What is the KDDI Scholarship?

KDDI is a Japanese telecommunications company and is the parent company for AU, one of the largest cellphone providers in Japan.  It is therefore one of the largest companies in the country, let alone the world with a revenue of $42.57 billion in 2015.  As one of the titans of the industry, they being at the forefront of Japan’s research & development sector is no fluke.  The goal for KDDI is to promote harmonious relations in the world through telecommunications with the belief that progress can be achieved through this field.

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The KDDI Foundation was created in 2009 with the goal of aiding developing nations in their communication fields.  This is done primarily through educational means and KDDI Scholarship is a direct reflection of their philosophy.  The KDDI International Scholarship is a scholarship designed for those who wish pursue graduate studies in Japan.  Fields that can be pursued are law, politics, economics, society, culture, information technology, communications, or related technological fields designated by each university.

The list of eligible universities are as follows:

  1. Chiba University
  2. Gakushuin University
  3. Hiroshima University
  4. Hitotsubashi University
  5. Hokkaido University
  6. Hosei University
  7. International Christian University
  8. Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
  9. Kanazawa University
  10. Keio University
  11. Kobe City University of Foreign Studies
  12. Kobe University
  13. Kumamoto University
  14. Kyoto Institute of Technology
  15. Kyoto University
  16. Kyushu Institute of Technology
  17. Kyushu University
  18. Nagaoka University of Technology
  19. Nagoya Institute of Technology
  20. Nagoya University
  21. Nara Institute of Science and Technology
  22. National University Corporation Gunma University
  23. Niigata University
  24. Osaka University
  25. Rikkyo University
  26. Ritsumeikan University
  27. Saitama University
  28. Shizuoka University
  29. Sophia University
  30. The University of Electro-Communications
  31. The University of Tokushima
  32. Tohoku University
  33. Tokai University
  34. Tokyo Institute of Technology
  35. Tokyo University
  36. Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology
  37. Toyohashi University of Technology
  38. University of Fukui
  39. University of Tsukuba
  40. University of Yamanashi
  41. Utsunomiya University
  42. Waseda University
  43. Yokohama National University

Who is Eligible and What the Scholarship Covers

This international scholarship provides ¥100,000 in grant money per month for recipients for a period of either six months or one year.  The targeted number of recipients would be at about 10, though how many recipients is unclear and who would receive the scholarship is also unclear.  This scholarship is not exclusive in that recipients are allowed to receive grants and scholarships from other institutions simultaneously.  Only non-Japanese nationals can apply, this includes those holding dual citizenship.  Only those 35 years old and younger are applicable for this scholarship.  The applicant must also be willing to study Japanese during their time in Japan.

The list of countries whose nationals are eligible for this scholarship is both extensive and somewhat erratic, but it goes as follows:  Asia (India, Indonesia, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, East Timor, the Philippines, Bhutan, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar, Maldives, Mongolia, Laos), the Middle East (Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Israel, Iraq, Iran, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon), Pacific Ocean State region (Kiribati, Cook Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Tonga, Nauru, Niue, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Palau, Fiji, Marshall, Micronesia), Europe (Iceland, Azerbaijan, Albania, Armenia, Andorra, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Cyprus, Greece, Kyrgyzstan, Croatia, Kosovo, Georgia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia, Tajikistan, the Czech Republic, Turkmenistan, Hungary, Bulgaria, Belarus, Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania), Africa (all countries), Latin America and the Caribbean (all countries).

How to Apply

Both physical and electronic mail means are accepted by the foundation.  Concerning the differentiation between master and doctoral students, everything is pretty streamlined and not much more than a letter of recommendation and academic transcripts are necessary.  Letters of recommendation from the dean are preferred but letters from general professors are also accepted.  Admission into university prior to application for the scholarship is required, and proof of such is necessary.