Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho: MEXT) Scholarship for 2025: Japanese Studies Students / Embassy Recommendation (Application through Japanese Embassies)

The Japanese Government's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) offers scholarships to international students who wish to study for a period of one year at designated Japanese universities as Japanese Studies Students in order to deepen their understanding of the Japanese language, Japanese affairs and Japanese culture under the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program.

The most important qualifications are:
(extracted from the Application Guideline)

1. Swiss nationality: An applicant who has Japanese nationality at the time of application is not eligible.
2. Age: Applicants must be born between April 2, 1995 and April 1, 2007.
3. Academic Background: Applicants must be undergraduates at foreign (non-Japanese) universities majoring in fields related to the Japanese language or Japanese culture at the time of arriving in and leaving Japan. Also Applicants must have studied Japanese Studies for a total period of one year or more as of September 1, 2025. Swiss students enrolled in the following courses are eligible:
   • Asien-Orient-Institut, Abteilung Japanologie, Universität Zürich
   • Unité de Japonais, Université de Genève
4. Japanese Language Ability: Applicants must have Japanese language ability sufficient for receiving education at a Japanese university in Japanese.
5. Arrival in Japan: In principle, applicants must be able to arrive in Japan by the designated period (usually September or October) between the day two weeks before the course starts and the starting date of the course.

(For all details, see Application Guideline)

Note: The study is implemented only in the university study courses listed in the "Course Guide of Japanese Studies Program". This Course Guide is available from the website listed below.

For the Application Guideline, the Application Form, the Certificate of Health and other relevant information please visit the following link:
https://studyinjapan.go.jp/en/smap-stopj-applications-japanese.html
For the implemented university study courses please refer to the following link:
Course Guide of Japanese Studies Program 2025(Japanese only)

Aplication deadline for the scholarship 2025
Monday, 24 February 2025 (NOTE: the application has to be submitted by the date of the deadline to the Embassy.)
Address: Japanische Botschaft in der Schweiz, Japan Information and Cultural Center, Postfach, 3001 Bern

Examination and Interview:
Tuesday, 4 March 2025
(NOTE: the examination and interview will be held at Japan Information and Cultural Center of the Embassy of Japan in Bern)

Scholarship student nomination for the scholarship 2025:
July / August 2024

For more information, please contact:

Japan Information and Cultural Center (JICC), Embassy of Japan
Engestrasse 43, 3012 Bern
Phone: 031 305 15 70
Email: jicc@br.mofa.go.jp