Guidance for japanese government (monbukagakusho: mext) scholarship for 2015 young leaders' program (ylp) student contents I information Concerning Recruitment of Students

1 Number of Scholarship Recipients･･･････････････････････････････････････････････････････1

2 Eligibility Requirements and Application Procedures･････････････････････････････････1

3 Notice Period and Method･････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････1

4 Acceptance of Application Forms･･･････････････････････････････････････････････････････1

(1) The language used and the attached translations･･････････････････････････････････････････1

(2) Applications･･････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････1

(3) Reasons for applying and future plans･････････････････････････････････････････････････2

(4) Transcript of last attended institution･･････････････････････････････････････････････････2

(5) Certificate of graduation (Please attach an English translation) ････････････････････････････2

(6) Medical certificate･････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････2

(7) Incomplete application forms････････････････････････････････････････････････････････2

5 Conditions for Recruitment････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････2

6 Applicants Staying in Japan････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････2

7 Applicant Who Has Already Been to Japan････････････････････････････････････････････････2

II Selection Outline

1. 
   Method of Screening･････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････3
   

1 First Screening･･････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････5

2 Second Screening････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････5

3 Announcement of Results･･････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････5

4 No Change of Assigned University･･････････････････････････････････････････････････････5

5 Waiting List････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････5

1 Visa･･･････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････5

2 Airline Ticket･･･････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････5

3 Date of Departure････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････6

4 Withdrawal or Revocation of Acceptance･････････････････････････････････････････････････6

5 Students Accompanied by Family Members･･･････････････････････････････････････････････6

6 Guidance before Departure Date････････････････････････････････････････････････････････6

VI Year-Long Schedule
I INFORMATION CONCERNING RECRUITMENT OF STUDENTS

1 Number of Scholarship Recipients

There are five different courses available to applicants, and each course will accept from 10 to 20 applicants at the maximum, for a total of around 80 students in the Program for one year.

However, due to the current severe financial situation in Japan, the number of overseas students selected for the Program and the scholarship conditions may not necessarily be in exact accordance with the conditions described in this Program Guidance.

2 Eligibility Requirements and Application Procedures

(1) Applicants must have graduated with excellent grades from a university and be able to study in Japan for one year.

(2) Applicants must meet all qualifications and requirements stated in the application requirements. Please observe the requirements strictly.

(3) The number of students accepted into this program is kept down to a minimum. All candidates for this program will be evaluated comparatively. Therefore, candidates who meet all qualifications still might not be selected. (It is also possible that none of the candidates from your institution will be selected.) Please take this point into consideration when recommending candidates.

(4) Some students in the past gave up studying in the middle of the program due to mental and physical problems. Moreover, some students require long-term treatment due to their previous contracting of infectious diseases like tuberculosis, hepatitis, typhus, malaria, dysentery, and so on. With due consideration given to the fact that the students will be staying for a long period in a country with a very different environment from that in the home country, please make very sure of the student’s medical condition (including past medical history), and try to ensure that any student with an illness requiring treatment receives such treatment before coming to Japan.

(5) Service members or civilian employees registered on the country’s active military list at the time of the grantee's arrival in Japan are not eligible.

Each institution is free to decide how to notify students about recruitment for this Scholarship. However, recruitment should be done in an effective way in order to ensure that outstanding students are selected.

Application materials may be obtained from the Embassy of Japan, or can be downloaded from the English website of MEXT (http://www.mext.go.jp/english/highered/1304786.htm).

In addition, applicants should be instructed to seek information about the accepting universities through their brochures or websites. (Please see the application materials for the relevant URLs.)

Applicants must observe the application period strictly and submit the necessary number of documents (including copies of documents). It should be verified whether or not all applications are completed fully and correctly and if any necessary documents are lacking. Students will be asked to make corrections to their application if problems are found. After any required corrections are made, the application forms will be accepted once again. The following matters concerning acceptance need to be considered.

(1) The language used and attached translations

Documents must be filled out or written in English. Attach an English translation if they are written in another language.

(2) Applications

a. The prescribed forms for each year must be used to apply. Please fill out the forms clearly (especially the applicant’s name) and put each application form and all other necessary documents into one envelope specified by MEXT.

b. Academic Record – In the spaces designated for:

1) elementary education

2) secondary education

3) higher education,
please write the names of the schools or institutions that the applicant attended which correspond to the Japanese education system of: 1) elementary school

2) junior/senior school

3) undergraduate/graduate university

*N.B.: Please write the exact number of years that the applicant was enrolled in each institution. If an applicant skipped a year in any school or institution, it must be mentioned.

(3) Reasons for applying and future plans

The essay concerning the applicant’s reason for applying as well as future plans after the completion of YLP should be explained concisely and concretely within three pages or so.

