The Okayama University in Japan was established in 1870 for the primary purpose of enhancing global learning. The university created a scholarship program called Discovery Program for global learners (GDP) to achieve this.
The GDP scholarship gives students from japan and worldwide a chance to study at Okayama University. It covers undergraduate or graduate degree courses. In the GDP scholarship for 2022, only 20 seats are available because only 20 students will be chosen to benefit from the scholarship. The GDP scholarship covers the tuition, accommodation, and health care of beneficiaries.
Scholarship Eligibility
The GDP scholarship is open to both students in Japan and international students. If you pass the eligibility criteria, you can apply for the scholarship. Below are the eligibility criteria to apply:
- Any student applying must have completed a pre-university 12 years course of education designated by your country’s ministry of education or must have written and passed exams or tests equivalent to the pre-university 12 years course of education—for example, The London GCE.
- Applying students must have passed official English Language Proficiency tests ( ELPT) like TOEFL, IELTS, the EIKEN test, TEAP, e.t.c. There is no minimum required score for these tests in the GDP.
- Students applying during the first application period (April) must pass the level N1 JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test)
- Students applying should strongly desire to study at the Okayama university under the GDP.
- Students applying should obtain valid study visas and Japanese passports before their application.
How to Apply for the Okayama Scholarship Program
The Okayama GDP scholarship normally has two application periods; April and October, but for 2022, only the October application period will be opened. The application period usually lasts for three weeks, and students who wish to apply for the GDP should always visit the Okayama University website during the application period to access the online application form link. Below are outlined steps to apply for the GDP scholarship :
Fill out the Online Application Form
Go to the Okayama University website ( https://discovery.okayama-u.ac.jp/en/ ). During the application period, the application form link will be on the website; check for the link and click on it. After clicking on the link, it will take you to the application form page. The online application form will ask for details like :
- Full name, present residential address, valid phone number
- Emergency contact information
- Purposed area of study within the GDP
- Skype ID ( you are mandated to create a skype account and get your Skype ID if you don’t have one)
- Detailed educational background
- ELPT scores ( including the date, location, and registration number of the test)
- The online form also contains Essay questions asking for personal statements like interest/goal statements, experience questions, science questions for students applying for science-related courses, and statements on extra-curricular activities you do.
- Submit your Photo ID
Click on Select File, select the saved photo ID on your device and click upload.
Application Fee payment
After filling out the form, you will be required to pay a required application fee online with your master card or visa card. After payment, click on apply.
Required Documents
Applying for the Discovery Program Scholarship is of two levels; filling out the online form/requirements and sending physical required documents via post to Okayama University. Steps in carrying out the first level have been stated above. Below are steps to carry out the second level;
First of all, here are the required documents to be sent via post
- Academic Reference Documents
These are documents like official course transcripts, signed school profiles, official graduation certificates/testimonials (for students who have graduated from secondary school), and signed evaluation letters.
- Â Professional Reference Documents
These are documents like a letter of recommendation containing statements written by someone who knows you well about your academic excellence and independent and creative skills.
- Results from standardized tests like SAT
- Results of both ELPT and JLPT
After getting all these documents enveloped, you can send them to Okayama University via registered airmails like DHL, FedEx, or SpeedPost. You can just submit these documents to the university for candidates in Japan directly.
I hope these steps guide you in applying for this scholarship. I wish you luck! Happy application.
