Starting April 2022, Sophia University establishes a new scholarship “Sophia University Graduate School Scholarship for Fostering Researchers in Doctoral Program”, intended to foster excellent researchers with outstanding research abilities to lead the research activities of Sophia University and the international development. The scholarship is provided for regular students enrolled in Doctoral Programs of Sophia University and who satisfy the requirements of the scholarship to encourage their research activities. The students will be selected based on recommendation by the affiliated Graduate Schools and Programs/Disciplines.

1.Eligible students:

Students who are recommended by the Dean of the Graduate School and who satisfy the following requirements:

1. Currently enrolled regular students who are within required residence term (excluding continuing enrollment students, readmitted students, students on full-year leave of absence)
2. Graduate School judges that the students have concrete research plans, dedicate efforts on research, and will attain satisfactory achievements for obtaining a degree.
3. Students to whom the following does not apply:

・a recipient of scholarships granted as Japanese government project (“Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship for Research Students”, “JICA acceptance of trainees by universities（JICA大学委託受入研修員）”, ”The Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship（JDS）“etc.)

・incoming students funded by foreign governments.

・a recipient of external scholarship that prohibits receiving multiple scholarships

※Students are eligible if they are recipients of other Sophia University scholarships, JSPS Research Fellow, RA, TA.

2.Scholarship amount

1. For Sophia University Graduate Schools other than Graduate School of Science and Technology: Annual amount of 300,000 yen
2. For Sophia University Graduate School of Science and Technology: Annual amount of 400,000 yen

• Scholarship payment shall be provided after entering university.
• Scholarship period shall be the required residence term (three years) as a rule. However, the approval for continuation of scholarship period will be determined by the screening for scholarship continuation held every year by the Graduate School and based on the progress of research plan.

3.Number of recipients

All students who satisfy the requirements of “1. Eligible students”.

4.Selection process

1. Scholarship candidates are students who are recommended by the Dean of Graduate School and have passed the entrance examination.（Students do not need to submit scholarship application at admission.）
2. “Notification of selected recipients” will be issued when the results of entrance examinations are announced.
3. Scholarship candidates will be confirmed as scholarship recipients only after they enroll in Doctoral Program of Sophia University Graduate School and take the specified procedures as instructed separately.(scholarship payment: May for spring new students; November for autumn new students)

5.Screening for scholarship continuation

Every year, screening for scholarship continuation is held for continuing scholarship in the next academic year.

1. “scholarship continuation”: “scholarship continuation” shall be approved for students recommended by the Dean of Graduate School based on eligibility, academic performance, and progress of research plan and achievements.
2. “suspension”: scholarship shall be “suspended” and not provided in the following year, if there is considerable delay in research plan, obvious loss of motivation, for reasons not attributable to unavoidable circumstances. The student loses rights to receive scholarship for a year (scholarship will not be provided exceeding required residence term)
3. “termination”: scholarship shall be “terminated” and not provided in the following year or thereafter, if student is subject to dismissal or suspension from university or the student shows poor demeanor inappropriate for a recipient. Further, the student may be required to give back the scholarship money retroactively.

6.Leave of absence

1. Full-year leave of absence: the scholarship payment shall be “intermitted(no payment)” for the particular year and resumed when student returns to university. If leave of absence is decided after scholarship payment has been made, student must give back the scholarship money. The scholarship will be continued for the required residence term (three years) excluding the period of leave of absence.
2. Partial leave of absence(half-year, quarter): scholarship payment for the particular year will be continued.

※In both cases, the enrollment period will be extended due to leave of absence, but scholarship payment may be made only up to three times.

7.Cancellation

• Scholarship shall be cancelled if student violates “Article 9, Sophia University Regulations for Scholarships”.
• Further, scholarship shall be cancelled if decision is made to “terminate” the scholarship by the screening for scholarship continuation or by the Graduate School.

8.Other points to note

• Student must notify promptly if any circumstances arise after scholarship payment is made that deprive the eligibility criteria.(e.g.: student receives external scholarship that prohibits receipt of multiple scholarships ⇒ Sophia University scholarship will be cancelled.)

※With the establishment of this scholarship, “Master’s to Doctoral Program Encouragement Scholarship” and “Support for Fostering Young Researchers” shall be abolished by 2021.

◎You can download the Overview of Scholarship here;

Sophia University Graduate School Scholarship for Fostering Researchers in Doctoral Program