(4) Transcript of last attended institution

A transcript of all credited courses taken every year at the student's undergraduate or graduate university

is necessary (Neither a degree certificate nor a diploma showing what ranking the student received when the

applicant graduated will be considered as a transcript. The system of grading/evaluation should be clearly

written out on the transcript.).

(5) Certificate of graduation (Please attach an English translation)

Any of the following may be submitted: A certificate of graduation of the last attended institution, a certificate of university entrance qualification (for example, a certificate showing the student took a high school equivalency exam) and a degree certificate (may be a copy of diploma).

(6) Medical certificate

Students must use the designated form and fill out (or have the doctor fill out) all of the form. Recommending institutions must specify medical institutions for the physical examination.

Regarding previous illness, for example, tuberculosis, mental disorder, etc., please pay attention to the fact that some students become sick after coming to Japan even though they did not state any problems beforehand. Please consider this point carefully when recommending institutions for interviewing/examining applicants. If candidates are disabled and need special care, it must be mentioned in the recommendation letter.

(7) Incomplete application forms

Application forms that are not completed fully and correctly or that are lacking necessary documents will not be accepted.

If applicants cannot get the necessary documents because of the circumstances in the home country, certificates confirmed by the issuing authority, the government in their home country, or the Embassy of Japan may be used instead.

Applicants must meet all application requirements. Personal exceptions will not be admitted.

Applicants residing in their own country have first priority. However, if a student is already staying in Japan for some reason (except for those studying in Japan privately) and wishes to apply for this program, the applicant can be included if the recommending institution decides to choose the applicant as a candidate.

Applicants who have been to Japan and caused problems in the past should not be recommended as candidates.

Each recommending institution is free to choose the candidates it wishes to but is asked to examine accurately each applicant’s English ability, personality, reasons for applying, etc.

Candidates must meet the following criteria along with the required qualifications.

(1) Candidates must have excellent grades and have the ability to study in their desired field.

(2) Candidates must be physically and mentally healthy.

(The students who have developed symptoms of mental problems, malaria, tuberculosis, diabetes, hepatitis, etc., after coming to Japan have usually suffered from the same disease in the past. Please take this into consideration.)

(3) Candidates must have a verifiable identity.

(4) Candidates must be able to easily adapt to a new environment and a different culture.

(5) Candidates must have a rich international cultural understanding.

(6) Candidates must not have Japanese nationality or dual nationality between his/her country and Japan.

(7) Candidates must not be a service member or a civilian employee registered on his/her country’s active military list.

Please do not recommend students who:

・are already enrolled in a Japanese university privately.

・will obviously have difficulty in continuing their studies for the required period of time after coming to Japan (for example, those who have to do military service, those who are pregnant, etc.).

III RECOMMENDATION OUTLINE
The recommendation letter by each recommending institution should include detailed comments on the applicant's personality, learning ability, eagerness to study in Japan and learn Japanese, experience of studying abroad, etc.

Recommending institutions must submit all the necessary documents to MEXT through the Embassy of Japan/Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

* N.B.:

2 Please insert all necessary application form documents with photographs into one envelope specified by MEXT for each candidate. Please insert copies of the proof certificates with the original copies in one application form.

3 For the application material, candidates are requested to number the documents in the upper right-hand corner. In case this is not done by the candidate, the recommending institution should number the documents accordingly.

Deadline for recommendations

The nomination of candidates to MEXT should be made by the recommending institution by the date specified by the Embassy of Japan. It is the responsibility of the recommending institution to ensure that all necessary documents listed above are provided by the deadline.

It is preferred that all the necessary documents for every candidate are submitted to the Embassy of Japan all together. In case some of the necessary documents are lacking for a candidate and need to be submitted later, please make sure to confirm the deadline with the diplomatic mission. If the document is not submitted by the deadline, or cannot be expected to be ready, the case will be treated as “unaccepted” (not possible to nominate).

IV SELECTION AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF RESULT
1 First Screening

The candidates who are recommended by each recommending institution are selected by the accepting universities in the First Screening. The selection will be based on the submitted documents and an interview to be held in the home country. If a face-to-face interview is impossible, the interview will be conducted by telephone. Accepting universities will recommend candidates to the YLP committee established in MEXT, based on the results of the First Screening.

2 Second Screening

The YLP committee conducts the Second Screening.

The results of the Second Screening will be notified to each recommending institution through the Embassy of Japan and the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

When the number of successful candidates is less than the fixed number because of offer declines etc., it will be possible to select from the Waiting List successful candidates who were selected beforehand at the Second Screening by the YLP committee.

However, please note that the YLP committee will not choose any more candidates as alternates after the Second Screening.
V PROCEDURES AFTER SELECTION
Many cases have occurred in which selected students experienced various problems after coming to

Japan because of their lack of knowledge or misunderstanding of procedures. Please pay particular attention to the following points.

