APPLICATION GUIDELINES
Master’s Program, Department of Dryland Science
Graduate School of Sustainability Science, Tottori University
Special Program in Dryland Agricultural Sciences with Reference to SDGs for 2020
The Department of Dryland Science of the Graduate School of Sustainability Science, Tottori
University (Special Program in Dryland Agricultural Sciences with Reference to SDGs) has createdthe following application for international students who wish to study dryland agriculture under theJapanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program.
I. PURPOSE OF THE SPECIAL PROGRAM
The Special Program in Dryland Agricultural Sciences with Reference to SDGs cultivates humanresources capable of contributing to the country’s development under our educational research systemfrom agriculture and environmental conservation in drylands to the regional developments basedon SDGs.
II. OUTLINE OF THE CURRICULUM
The students of this program belong to the Special Program in English of the Department of Dryland
Science (a two-year Master’s program). They must earn at least 30 credit unites, complete
the Master’s thesis and pass the thesis evaluation and the final examination to obtain Master ofAgriculture or Master of Science.
All of the lectures as well as research guidance from faculty members are provided in English.
III. FIELDS OF STUDY AND NUMBER OF STUDENTS TO BE ADMITTED
1. Fields of Study
Each applicant must select his/her field of study and primary supervisor from the List of Fields ofEducation and Research.
2. Number of Students to be admitted
MEXT Scholarship students by university recommendation - Three students
IV. QUALIFICATIONS AND CONDITION
1. Eligibility
MEXT scholarship applicants who have academic ability equal or superior to that of a Japanese
university graduate and who can start their overseas study in Japan.
2. Nationality
Applicants under MEXT Scholarship must have the nationality of a country which has diplomatic
relations with the Japanese government.
3. AgeApplicants under the MEXT Scholarship must have been born on or after April 2, 1985.

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4. Arrival in Japan
Applicants under MEXT Scholarship must be able to arrive in Japan from October 1 to 7, 2020.
5. Academic Background
Applicants must meet any one of the following criteria.
(1) Graduated or expected to graduate from a four-year university program on or before the end ofSeptember 2020.
(2) Awarded or expected to be awarded a bachelor’s degree by the National Institution for Academic
Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education following the School Education Law
Article 104 Clause 4 on or before the end of September 2020.
(3) Have finished or expected to finish 16 years of formal education in a foreign country on or before
the end of September 2020.
(4) Have finished or expected to finish 16 years of formal education of a foreign country on or before
the end of September 2020 by completing Correspondence Education courses provided by thecountry in questions while residing in Japan.
(5) Have finished or expected to complete a program provided by an educational institution whichowns degree programs offered in foreign countries (only the program that grants the diploma for
16 years of formal education in the said foreign country) which is also recognized as a formal
educational institution in the said county while authorized by the Minister of Education, Culture,Sports, Science and Technology on or before the end of September 2020.
(6) Have been awarded or expected to be awarded a degree equivalent to bachelor’s by completing
program duration of which is more than 3 years (includes the case of finishing 16 years of formal
education of a foreign country by completing Correspondence Education courses provided by thecountry in question while residing in Japan, and the case of obtaining degree specified by when
graduating from an educational institution recognized by the foreign country in question) at auniversity or other form of school in a foreign country (limited to the institutions with theireducational quality such as education and research activities recognized by the evaluators
approved by the government of the foreign country in question or other relevant authorities, orinstitutions specifically recognized by its equivalent by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports,Science and Technology) on or before the end of September 2020.
(7) Have finished upper-level course of a specialized training college (limited to the course durationof which is more than 4 years and meets other requirements provided by the Minister of Education,Culture, Sports, Science and Technology), which is specially approved by the Minister ofEducation, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, after the date provided by the Minister ofEducation, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology or be expected to finish above mentioned
course before the end of September 2020.
(8) Specially recommended by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology(Public notice Item 5 by Ministry of Education in 1953)(9) Reach or have reached 22 years old on or before the end of September 2020 whose2

