Hokkaido University MEXT Scholarships 2025

Established in 1918 as Sapporo Agricultural College, Hokkaido University is Japan’s first institute of higher education to award bachelor’s degrees. Hokkaido, or Hokudai as it is fondly called, is a public research university in Sapporo, Hokkaido. It is the fifth-oldest government-authorized university in Japan and one of the former Imperial Universities.

The 2025 Hokkaido University MEXT Scholarship in Japan is a fully funded program financially supporting outstanding international students who wish to obtain higher-level degrees at Hokkaido University. The scholarships provided by the Japanese Government will cover tuition and travel expenses and provide a monthly allowance for selected candidates pursuing Master’s and Doctoral degrees at the Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University.

Tuition Fees

The tuition fee that admitted students from outside Japan would pay for undergraduate programs is around ¥17,000. Graduate students will be paid within the range of ¥30,000 to ¥282,000 and ¥535,800 per year for either Master’s or doctorate degree programs. While transfer students will be charged the same amount as postgraduates.

Eligible Criteria

To qualify for the Hokkaido University MEXT Scholarships, you must;

• Be international students with outstanding academic achievements of graduate school level who enter Japan as new students or those already staying in Japan.
• They have earned a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.30/3.00 or above in their degree (for those who are employed) or currently enrolled courses, and they can maintain that GPA while receiving the scholarship.
• Pass or achieve scores in English language proficiency tests corresponding to B2 or higher level in the CEFR at the time of application.
• Furthermore, applicants must meet any one of the language requirements stated below;
• Complete school curriculums that meet the conditions for admission in master’s or doctoral courses at a Japanese graduate school using English as the primary language.

Scholarship Benefits

The scholarship offers a tuition fee exemption for beneficiaries undertaking master programs for two years. It will also provide a monthly allowance of 144,000 JPY and coverage for travel expenses, arrival, and return tickets. Other benefits include application and matriculation fee exemption. For PhD candidates, you will receive the same benefits for the doctorate program but for three years.

Essential Documents

You will need the following documents for the MEXT Scholarship:

• A copy of the applicant’s passport (or a copy of a certificate of family register, certificate of citizenship, or other identification issued by the Government of their home country)
• Certificate of (prospective) graduation or a Diploma of last university/graduate school attended
• Field of Study and Study Program (should include the relevance of your research plan to SDGs)
• Official academic transcript(s) for all years of last university/graduate school attended (issued by the university/graduate school attended. Grading System or Grading Scale information must be attached.)
• Document(s) attesting to the applicant’s outstanding academic achievements at the last university attended (If applicable)
• A recommendation letter from the dean (or above) at the current university or institution should be addressed to the president of Hokkaido University.
• Abstracts of theses (should be concise and to the point)
• Proof of language ability that meets any one of the conditions above.

Application Procedure

Follow these steps if you are interested in the scholarships:

• Secure admission to Hokkaido University
• Go to the program’s application portal.
• Contact a prospective supervisor from Hokkaido University to discuss your suitability for the scholarship.
• Submit the required documents (via your prospective supervisor) by email.
• Applicants must take the entrance examination in the summer of 2025 if the scholarship application is accepted.
• They will start their master’s or doctoral program in October 2025. There will not be a research student period.

Deadline/Expiration: December 5, 2024

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