Japanese Government Scholarship students must obtain a "College Student" visa in his/her home

country based on the instructions from the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

2 Airline Ticket

(1) Each grantee will be provided, according to his/her itinerary and route as designated by MEXT, with an economy class airline ticket from the international airport closest to his/her place of residence to Narita International Airport (or following the route normally used by the university where the grantee is placed). A change in the departing airport due to a change of address will not be permitted.

(2) The airline ticket sent by MEXT has a fixed date and flight number. Stopping for visits to

relatives or friends, sightseeing, research or visits for study, etc., on the way to Japan are not permitted.

(3) The departure date and flight are fixed due to hotel arrangements at a stopover location, flight

transfer circumstances, arrival procedures, and residency arrangements. Therefore, changes of the ticket date made by the applicant in the home country will not be permitted.

(4) The airline ticket sent by MEXT to the grantee may not be transferred to another person, nor can it

be exchanged for money. Furthermore, MEXT is only responsible for supplying grantees with an airline ticket and will not pay for costs associated with excess baggage, airport taxes or insurance fees.

(5) A ticket will only be provided for the grantee. Family members or others who may accompany the

grantee to Japan will not receive any funding.

(1) The departure date, specified by the accepting university, will be two weeks or so before or after the first day of the course conducted by the accepting university.

(2) Should the grantee arrive in Japan before the arrival date specified by the university, the scholarship amount for that month will not be paid.

(3) The flight fee will not be covered for any grantee who wishes to come before the designated date set by MEXT without permission from MEXT. There will be no refund after arrival. In such case the grantee will not be considered as a student of this program at that time.

(4) Departure date and flight changes will not be permitted. However, if any change is required due to personal illness, please contact MEXT through the Embassy of Japan. In such a case, the grantee must wait for the contact from MEXT after all the procedures including residence arrangements, etc., are rescheduled. In Japan, all courses will begin right after the arrival date. In case of any arrival delay, the applicants acceptance to this program might be revoked.

(5) If the travel agency demands payment for the difference of flight fee due to any departure or flight changes and if the grantee pays at the moment of departure, no refund will be given after arrival. Therefore, when any changes occur, please always contact Japan to find out the necessary procedures before departure.

4 Withdrawal or Revocation of Acceptance

(1) If a grantee cannot arrive within the designated arrival period, it will be a great hindrance to the grantee’s education at the university as well as the research program. Therefore, the acceptance to this program will be revoked.

(2) If a grantee withdraws from the program after receiving the airline ticket, MEXT will collect it through the travel agency.

(3) If a recommending institution sends many grantees who withdraw from this program or return to their home country due to personal reasons in the middle of the program, the institution’s participation itself will be reconsidered. Therefore, when recommending applicants, please make sure applicants will not withdraw from this program for any reason.

(1) If a grantee wishes to be accompanied by his/her spouse or any other family member, the grantee must inform the accepting university before departure. If the spouse wishes to accompany the grantee, they must be informed that there will be no increase of the scholarship and traveling fee for the spouse.

(2) All entry procedures for the spouse will be completely different from those for the grantee. Therefore, please make sure to obtain a visa for the spouse before departure.

6 Guidance before Departure Date

(1) All grantees should learn as much about their accepting universities’ education systems as possible before coming to Japan. Grantees should also learn basic Japanese language necessary for daily life and about the Japanese climate, legal system, culture, and so on before departure.

(2) All grantees studying in Japan should bring appropriately $2,000 US or the equivalent thereof to cover immediate needs after arrival in Japan since the scholarship will be paid at a date somewhat after the arrival.

(3) If any personal problems occur after arrival, such matters should always be discussed with the grantee’s supervising professor first and then with the International Affairs Office at the university if necessary.

(4) Recently, there are many students who return to their home country without permission. Some must return due to mental problems. A thorough interview and orientation before departure is very important to prevent these unauthorized returns from happening. However, if an unfortunate occurrence should arise in the home country due to an accident while the grantee is studying abroad, measures will be taken to ensure fast contact with family members of the student and appropriate authorities in the home country based on directions from the Japanese side. All problems should be dealt with through close contact between Japan and the student’s home country. All circumstances and results concerning such matters should be reported to the accepting university and MEXT.

(5) The JASSO provides a general complimentary pamphlet "Student Guide to Japan."

(http://www.jasso.go.jp/study_j/sgtj.html)

VI YEAR-LONG SCHEDULE
2015

July. Sending of application forms

By Oct.30th Recommendation of candidates by recommending institution,

Documents to be submitted

Early Nov. First Screening by accepting institutions
2016

March. Second Screening (Conducted by the YLP Committee in MEXT)

April. Announcement of results

Aug.-Sept. Airline tickets to be sent