qualification is recognized to be equivalent or higher than those who graduated from a four year
university program by individual qualification evaluation at the Graduate School of Sustainability
Science(10) Admitted to a graduate school by the School Education Law Article 102 Clause 2, and one’s
academic performance is recognized to be suitable for the Graduate School of Sustainability
Science.
Applicants who are applying under (9) or (10) category must get an application form forqualification evaluation from their prospective primary supervisors to take qualification evaluation
before application. The form should be submitted no later than January 27, 2020. The result ofevaluation will be announced by January 31, 2020.
6. HealthApplicants have no physical or mental conditions hindering the applicant’s study at the university.
7. Language Proficiency
Since the research guidance etc. is conducted in English, applicants must have the English ability.
8. Notes(1) Those who meet any one of the following conditions are ineligible. If identified ineligible after
being selected as a scholarship student, he /she must withdraw from the scholarship.
1) Those who are military personnel or military civilian employees at the time of their arrival in Japan.
2) Those who cannot arrive in Japan by the date the host university designated.
3) Those who are grantees of the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship in the past and have
not had at least three (3) years of research or teaching experience at the time of adopting the newscholarship after the completion of their previous scholarship.
This condition does not apply to former “Japanese-studies” Scholarship students who graduatedfrom their universities after returning to home country, and the students under “Japan-Korea
Joint Government Scholarship Program for the Students in Science and EngineeringDepartments” and “Young Leaders Program”.
4) Those who concurrently apply for other Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship program,
such as “Teacher Training Students” etc.
5) Those who are already enrolled in a Japanese university, etc. under the "Student" visa, or whoare enrolled or plan to be enrolled in a Japanese university, etc. as a privately-financed
international student from the time of application to the start of receiving this scholarship.
However, this condition does not apply to privately-financed international students studying inJapan who have completed their studies and will return to their home county before the start ofreceiving the scholarship.
6) Those who plan to receive the Japanese Government (MEXT) or the Japan Student Services
Organization (JASSO) or private (including any governmental organization of his/her owncountry) scholarships.

37) Those who are expected to graduate and, cannot satisfy the qualifications and the conditions ofacademic background by the designated date.
8) Applicants of dual nationality who cannot prove their expatriation of the Japanese nationality at
the time of application.
9) Those who wish to conduct fieldwork or participate in an internship outside of Japan at the timeof application.
(2) Applicants who are willing to proceed to the doctoral course of Tottori University are preferred.
However, regardless of their will, those who could not finish their master's course with high marks
cannot proceed to the doctoral course.
V. APPLICATION PROCEDURE
1. Application PeriodApplicants must submit the following documents during the period of February 3 to February 21,
2020. All documents must be sent by registered mail to the prospective primary supervisor.
2. Application Documents(1) Application Form for The Special Program in Dryland Agricultural Sciences with Reference toSDGs, 2020 [For MEXT Scholarship Applicants]【a prescribed form】(2) Application Form for JAPANESE GOVERNMENT (MEXT) SCHOLARSHIP※Two-side printing 【a prescribed form】(3) Field of Study and Research Plan【a prescribed form】(4) CERTIFICATE OF HEALTH completed by the examining physician within six months of theapplication date(5) A Written Pledge【a prescribed form】(6) Certified grade transcript from the last university attended(7) Graduation certificate or degree certificate of the last university attended(8) A copy of certificate of citizenship such as passport or certificate of family register(9) Recommendation letter from the dean of the applicant's university or graduate school addressedto the President of Tottori University(10) Personal recommendation letter (A recommendation letter from an applicant’s supervisor of
his/her under-graduate program)(11) Three copies of passport size photographs (4.5 x 3.5 cm), upper body part taken from the rightfront, without hats/caps within 6 months of the application date with the applicant’s name andnationality on the reverse side. (They must be pasted on the designated places on the applicationforms).
(12) A letter clearly describing the applicant’s academic performance at the last university attended
such as being in the top 5% or absolute rank in the class including the total number of students inthe class, GPA, etc.
(13) Thesis for Bachelor degree etc.
1) A copy of thesis for Bachelor degree if an applicant has written a thesis.

