Applications are open for the Young Leaders’ Program (YLP) for the 2023-2024 academic year. These scholarships are available for international students to pursue a master’s program in the field of Public Administration/Public Policy, Local Governance, Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, and Law from October 2023 in Japan.

The Young Leaders’ Program (YLP) aims to contribute to cultivate future national leaders in Asian and other countries, to contribute to establishing friendly relationships among various countries, and improving policy planning activities by forming a network among national leaders through deepening their understanding of Japan.

Launched in 2001 by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) of the Government of Japan, the Young Leaders’ Program (YLP) is a yearlong academic program that aims to prepare and empower young professionals from all over the world for future leadership roles in their respective fields.

Brief Description

• University or Organization: The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology
• Department: NA
• Course Level: Master program
• Award: Varies
• Access Mode: Online
• Number of Awards: 20
• Nationality: International Students
• The program can be taken in Japan
• Application Deadline: The deadline for the applications differs according to the country. Please contact with Japanese embassy or consulate general in your country.

Eligibility

• Nationality: Applicant must be nationals of countries eligible for the YLP (School of Government). An applicant
  who has Japanese nationality at the time of application is not eligible.
• Age: Applicants must be, in principle, under 40 years of age as of October 1, 2023(i.e. born on or after October
  2, 1983).
•  Academic Background: Applicants must hold a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent from a recognized/accredited
  university or college, and have achieved excellent academic performance.
•  Work Experience: At least 3 years of full-time work experience in total as of October 1, 2023 in public
  administration (preferably 5 years or more).
• Nationality: School of Government Course: P. R. China, Rep. of Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey,  School of Local Governance Course:P. R. China, Rep. of Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Viet Nam, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan, Turkey, Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania (20 Countries),  School of  Healthcare Administration: Participants are selected from the countries listed below. They should be young public administrators in healthcare and allied sectors who are expected to play active roles as future national leaders in their respective countries. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Vietnam (13 countries in alphabetical order,  School of Business Administration: Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, P. R. China, Rep. of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam, and  YLP Law: P. R. China, Rep. of Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Viet Nam, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, Mongolia, Singapore, India, Rep. of South Africa and Turkey.

Masters Scholarships

 

How to apply

• How to Apply: All YLP applications must be made through the specific recommending authorities for each course. Applicants must submit the following documents to their recommending authorities by the designated date.
• Supporting Documents: To apply, supporting documents to be prepared solely by the applicant, should be typed on a computer wherever possible (A4 size paper and single-sided printing are preferable). If circumstances require, documents legibly handwritten with a pen or a ballpoint pen are acceptable.
  If your name as written in your application is different from that on the document(s) you submit, and if there is some
  reason (e.g. marriage) for the difference, please submit official documentation of that reason (e.g. marriage
  certificate).
  Digital copies sent by e-mail will not be accepted.
  Do not attach any additional documents apart from the items listed below.
  Number the documents from ? to ? (the items numbered in the list below) in the upper right corner of each
  document.
• Admission Requirements: To apply for the program applicants must have a minimum TOEFL iBT score of 79, an IELTS Academic score of 6.0 or equivalent.
• Language Requirements: Applicants from outside the home country will often need to meet specific English language/other language requirements in order to be able to study there.

Benefits

(1) Allowance: 242,000 yen per month. Due to the situation of the Japanese Government’s budget, the amount of
payment may be subject to change each fiscal year. The scholarship will not be paid to a grantee who is long
absent from the assigned university.
(2) Traveling Costs:
? Transportation to Japan: In principle, MEXT stipulates the travel schedule and route, and provides an
economy-class airline ticket from the international airport nearest to his/her home address (in principle, the
country of nationality) to Narita or Haneda International Airport. The grantee shall bear at his/her own
expense all costs related to domestic travel from his/her home address to the nearest international airport,
airport taxes, airport usage fees, special taxes necessary for travel, travel expenses within Japan (including
airline transit costs), travel insurance expenses, carry-on luggage or unaccompanied baggage expenses, etc.
The present address in the country of the grantee’s nationality stated in the application form is in principle
regarded as the recipient’s “home address”. If, however, the address stated in the application form will be
changed at the time of leaving from his/her country, the changed address will be regarded as the “home
address”.
? Transportation from Japan: Based on the application by the grantee, MEXT will provide an airline ticket to
grantees who shall graduate the accepting university and return to the home country by the end of the final
month of the period of scholarship (See “3. Period of Scholarship”) designated by MEXT. MEXT, in
principle, shall provide an economy-class airline ticket from Narita or Haneda International Airport to the
international airport (in principle, in the country of nationality) nearest to the returning grantee’s residence.
The grantee shall bear at his/her own expense all costs related to travel from the grantee’s residence in Japan
to Narita or Haneda international airport, airport taxes, airport usage fees, special taxes necessary for travel,
travel expenses within the country of nationality (including airline transit costs), travel insurance expenses,
carry-on luggage or unaccompanied baggage expenses, etc.
(3) Education Fees: Fees for entrance examination, matriculation and tuition will be paid by MEXT.
(4) Accommodations:
In principle, grantees may reside at residence halls provided by GRIPS, which plans to arrange TIEC (Tokyo
International Exchange Center Residence Hall). Kindly be noted (a) spouse, (b) spouse and child/children,
are allowed to live with grantees due to TIEC policy

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