Shinshu University will conduct the selection process and make recommendations to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). Most applicants are international students from overseas universities that have concluded inter-university or inter-departmental student exchange agreements, or from research institutes that are engaged in joint research exchanges.
Applications are solicited through each department around November of the year before students are scheduled to begin their studies. After screening, candidates are recommended by Shinshu University, and after a selection committee meeting at MEXT, the successful candidates are decided around the end of June. Acceptance is only in October.
Candidates who wish to be recommended by the university should follow the procedure below to contact their academic advisor.
1）Finding a faculty advisor
Consider the area you want to research and use the links below to find a supervisor.
Faculty members' email addresses can usually be found on SOAR.
・Shinshu University Researcher Directory (SOAR).
http://www.shinshu-u.ac.jp/soar/english/
・Research Activity Brochure
/english/about/publications.html
2）Confirm if the faculty advisor's laboratory can accept you.
Send the following information to the faculty advisor of your choice by e-mail to confirm that he/she is willing to accept you.
1.Name
2.Nationality
3.Current university or company name
4.Field of study and study program
5.Academic transcript for all academic year of university attended
6.Certification of graduation or degree certificate of the university attended
7.Abstract of theses (if applicable)
8.Certificate of Language Proficiency (if obtained)
If a faculty member is already accepting many students, he/she may not be able to accept you even if your field of study matches his/hers.
Even if you find a faculty advisor and obtain his/her informal consent, it does not mean that you are eligible for the Japanese Government Scholarship.
The application period differs depending on the graduate school, so please contact your academic advisor as soon as possible.
3）Prepare the necessary documents for university recommendation.
Please note that you do not have much time to submit the documents after you have been selected as a recommender.
↓ Find a supervisor by November and discuss research plans, etc.
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November The MEXT makes an announcement on the recruitment of MEXT Scholarship students.
Prepare and submit application documents in accordance with your supervisor's instructions.
Candidate selection within faculties.
Candidate selection within Shinshu University.
March Recommendation from Shinshu University to the MEXT.
June The MEXT determines the scholarship recipients.
September Travel to Japan
October Enrol at Shinshu University
If you have any questions, please ask at the following email address:
gecschlr[at]shinshu-u.ac.jp
When making inquiries, please be sure to inform us that you are an applicant for the Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho) Scholarship for International Students and have passed the first screening at your embassy.
1. You wish to obtain admission as a graduate student or research student at Shinshu University or informal acceptance as a research student.
When making an inquiry, please provide us with the following information so that we can respond as accurately as possible.
1. Name
2. Nationality
3. Current university or company name
4. Field of study and study program
5. Desired academic supervisor
6. Desired course for enrollment (research student, master's course, doctoral course)
7. Contact details (e-mail, telephone number)
※Note: Please tell us the most up-to-date information.
2. The documents that must be submitted to us are those which were submitted to the Japanese Embassy or Consulate Offices.
① Application form
② Field of study and research plan
③ Academic transcript for all academic year of university attended
④ Certification of graduation or degree certificate of the university attended
⑤ Recommendation letter from the president/dean or the academic advisor at the current or last university attended
⑥ Medical certificate
⑦ Abstract of theses (if applicable)
⑧ Certificate of language proficiency(if applicable)
⑨ Recommendation letter from the present employer(if applicable)
⑩ Photographs showing applicant's own works of art or a digitally recorded media of musical performance(if applicable)
⑪ Preliminary examination certificate issued by the Japanese Embassy/Consulate General
And other documents requested by the graduate school. You should submit the documents to the address designated by the office in charge of international research students at the graduate school you wish to enter.
3. Referrals
Shinshu University Center for Global Education and Collaboration
email： gecschlr[at]shinshu-u.ac.jp
4. Acceptance Period
Friday, September 1, 2025
*Some graduate schools may take some time to issue acceptance letters, so please contact them as soon as possible after acceptance.
*In some cases, you may not be accepted at the laboratory of your choice.
Before contacting us, please carefully read the following information on how to gather information in advance.
Please gather sufficient information in advance to determine whether there is a faculty member at Shinshu University whom you would like to receive guidance that meets your objectives and research plans, and which graduate school the faculty member belongs to. We recommend that you carefully consider this information so that you do not end up finding that the content of your research plan is not what you had hoped for after enrolling in the program.
To find out about the research fields of Shinshu University faculty members, please refer to the Shinshu University Researcher Directory (SOAR). This list of researchers belonging to Shinshu University introduces their fields of specialization, research content, and courses they teach. You can search by affiliation or name, or by keywords. If the e-mail address of a faculty member you wish to contact is not listed, please contact us.
If they are already accepting many students, they may not be able to accept you even if your research field matches theirs. Please be aware of this.
Shinshu University's Scholars Directory (Shinshu University Online system of General Academic Resources：SOAR).
http://www.shinshu-u.ac.jp/soar/english/
The following brochures are also useful for finding out about research areas and researchers at Shinshu University.
・Research Activity Brochure /english/about/publications.html
]]>Applications and initial selection for scholarships are made by each faculty to which students belong. The president of the university makes the final decision on scholarship recipients.
The fund provides financial support to students who have difficulty in studying due to financial reasons, through partial financial aid and scholarships.
This scholarship provides partial support for tuition and other expenses for outstanding students who are enrolled in the second year of a master's program at Shinshu University and who wish to continue on to a doctoral program at Shinshu University.
We provide financial support for overseas activities (study abroad, internships, volunteer activities, etc.) to motivate students to broaden their perspectives in the international community and to improve their international competence.
We provide support for living expenses and other expenses in Japan for motivated and talented international regular students enrolled at Shinshu University.
See the following page for details (Japanese only).
Shinshu University Chi No Mori Fund
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1. how to apply
There are two ways to apply for the Privately Financed International Student Scholarship.
(1) University Recommendation
The university recommends candidates selected through an internal selection process to the respective foundation.
(2) Direct application
Students themselves apply directly to each foundation.
2. application process
(1) University Recommendation
Please apply through the office of the faculty or graduate school to which you belong.
(2) Direct application
Students are required to apply directly to the foundation. Please refer to the "Notes on Scholarship Applications" for general information on how to apply.
3.Scholarship Information
・Scholarships range from 30,000 yen to 200,000 yen per month.
・Eligibility and number of applicants vary depending on the scholarship.
・Most of the application notices sent to universities are to be applied for after enrollment.
・Some foundations do not allow applicants to apply for scholarships in combination with other scholarships.
・Some foundations place more emphasis on Japanese language skills, such as essays and interviews.
Japanese website: Scholarship Information
Since most of the application guidelines from foundations are only available in Japanese, they are posted on the Japanese website only.
Be sure to check the detailed requirements for each scholarship.
4. contact for inquiries
For inquiries, please contact the office in charge of international students at your faculty/graduate school.