42) A research progress report if he/she is still at university.
3) A reprint of his/her published paper or copy of manuscripts submitted to journals.
4) Summary of items 1) and 3).
(14) Copy(ies) of a record of English proficiency test such as TOEFL iBT, TOEIC L&R/TOEIC
S&W, IELTS,GTEC, University of Cambridge ESOL, TEAP,TEAP CBT, The EIKEN Test in
Practical English Proficiency.
The applicant planning to submit a score sheet proving his/her English ability other than theabove documents must consult with the Academic Affairs Section of Faculty of Agriculture before
his/her application.
3. Notes(1) Applicants must participate in an oral examination using Internet etc. The examination will be
conducted during the period of February 3 to February 21, 2020.
(2) The above documents should either be typewritten or printed neatly in English or Japaneseon A4 size sheets of paper.
(3) Applications will not be accepted unless all documents mentioned above are fully andcorrectly completed and delivered to Tottori University by February 21, 2020.
(4) Applicants must select their prospective primary supervisor from the List of Fieldsof Education and Research. Applications without nominated a professor as primary supervisor
will not be accepted.
(5) Applicants must contact their prospective primary supervisor and secondary supervisors inadvance during preparation of application documents.
(6) Applicant’s English proficiency will be evaluated based on the submitted documents.
(7) The recommendation letter and personal recommendation letter must include the writer'sassessment of the applicant's English proficiency within the categories of Excellent, Good, orPoor.
(8) The submitted documents will not be returned.
4. Scholarship Benefits(1) The amount of payment is 144,000 yen per month.
(2) The period of scholarship is from October 2020 until the end of March 2022.
(3) Traveling Expenses:
1) Transportation to Japan: Each grantee will be supplied in general, according to his/her itinerary
and route as designated by MEXT, with an economy-class airplane ticket from the international
airport nearest to his/her home address to the New Tokyo (Narita) International Airport or any
other international airport that the assigned university usually uses. Expenses such as domestictransportation from his/her home address to the international airport, airport tax, airport usage
fees, special taxes on travel, or travel expenses within Japan will NOT be supplied.
2) Transportation from Japan: The grantee who returns to his/her home country within the fixed
period after the expiration of his/her scholarship will be supplied, in general, upon application,with an economy-class airplane ticket for the travel from the New Tokyo (Narita) International5Airport (or any other international airport that the assigned university uses as a normal route) tothe international airport nearest to his/her home address.
(Note 1) Insurance premiums for travel to/from Japan shall be borne by the grantee.
(Note 2) If a grantee continues to stay in Japan after the scholarship period has ended, he/she will
not be paid travel expenses to return home as the temporary return.
(4) School fees including application fee, admission fee and tuition fee will not be charged.
(5) Students of Tottori University are required to be covered by the Personal Accident Insurance forStudents Pursuing Education and Research (“Gakkensai”) and the Comprehensive Insurance forStudents Lives Coupled with PAS for International Students(“Insurance for InternationalStudents”).
[Compensation contents and Insurance premiums]
1) Gakkensai：This is an accident insurance which covers injuries occurred as a result of a sudden
accident while insured students are participating in regular or extracurricular activities, being on
campus, or commuting to school.
Insurance premiums (2 years): 1,750 yen
Department in charge: Health Science Center (E-mail: hokekan-jimu@ml.adm.tottori-u.ac.jp)
2) Insurance for International Students (Type B)：This insurance covers (1) in case of causing
injury to another person or damaging the property of others, (2) compensate for the payment oftransportation and accommodation expenses in case family members come to Japan to support
the insured if he/she is hospitalized due to injury or illness for more than 3 days. (Unlike"Gakkensai", there is no restriction on time and place)
Insurance premiums (2 years): 3,260 yen
Department in charge: International Affairs Division (E-mail: kokuko-gaku@adm.tottori-u.ac.jp)
For more details, please contact each department.
(6) Payment of the scholarship will be stopped for the reasons given below. Should any of thefollowing reasons apply, the grantee may be ordered to return a part of, or all of, the scholarship
paid up to that time.
1) If any of his/her application documents is found to be falsely stated
2) If he/she is in breach of his/her pledge made to the Minister of MEXT
3) If he/she violates Japan’s laws and regulations and is sentenced to imprisonment of more thanone year
4) If he/she is subjected to disciplinary action such as expulsion or removal from register by
his/her university (The scholarship payment may be stopped during the period up until
punishment is decided by the university)5) If it becomes definitive that the grantee will not be able to graduate (or complete his/hercourse) within the standard course term because of his/her poor academic achievement orsuspension or leaving school6) If his/her resident status of “Student” as provided for in Paragraph 1-4 of Appendix to theImmigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act changes to any other status67) If he/she is provided with another scholarship (except for a scholarship designated forresearch expenses)
8) If he/she proceeds to a higher level of education without receiving approval for an extensionof the term of the scholarship
9) If he/she withdraws from Tottori University or transfers to another university
5. Screening Procedures etc.
(1) Applicant Screening
1) Applicant screening will be made based on submitted documents.
2) Candidates recommended by Tottori University will be evaluated by MEXT. MEXT will
notify the result to Tottori University after scholarship recipients are determined.
(2) Announcement of Successful Applicants
Based on the determination by MEXT, Tottori University will send the Certificate ofAcceptance to each successful applicant by the beginning of August.
VI. NOTES
1. Upon enrollment, the new students are advised to become well informed about Japanese climate,customs, manners, and other cultural aspects in general before coming to Japan. It is strongly
advisable that they study Japanese language. Knowledge of the Japanese language is very helpfulin Japan.
2. If identified false statements in the submitted documents, admission shall be canceled even afterenrolling in the graduate school.

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