SCHOLARSHIP

1. Enrollment date

October 1, 2025

2. Scholarship benefits

  1. Monthly scholarship amount*
    Research student 143,000 yen
    Master's course 144,000 yen
    Doctoral course 145,000 yen
  2. Exemption of tuition and entrance fees
  3. Travel expenses (limited to airfare) from their country to Japan will be provided upon acceptance.
  4. Travel expenses (limited to airfare) to return to their country will be provided after completing the program.

* The amount is subject to change depending on the annual budget of the following year.

3. Scholarship term

Research student From October 2025 to March 2027
Master's course From October 2025 to September 2027
Doctoral course From October 2025 to September 2028

QUALIFICATIONS FOR APPLICATION

Applicants must fulfill all of the following qualifications.

  1. Applicants who have the nationality of a country which has diplomatic relations with Japan.
  2. Applicants who will come to Japan in order to enter NAIST.
  3. Applicants who were born after April 2, 1990.
  4. Applicants who have an excellent academic record.
    [For master's course applicants]
    They must have average grade points (*1) of 2.30 or higher for your bachelor's degree and are expected to maintain this points during the duration of the scholarship.

    [For doctoral course applicants]
    They must have average grade points (*1) of 2.30 or higher for your master's degree and are expected to maintain this points during the duration of the scholarship.
  5. [For master's course applicants]
    a. Applicants who have completed or will complete a 16-year school curriculum by September 30, 2025, or
    b. Applicants who have been recognized by NAIST through Preliminary Screening of Applicant Suitability (*2) as having the academic ability equivalent or superior to the level of a bachelor's degree, and are 22 years old or older by the enrollment date.
  6. [For doctoral course applicants]
    a. Applicants who have a master's degree by September 30, 2025, or
    b. Applicants who have been recognized by NAIST through Preliminary Screening of Applicant Suitability as having the academic ability equivalent or superior to the level of a master's degree, and are 24 years old or older by the enrollment date.
  7. Applicants who have Japanese or English communication skills to undertake study and research at NAIST.

* For the average grade points calculation, please see the following page.
http://www.naist.jp/en/international_students/prospective_students/financial_support/doc/calculation.pdf

Note: The following people are not eligible for the scholarship

  1. Active military personnel or military civilian employees.
  2. Those who have already accepted a scholarship from an organization other than MEXT (including the government of their country).
  3. Those applying for this scholarship through other universities or applying for other support programs for international students from MEXT or Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO).

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Please send the the following documents by email.

aApplication form
  • Form available here

* Photo
A full-faced photo without headwear (except religious), taken within the past 6 months. Put your digital photo in the photo box of the PDF form.
bField of Study and Research Plan
  • Form available here

In "Field of study" section, you write the outline of your current research field.
In "Study program" section, you write your study plan after enrolling in NAIST.
Submit the completed word file.
cProof of citizenship A passport copy is preferable.
dAcademic transcript
  • Master's course applicants
    Undergraduate transcript
  • Doctoral course applicants
    Master's transcripts
eGraduation certificate or certificate of academic degree Must be issued by the last university attended.
If you are expected to graduate, you must submit a document certifying that you will graduate before September 30, 2025.
fEvaluation report on applicant
  • Form available here
(Any format is acceptable if it contains the same information.)
gLetter of recommendation
  • Form available here
    • (Any format is acceptable if it contains the same information.)
    Must be issued by the Dean, the person corresponding to the Dean, or person of higher authority, and addressed to the President of NAIST.
hAbstract of thesis Any format is acceptable.
(If you haven't written graduation thesis yet, summary of research is acceptable.)
iCertification of language proficiency
  • English (please submit one of the following documents)
    1. Scores of TOEIC, TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo or equivalent(copy is acceptable)
    *The test should be able to measure the four skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing. In the case of TOEIC, in addition to the Listening and Reading tests, scores of the Speaking and Writing tests are also required.
    *CEFR B2-level or higher level is required.
    2. An official document which certifies that English is the main language of instruction in the undergraduate course (for master's course applicants) or in the master's course (for doctoral course applicants).
  • Japanese (if you have one)
    Scores of JLPT (copy is acceptable)
    *N2-level or higher level is required.
Scores obtained after January 2023 are valid.
jAgreement
  • Form available here
kConfirmation sheet for recommendation
  • Form available here

Note

  1. If documents are written in a language other than Japanese or English, please attach a Japanese or English translation.
  2. Submitted documents will not be returned.
  3. All private information is used only for the purpose of screening and is not used for any other purpose.
  4. If any false information is discovered in the submitted documents, applicants will be disqualified from applying.

CONTACT ADDRESS

If you have any further questions regarding the application guidelines, please contact us at the following address.

International Student Affairs Section
International Affairs Division
Nara Institute of Science and Technology
8916-5, Takayama, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan
Phone: +81(743)72-5087 Fax: +81(743)72-6244
E-mail: ryugaku[at]ad.naist.jp