese Government MEXT Scholarship for 2021 (Japanese studies students & Teacher training students)
2020/12/24
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan offers scholarships to distinguished international students who wish to study at Japanese universities. The Embassy of Japan in Riyadh will accept application for Japanese studies students and Teacher training students as below.
【Important Notice】
If the situation is not suitable for the selection due to COVID-19 pandemic, the entire selection schedule may be cancelled
【Selection Schedule for the Scholarship 2021】
*The schedule is subject to change without notice
【Important information】
【The Mailing Address of the Embassy of Japan】
Email address: info@rd.mofa.go.jp
Cultural Section, Embassy of Japan
（Note: We only accept applications By Email）
JAPANESE STUDIES STUDENTS
The recipient of this Scholarship will join a study course (within 1 year) of Japanese language/Japanese culture at a Japanese university.
・Applicants must be Saudi nationals who were born between April 2, 1991 and April 1, 2003.
・Applicants must be enrolled as undergraduate students in faculties or schools majoring in Japanese language or Japanese culture at a university outside Japan at the time of arriving in and leaving Japan.
・Applicants are required to have engaged in Japanese studies at a university for a total period of one year or more as of September 1, 2021.
・Upon the completion of the program, applicants must return to the original university in which he/she used to study.
・Applicants must take Japanese written examination and an interview.
Please go to the links below and read the guideline. You can download ALL the necessary application forms from the link.
● General Information and Application Forms:
https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/smap-stopj-applications-japanese.html
● Japanese studies students Guideline:
https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/assets/pdf/app/1_2021JapaneseStudies_Guideline_E.pdf
● List of Universities which accept students for the program
https://www.mext.go.jp/content/20201217-mxt_gakushi02-000011717_05.pdf
TEACHER TRAINING STUDENTS
This scholarship program is aimed at training teachers, which consists of study/training on educational administration, educational methods, specialized subject research, and observational tours and practice. The study/training is implemented in Japanese in principle, and the recipients whose Japanese language ability is insufficient shall take Japanese-language education in a Japanese language study course at the appointed university or at a university designated by MEXT.
The term is the period necessary to complete each university’s training course and should be between October 2021 and March 2023. This program is not designed to acquire Master/PhD degree and extension is not permitted.
・Applicants must be Saudi nationals who were born on or after April 2, 1986.
・Applicants must be graduates of universities or teacher training schools and are required to have worked as teacher at elementary or secondary educational institutions or teacher training schools in their home countries for more than 5 years in total as of October 1st, 2021 (University faculty members are not eligible).
・Applicants must return to their home country and resume their work immediately after the end of the scholarship period.
・Applicants must take English and Japanese written examinations and an interview.
Please go to the links below and read the guideline. You can download ALL the necessary application forms from the link.
● General Information and Application Forms:
https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/smap-stopj-applications-teacher.html
● Teacher training students Guideline:
https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/assets/pdf/app/1_2021TeacherTraining_Guideline_E.pdf
● List of Universities which accept students for the program
https://www.mext.go.jp/content/20201217-mxt_gakushi02-000011717_10.pdf
【Frequent Asked Questions】
Can I take examination at Consulate-General of Japan in Jeddah?
- No. We only hold the exam & interview at the Embassy of Japan in Riyadh.
I have an important appointment on March 7. Can you change the exam date?
- No. We only hold the exam & interview on that day.
I do not have Saudi nationality but I have permanent residency in Saudi Arabia. Can I apply?
- No. Please contact the Japanese Embassy at your nationality. (Please note that some countries may not offer the same program.)
I would like to bring my family member/ maharam to Japan. Is it possible?
- Please note that under the MEXT scholarship program, the allowance and plane ticket fare will be covered only for the student who passed the exam and the screening. If you wish to bring your family to Japan, Japanese government will not pay for his/her visa, allowance or plane ticket fare. Visa processing time and necessary documents may vary depending on how you are related to the family member who wishes to go to Japan with you.
Do I have to submit my photos with the application?
- Yes, under any circumistances, submission of your photos is necessary. You may wear hijab, shemagh or ghutra, but your face has to be shown clearly.
My principal/ supervisor cannot speak English. Can the recommendation letter be in Arabic?
- Original letter can be Arabic but we need all the documents to be translated into English or Japanese.
I only have certificates in Arabic. Is it ok?
- Original certificates can be Arabic but we need all the documents to be translated into English or Japanese.
Do I have to take Japanese exam? I have never studied Japanese before.
- It is mandatory for you to take the Japanese exam to be considered for selection.
Past examination questions of courses for Teacher Training Students and Japanese studies students have not been disclosed. Please refer to the Japanese and English examination questions in the Past Examination Questions for other courses below. https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/planning/scholarship/application/examination/index.html
For further information, please contact Cultural Section info@rd.mofa.go.jp
【Important Notice】
If the situation is not suitable for the selection due to COVID-19 pandemic, the entire selection schedule may be cancelled
【Selection Schedule for the Scholarship 2021】
*The schedule is subject to change without notice
- December 24 (Thu): Start of receiving documents for application
- February 4 (Thu): Application deadline. Only by Email (soft copy)
- By February 18 (Thu): The announcement of the application screening results by email/phone
- March 7 (Sun): The written exams at the embassy in Riyadh (only for those who pass the application screening). Interview at the embassy in Riyadh (only for those who pass the written exams). The announcement of the exams and the interview results will be on the same day by email/phone.
