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Study In Japan: United Nations University Scholarships for Developing Country Students

Japan Foundation for UNU (JFUNU) Scholarship

Course(s) Offered: Global issues (several fields)
Course Level: Graduate (masters)
Provider: The Japan Foundation
Country to Study in: Japan

Scholarship Description
The Japan Foundation for United Nations University (JFUNU) Scholarship is available for outstanding applicants from developing countries. Only those who can demonstrate a need for financial assistance will be considered for the award of the scholarship.

The programme addresses pressing global issues of sustainability, climate change, development, peace-building, and human rights through an innovative interdisciplinary approach that integrates the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities.

The programme is intended for recent graduates, professionals, and practitioners, offering the unique opportunity to study at a global university within the framework of the United Nations. It provides students with the knowledge and skills to make important contributions towards solving global issues, whether through employment by UN agencies, other international organizations, governments, civil society, or the private sector.

Eligibility
Applicants for the Master of Science in Sustainability are required to have met the following requirements by the application deadline in order to be considered:
  • A strong interest in sustainability studies.
  • Demonstrated commitment to study and understand global issues.
  • A completed bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) from a recognized university or institution of higher education in a field related to sustainability. Those who expect to graduate and have a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent conferred before September 2015 may also apply.
  • A GPA of 3.5 or above on a 4.0 scale on the bachelor’s degree earned.
  • English language proficiency: The minimum score requirements for English language qualifications required by UNU-ISP are:
    • 600 in TOEFL – Paper-Based Testing (PBT)
    • 100 in TOEFL – Internet-Based Testing (iBT)
    • 7.0 in IELTS – Academic format
  • Applicants, except for the cases below, must submit original TOEFL or IELTS score reports (from a test taken within the last two years) to Admissions Office at the time of application:
    • Applicants whose first language is English.
    • Applicants who graduated from a university or a postgraduate school located in an English speaking country.(IBT)
    • Applicants who completed an undergraduate or postgraduate degree programme where the language of instruction and examination was English. In this case, an official statement from the academic institution will be required, confirming the use of English as the language of instruction and examination.
Selection Criteria:
The JFUNU Scholarship is available for outstanding applicants from developing countries who can demonstrate a need for financial assistance, and they will be considered as candidates for the award of the scholarship.

Eligible groups
Students from Developing Countries

Participating Institutions
Institute for Sustainability and Peace (ISP), United Nations University (UNU), Japan

Fields of study
The Master of Science in Sustainability programme equips students with the knowledge and skills necessary to contribute to solving challenges of sustainability. Drawing on an innovative, interdisciplinary approach, the programme integrates methods and resources from the natural and social sciences, as well as the humanities.

UNU-IAS welcomes applicants with:
  • a keen interest in the pressing global issues on the UN agenda and in particular those of sustainability;
  • an aspiration to pursue careers in international fields in public service or private organizations, including the United Nations, multinational corporations and non-governmental organizations as well as research and academic institutions;
  • the intention to proactively apply academic research findings to policymaking; and
  • a strong desire to contribute to the solving of problems concerning global environment, through an interdisciplinary approach.
For information on the specific courses offered as part of this degree programme, please visit the the curriculum information page on the official UNU-IAS website (link to it is below).

Number of awards
Not specified by provider

Sponsorship duration
This Scholarship is offered for two years.

Scholarship benefits
The JFUNU scholarship covers the full tuition fees, and provides a monthly allowance of 150,000 JPY* for living expenses for a maximum of 24 months. Travel costs to and from Japan, visa handling fees, and health/accident insurance costs must be covered by the student.

*150,000 JPY is the average monthly living cost for an international student without dependents in Tokyo, although this amount may vary depending on the lifestyle of the student.

Method of Application
All Interested applicants should apply through the UNU-ISP "online application form" found on the official website (link to it is below). Your official application must be made online, using UN-CECAR online application portal.

You will need to create a user account to submit your applications. The online form can be saved and returned to at any time before submitting.

It is important to visit the official website (link to it is below) for complete information on applying for this scholarship.

DEADLINES:
Application for the 2015 academic session opened on 1st December 2014. The application deadlines for FIRST SELECTION deadline is 27 February, and for FINAL SELECTION deadline is 30 April.

The deadline to apply for September 2015 entry is 27th February 2015 (Tokyo time).

PLEASE NOTE:
After the application deadline, the process of reviewing applications and making admission decisions will take approximately 6-8 weeks. The successful applicants will be notified by email to the address provided on Application Form. Necessary documents for the admission procedure will be sent together with a letter of acceptance.

UNU-ISP may at any time require applicants to provide verification of the information and documents submitted as part of their application and/or additional information including, but not limited to, an interview.

The JFUNU scholarship is highly competitive and offered to a very small number of students who are granted admission to UNU-ISP. Thus, applicants are strongly encouraged to apply for other funding opportunities from the government of their own country, private foundations, or international funding agencies.

Application Deadline: 27 February 2015
Open to International students: Yes (Developing Countries)

More Scholarship Information and Application

Related: List of Scholarships in Japan for International Students