Students from the Republic of Moldova can benefit from a scholarship to study at universities in Japan through the agency of the Japanese Government Scholarship Program for 2024. Applications can be submitted to the Embassy of Japan in Moldova, physically, until February 15, 2024, IPN reports.

Under the application guidelines, applicants must have the nationality of a country that has diplomatic relations with Japan. An applicant who has Japanese nationality at the time of application is not eligible. However, persons with dual nationality who hold Japanese nationality and whose place of residence at the time of application is outside of Japan are eligible to apply as long as they choose the nationality of the other country and renounce their Japanese nationality by the date of their arrival in Japan (acquisition of student status).

In principle, applicants must be born between April 2, 1994 and April 1, 2006. Exceptions are limited to cases in which MEXT deems that the applicant could not apply within the eligible age limit due to the situation or circumstances of the applicant’s country (military service obligation, loss of educational opportunities due to disturbances of war, etc.). Personal circumstances (financial situation, family circumstances, state of health, circumstances related to applicant’s university or place of employment, etc.) will not be considered for exceptions.

Applicants must be undergraduates at foreign (non-Japanese) universities at the time of arriving in and leaving Japan; must major in fields related to the Japanese language and/or Japanese culture. Therefore, those who are majoring in fields of study other than Japanese language and culture and pursuing complementary studies on Japan (such as engineering, economics, agricultural science, architecture, and art) are ineligible. Applicants must have Japanese language ability sufficient for receiving education at a Japanese university in Japan.

According to a press release of the Embassy of Japan in Moldova, the file containing the application, a health certificate and a letter of recommendation should be submitted to: Embassy of Japan in Moldova, National Business Center 5F, 73/1, Stefan cel Mare Blvd. Chisinau, MD-2001 (Application for MEXT scholarship). The Embassy of Japan will not accept applications sent by e-mail.

The Embassy screens all application documents, and then invites applicants who pass the document screening to take a written examination. The Embassy of Japan in Moldova plans to hold written examination on February 28, 2024.and interview on March 1, 2024.