Students who wish to study at Hokkaido University are required to have sufficient financial resources because most of the scholarships are intended for international students studying at universities in Japan. Scholarships where you can apply from abroad before coming to Japan are very few.
Scholarship Application Before Arrival in Japan
For scholarships opportunities prior to enrollment, the following scholarships are applicable. Please note that each scholarship has different criteria and application procedures, therefore, please check carefully its eligibility and application process.
Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship
+++ Scholarship Benefits +++
Allowance
The amount of allowance will be subject to change depending upon the annual budget of the Japanese government for each fiscal year.
For Fiscal year 2021;
Master’s course – 144,000 yen per month for 2 years*
Doctoral course – 145,000 yen per month for 3 years*
*Period to complete the regular course (standard course term)
Traveling Costs
One round-trip ticket between the international airport nearest to grantee’s home address and the international airport (e.g. New Chitose Airport in Sapporo) that the accepting university usually uses.
School Fees
Fees for examination, admission and tuition at the university will be paid by the Japanese government or the accepting university.
+++ Application +++
- University Recommendation
For application, you have to receive a recommendation from the accepting university. If you want to apply for MEXT scholarship, you have to contact faculty members at the Graduate School of Agriculture 1.5-1 year prior to your admission (The sooner is the better!). Please note that this scholarship is for international students who start their study in October. You will receive the official application form for MEXT from your prospective supervisor after you get his/her consent of acceptance. For more details about the application procedure, please refer Application Procedure.
—University Recommendation
You can apply for the MEXT scholarship under the university recommendation. As only a few applicants among tens of applicants will be recommended by Hokkaido University as a candidate to MEXT, the selection process is very competitive. - Embassy Recommendation
For application, you have to receive a recommendation to MEXT from the Japanese Embassy or Consular Office in your country. To receive a recommendation, you need to pass a primary screening conducted by the local embassy with cooperation from your country’s government. For more details, please consult your local Japanese Embassy or Consular Office.
+++ Eligibility +++
Please refer Qualification Requirements.
Monbukagakusho (MEXT) Honors Scholarship for Privately Financed International Students
+++ Scholarship Benefits +++
48,000 yen per month for 6 months (for October entrants) or 12 months (for April entrants)
+++ Application +++
The Special Program will recommend students who have applied for the special program (Master’s course/ Doctoral course) as candidates.
+++ Eligibility +++
-A student who enrolls in the Master’s or Doctoral course after the research student period cannot apply for this scholarship.
-A Student who receives more than 48,000 yen/month scholarship by another foundation cannot apply for this scholarship.
-The amount a Student receives from the supporter (family member etc.) as the allowance for the life in Japan should be under average 90,000 yen/month (exclude admission & tuition fee).
-If a student has a supporter in Japan, the supporter’s annual income should be under 5,000,000 yen.
Other Scholarships
The website operated by Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) provides the information on what kind of scholarships available to international students. These are scholarships for which the applicant submits an application directly to the sponsoring organization.
Scholarship Application After Arrival in Japan
If you would like to apply for scholarships after admission in the Master’s course or the Doctoral course, you have to register as candidate for “Scholarships applied for through Hokkaido University”. Once registered, you can search for scholarships on the website of International Student Center, Hokkaido University and apply for them. For details, please refer Scholarship Information for Students Registered as Candidates.
Financial Support
Admission and Tuition Fees Exemption
If you are a self-supported regular (Master’s or Doctoral) student and are unable to pay your admission or/and tuition fees and have excellent grades, there is a system that can exempt your admission and/or tuition fees.
Although the application for an exemption is open to all students, there is a limit to the number of exemptions granted.
