Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship for 2023 - Japanese Studies Students (Nikkensei)

Oct 5, 2026

Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarships for 2023 are offered by Osaka University for academic study in Japan through university recommendations. The program document outlines eligibility and conditions for Japanese Studies students (Nikkensei), including applicant purpose, required nationality, strict birth-year age limits, undergraduate enrollment at non-Japanese universities, and academic background focused on Japanese language or culture. It also specifies Japanese language requirements (JLPT N2 or equivalent), health criteria, arrival timing in Japan, and rules for obtaining a new “Student” visa, alongside clear ineligibility scenarios and withdrawal obligations.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

Qualifications and Conditions

Eligible applicants and recommendation requirement

Nationality requirements

Age requirements

Academic background requirements

Japanese language ability requirements

Health and study suitability

Arrival in Japan schedule

Visa acquisition requirements

Non-eligibility and withdrawal obligations

JAPANESE GOVERNMENT (MONBUKAGAKUSHO: MEXT) SCHOLARSHIP FOR 2023 (JAPANESE STUDIES STUDENTS: Nikkensei) Osaka University will offer scholarships by the Japanese Government’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) for academic study in Japan to students as Japanese Government Scholarship Students through university recommendation as outlined below. Regulations for the 2023 MEXT Scholarship Program are as follows: 1．QUALIFICATIONS AND CONDITIONS (1) Eligible applicants Those with the purpose of studying at a Japanese university in order to deepen their understanding of the Japanese language, Japanese affairs and Japanese culture, and those who will newly be coming to study from countries abroad. Only applicants with official recommendations from partner universities of Osaka University (Inter-University Agreementsand Inter-Faculty Agreements with Osaka University) are eligible. (2) Nationality Applicants must have the nationality of a country that has diplomatic relations with Japan. An applicant who has Japanese nationality at the time of application is not eligible. However, persons with dual nationality who hold Japanese nationality and whose place of residence atthe time of application is outside of Japan are eligible to apply as long as they choose the nationality of the other country and renounce their Japanese nationality by the date of their arrival in Japan. (3) Age Applicants must be born between April 2, 1993 and April 1, 2005. Exceptions are limited to cases in which MEXT deems that the applicant could not apply within the eligible age limit due to the situation or circumstances of the applicant’s country (military service obligation, loss of educational opportunities due to disturbances of war, etc.) Personal circumstances (financial situation, family circumstances, state of health, circumstances related to applicant’s university or place of employment, etc.) will not be considered for exceptions. (4) Academic Background Applicants must satisfy the following three conditions. ①Applicants must be undergraduates at foreign (non-Japanese) universities at the time of arriving in and leaving Japan. ②Those who are majoring in fields related to the Japanese language or Japanese culture. ③Those who have studied Japanese language or Japanese culture at a university for a total period of one year or more as of September 2023. (For those who have studied Japanese language or Japanese culture at another university and the time spent studying there totals one year or more: please submit a document [a transcript at another university] which can verify that applicants have been studying Japanese language or Japanese culture for a total period of one year or more) . (5) Japanese Language Ability Applicants must meet one of the following requirements. ①Applicants must have Japanese language proficiency of Level N2 or higher than Level N2 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) . ②Those who have Japanese language proficiency equivalent to or higher than Level N2 of JLPT evaluated by Osaka University. (6) Health Those who are determined by their home university that applicants have no physical or mental conditions hindering the applicant’s study in Japan. (7) Arrival in Japan In principle, applicants must arrive in Japan on the date (scheduled on September 27) designated by Osaka University. (Unless the applicant has an unavoidable reason, if an applicant cannot arrive in Japan in the designated date by Osaka University, he/she must withdraw from this scholarship program. Also, if an applicant cannot arrive in Japan on the date designated by Osaka University for personal reasons, travel expenses to Japan will not be paid.) (8) Visa acquisition An applicant shall, in principle, newly obtain a “Student” visa at the Japanese diplomatic mission located in the applicant’s country of nationality, and enter Japan with the newly obtained residence status of “Studen

FAQs

Who is eligible to apply for the 2023 MEXT Scholarship (Nikkensei) through Osaka University?

Applicants must aim to study at a Japanese university to deepen understanding of Japanese language, affairs, and culture, and must be newly coming from abroad. Only those with official recommendations from Osaka University partner universities are eligible.

What are the age and nationality requirements for applicants?

Applicants must be born between April 2, 1993 and April 1, 2005. Nationality must be from a country with diplomatic relations with Japan, and Japanese nationality at the time of application makes a person ineligible, with limited dual-nationality conditions based on residence and renunciation timing.

What Japanese language and visa rules must applicants meet?

Applicants must have JLPT Level N2 or higher, or an equivalent level evaluated by Osaka University. They must, in principle, newly obtain a “Student” visa at the Japanese diplomatic mission in their country of nationality and enter Japan with the new residence status; otherwise, scholarship provision is stopped.

Oct 5, 2026

Uploaded by วิน