Japan mulls cuts to financial aid for Ph.D. students from abroad
The education ministry is considering limiting the financial support it provides to doctoral students to assist with living expenses so that the funding is only made available to Japanese nationals, according to a draft proposal unveiled by an expert panel on Thursday.
The Ph.D. aid program has recently come under fire from some members of parliament, who point out that nearly 40% of those receiving the support are international students despite the fact that the fund aims to foster future human resources in Japan.
According to the education ministry, of the 10,564 students who received the aid in fiscal 2024 around 4,125 were international students, including 2,904 from China.
The program, known as Support for Pioneering Research Initiated by the Next Generation (SPRING), was started in April 2021 to encourage more people to continue their studies to the doctoral level.
The program was launched to tackle a decline in domestic students enrolling in Ph.D. programs due to financial difficulties and concerns over employment prospects, with the goal of fostering the capabilities to drive future innovation. Compared with 10 years ago, for example, the number of Japanese students going into doctoral programs in 2024 was down by 12% while foreign student enrollment increased by 35%.
SPRING currently offers students up to ¥2.9 million per year for both research and living expenses, regardless of their nationality. The program has been adopted at 90 universities across the nation, with around 80% of doctoral students at those schools receiving some aid.
Under the revised plan, which could go into effect as soon as next April, financial aid that covers living expenses will no longer be offered to international students, given the program's primary goal of encouraging Japanese students to enroll in Ph.D. programs.
Financial aid used directly for research, which is, on average, around ¥400,000 per year, would continue to be offered to international students as well. In order to focus support on outstanding students, the amount offered for research would be differentiated depending on the academic and research performance of the student.
To attract excellent international students and promote diversity at research institutions, the program is looking to encourage collaboration among universities on globalization efforts.
Strengthening measures to help international students find employment after they complete their program of study in Japan is also under consideration.
Furthermore, under the revised plan, eligibility for the financial aid used directly for research will be expanded to include working adults with a stable income, to encourage more individuals to explore further studies in the science and technology field. They will not be offered funding for living expenses, but such support will be made available to those who do not receive an income despite being a member of an organization or a company employee.
According to the panel, the number of students enrolled in doctoral programs has increased in the past several years, growing from 14,382 in fiscal 2022 to 15,744 in 2024, and recovering close to the levels seen in fiscal 2011.
Compared with the previous year, the number of working adults enrolling in Ph.D. programs in 2024 increased by 30, while the number of international students decreased by 118.
The expert panel at the education ministry, which was established in April, met for the fourth time Thursday and is expected to submit a midterm report in coming weeks.
The panel, which is focused on fostering the next generation of innovators in the science and technology field, is also discussing ways to improve related education in elementary, middle and high schools.
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