Research Student, Foreign Special Research Student, and MEXT Scholarship Student

Research Student

This system allows students to enroll in a graduate school of Sophia University for the purpose of receiving research guidance in a specific field. Students may audit courses, but cannot earn degrees or credits.

Research Student and Foreign Special Research Student

The research student system has two types of statuses: research student and foreign special research student. Each has different application qualifications, etc. , but in both cases, a research theme must be decided at the time of application. If accepted, the student will be assigned a faculty advisor according to the subject of his/her research and major field of study.

Please refer to the “General Information for Research Students” page on Web Piloti for the main differences between a research student and a foreign special research student and application guidelines, including application criteria.

MEXT Scholarship Student

MEXT scholarship students are international students who are accepted and enrolled in the Japanese Government scholarship provided by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). This program offers several different types of scholarships, but only embassy-recommended scholarships are available for applicants living abroad who wish to study in Japan.

MEXT Scholarship for International Students

This scholarship is provided by the Japanese government’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. There are several different types of government-sponsored scholarships, but Sophia University only offers embassy-recommended scholarships to applicants living abroad who wish to study in Japan.

Normally, international students selected through the Japanese Government Scholarship Embassy Recommendation Program will be admitted as research students. To become a student of a regular course (Master’s or Doctoral course), you must take and pass the entrance examination of the graduate school of your choice during the period you are enrolled as a research student. The period of enrollment as a research student is 2 years (from April to March of the following year) for those enrolled from the spring semester, and 1.5 years (from September to March of the following year) for those enrolled from the fall semester.

If you wish to enroll at Sophia University as a Japanese Government (MEXT) scholarship student, please see the “Monbukagakusho (MEXT) Scholarship [Embassy Recommendation]” page on Web Piloti.

Sophia University

For Others, With Others