- Those who pass the exams & interview will be recommended to MEXT, and MEXT will conduct the second screening. The final result will be announced sometime around July 2021.
【Important information】
- Applicants must have Saudi nationality (Those who have other nationality should contact Japanese Embassy in their respective countries).
- Embassy of Japan will give written exams and interview by either English or Japanese at the Embassy of Japan in Riyadh.
- Those who wish to apply for the scholarship must read the guideline carefully and send all the required documents by email to the Embassy of Japan in Riyadh by February 4 (Thu).
- All Application documents must be combined in one PDF file and total file size should be less than 10 MB (No need to send copies)
- Incomplete applications will NOT be considered.
- Late application will NOT be considered.
【The Mailing Address of the Embassy of Japan】
Email address: info@rd.mofa.go.jp
Cultural Section, Embassy of Japan
（Note: We only accept applications By Email）
JAPANESE STUDIES STUDENTS
The recipient of this Scholarship will join a study course (within 1 year) of Japanese language/Japanese culture at a Japanese university.
・Applicants must be Saudi nationals who were born between April 2, 1991 and April 1, 2003.
・Applicants must be enrolled as undergraduate students in faculties or schools majoring in Japanese language or Japanese culture at a university outside Japan at the time of arriving in and leaving Japan.
・Applicants are required to have engaged in Japanese studies at a university for a total period of one year or more as of September 1, 2021.
・Upon the completion of the program, applicants must return to the original university in which he/she used to study.
・Applicants must take Japanese written examination and an interview.
Please go to the links below and read the guideline. You can download ALL the necessary application forms from the link.
● General Information and Application Forms:
https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/smap-stopj-applications-japanese.html
● Japanese studies students Guideline:
https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/assets/pdf/app/1_2021JapaneseStudies_Guideline_E.pdf
● List of Universities which accept students for the program
https://www.mext.go.jp/content/20201217-mxt_gakushi02-000011717_05.pdf
TEACHER TRAINING STUDENTS
This scholarship program is aimed at training teachers, which consists of study/training on educational administration, educational methods, specialized subject research, and observational tours and practice. The study/training is implemented in Japanese in principle, and the recipients whose Japanese language ability is insufficient shall take Japanese-language education in a Japanese language study course at the appointed university or at a university designated by MEXT.
The term is the period necessary to complete each university’s training course and should be between October 2021 and March 2023. This program is not designed to acquire Master/PhD degree and extension is not permitted.
・Applicants must be Saudi nationals who were born on or after April 2, 1986.
・Applicants must be graduates of universities or teacher training schools and are required to have worked as teacher at elementary or secondary educational institutions or teacher training schools in their home countries for more than 5 years in total as of October 1st, 2021 (University faculty members are not eligible).
・Applicants must return to their home country and resume their work immediately after the end of the scholarship period.
・Applicants must take English and Japanese written examinations and an interview.
Please go to the links below and read the guideline. You can download ALL the necessary application forms from the link.
● General Information and Application Forms:
https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/smap-stopj-applications-teacher.html
● Teacher training students Guideline:
https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/assets/pdf/app/1_2021TeacherTraining_Guideline_E.pdf
● List of Universities which accept students for the program
https://www.mext.go.jp/content/20201217-mxt_gakushi02-000011717_10.pdf
Can I take examination at Consulate-General of Japan in Jeddah?
- No. We only hold the exam & interview at the Embassy of Japan in Riyadh.
I have an important appointment on March 7. Can you change the exam date?
- No. We only hold the exam & interview on that day.
I do not have Saudi nationality but I have permanent residency in Saudi Arabia. Can I apply?
- No. Please contact the Japanese Embassy at your nationality. (Please note that some countries may not offer the same program.)
I would like to bring my family member/ maharam to Japan. Is it possible?
- Please note that under the MEXT scholarship program, the allowance and plane ticket fare will be covered only for the student who passed the exam and the screening. If you wish to bring your family to Japan, Japanese government will not pay for his/her visa, allowance or plane ticket fare. Visa processing time and necessary documents may vary depending on how you are related to the family member who wishes to go to Japan with you.
Do I have to submit my photos with the application?
- Yes, under any circumistances, submission of your photos is necessary. You may wear hijab, shemagh or ghutra, but your face has to be shown clearly.
My principal/ supervisor cannot speak English. Can the recommendation letter be in Arabic?
- Original letter can be Arabic but we need all the documents to be translated into English or Japanese.
I only have certificates in Arabic. Is it ok?
- Original certificates can be Arabic but we need all the documents to be translated into English or Japanese.
Do I have to take Japanese exam? I have never studied Japanese before.
- It is mandatory for you to take the Japanese exam to be considered for selection.
Past examination questions of courses for Teacher Training Students and Japanese studies students have not been disclosed. Please refer to the Japanese and English examination questions in the Past Examination Questions for other courses below. https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/planning/scholarship/application/examination/index.html
For further information, please contact Cultural Section info@rd.mofa.go.jp