Following the passage and enactment of the Free University Law at the House of Councilors plenary session, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has released a message from the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Masahiko Shibayama, to high school students and parents. It seems that the aim is to publicize the new system that will start in April 2020 and to emphasize the achievements of the ruling party toward the upper house election this summer.
According to the message, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Shibayama will introduce the contents of the new law to increase the amount of benefit-type scholarships paid to low-income households and support entrance fees and tuition fees for universities, etc., and "want to learn". He emphasized that it is a measure to support the motivation to think.
He added that the consumption tax hike scheduled for October is a financial resource, and he hopes that he will be motivated to study even after going on to university, and that he will be able to contribute widely to society after graduation.
Free university scholarships will be offered to students in households with an annual income of less than 380 million yen by reducing or exempting tuition fees from universities and expanding benefit-type scholarships that do not require repayment.Target schools are universities, junior colleges, colleges of technology, and vocational schools that meet the requirements set by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
The reduction and exemption of tuition fees and the level of benefits will be different according to the parents' annual income.The upper limit of tuition reduction and exemption is 54 yen per year at national and public universities and 70 yen per year at private universities.The upper limit of benefit-type scholarships is 35 yen per year for home students attending national and public universities, and 91 yen per year for boarding house students attending private universities.
