Japan opens scholarships for Pinoy undergrads

Filipinos who wish to engage in policy formulation and do their post-graduate studies in Japan may now apply for a scholarship grant by the Knowledge Co-Creation Program (of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

In a statement on Sunday, the Department of Finance (DOF) said that the grant will be open for Master's and Doctorate degrees in seven universities in Japan.

This includes the National Graduate Institute for Policy (GRIPS), Waseda University, Sophia University, International University of Japan, Kyoto University, Hitotsubashi University, and the University of Tsukaba.

Those accepted under the program will be provided with a custom-made program and other support programs in Japan, round-trip airfare, books and interior researches, allowance for living expenses, outfit allowance, and moving allowance.

"Qualified applicants must either be a 'young or middle government official, or personnel from private institutions who are expected to engage in policy formulation; prospective academicians," the DOF said.

The DOF said applicants are preferably less than 40 years of age, but those who are over 40 will be subject to discussion.

They must at least have a Bachelor's degree and have competent English language skills, both in written and oral communication.

They must also have a TOEFL iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-based test) score of 79 or higher, and an IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score of 6.0 or higher.

The submission of applications will be through the DOF, with the deadline set on January 26, 2018.

So far, the DOF said it has already received 15 applications for the scholarship program. —Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/LBG, GMA News