What faculties does "science" refer to? We looked into seven scholarships for science majors

　The new national "New Tuition Support System for Higher Education" will begin in 2021, and national scholarships for university admission are becoming more abundant. In addition to the national government, there are also scholarships from local governments, companies, universities, foundations, etc., and the number of these continues to increase. Among these, the number of scholarships for "science and engineering" has increased the most in recent years.

　In light of predictions of a future shortage of human resources in growth fields such as digital and green, the government has set a goal of increasing the proportion of university students majoring in science and engineering fields from approximately 2022% in 35 to approximately 2032% by around 50. In addition, companies conducting research in growth fields are increasingly keen to hire excellent students in science and engineering fields. Many students who choose science and engineering at university will spend six years studying there until they graduate school, so tuition fees are thought to be one of the obstacles. For science and engineering courses at private universities, the obstacles are even greater.

　The number of scholarships for science students is increasing in order to reduce the financial obstacles to choosing science courses. However, in recent years, there has been an emphasis on cross-disciplinary thinking, and many new faculties that combine the arts and sciences have been established, making it unclear which faculties are referred to as "science courses."

　This time, we picked out seven scholarships for science majors, looked into the scope of what each scholarship covers, and considered the current perception of the science field.

What is the understanding of "science" in high school? DX High School has set a goal of "university science department advancement rate"

　Generally, high school students are divided into liberal arts and science classes from their second year, and students in "science" classes aim to go on to a science faculty. It is expected that high school teachers consider most faculties that students advance to from science classes to be science faculties, including faculties of science, engineering, agriculture, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing and medical technology, education (science and mathematics), and faculties that combine liberal arts and science.

　In order to strengthen the development of human resources who can support growth fields such as digital at the high school level, the "DX High School" project has been launched as a national project from 2024. In the first year, 1010 schools nationwide were selected, and targets were set for the selected schools in terms of "student enrollment rate in Information II, etc." and "rate of progression to science faculties at universities." The target rate for the "rate of progression to science faculties at universities" is set to be 19.5% in 2028, from the current average of 28.9% for the selected schools, but there are no strict regulations for the count of students who advance to science faculties when applied by each high school (no specific faculties or departments are specified).

　Among the interdisciplinary faculties of humanities and sciences, there are not only those that are related to information and the environment, but also those that are related to liberal arts, psychology, international studies, and sports, so it may be quite difficult even for high school teachers to judge whether a faculty is related to science or not.

What does "science" mean in the increasing number of "scholarships for science students"?

In recent years, there has been a labor shortage, particularly in growth fields, and as a result, the number of scholarships for science majors is on the rise. The objectives are varied, including nurturing world-class scientists, encouraging employment as engineers in companies, branding the company's image, encouraging U-turn employment as engineers in local governments, and more. In reality, the definition of "science major" in these scholarships for science majors varies greatly depending on the scholarship. There is no right or wrong answer. I would like to introduce seven of them below.

① Japan Student Services Organization “Private Science, Engineering and Agriculture Tuition Fee Reduction”

　Tuition reductions and exemptions for private science, engineering, and agricultural universities were added in 2021 as part of the new higher education support system that began in 2024. Students enrolled in science, engineering, and agricultural faculties at private universities (junior colleges and vocational schools are also eligible) from families in the fourth category (annual income of approximately 4 million to 380 million yen as a guideline). To be precise, the amount is determined by the standard calculation amount*. The science, engineering, and agricultural faculties and departments at private universities that are eligible are designated by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

※Payment amount calculation base amount (a) = taxable amount × 6% - (municipal tax adjustment deduction amount + municipal tax adjustment amount) (b) (rounded down to the nearest 100 yen)

<Reference>
[Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology] New support system for higher education
[Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology] List of eligible institutions for science, engineering and agricultural faculties and departments (as of November 2024, 11)
[Japan Student Services Organization] Household standards for pre-university (reservation admission) grant scholarships

② Ashinaga MUFG Scholarship Fund (Support for Science Students)

　Established in 2022 with a donation from Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. There are four types of grants: "Support for Science Students," "Support for Humanities Students," "Support for Science Graduate Students," and "Support for University Entrance." The "Support for Science Students" grant provides a larger amount of support than the Humanities grant, and students can receive a non-repayable grant of 4 yen (monthly) from admission to graduation. However, the "Ashinaga MUFG Scholarship Fund" cannot be applied for alone, and separate information will be sent to those who are selected as eligible "Ashinaga Scholarship Students." The criteria for "science" in this grant are based on the "Department Classification Table" established by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and for humanities and science departments, the criteria are quite strict because they are determined by the entrance examination subjects.

●The major classification in the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's "Subject Classification Table" must satisfy the following conditions:
① Subdivisions (departments) that belong to the major divisions of "Science," "Engineering," "Agriculture," "Health," and "Merchant Marine." However, the subdivision "Agriculture and Economics-Related" of the major division "Agriculture" is not included.
② The major category is "Others" and the medium category is "Liberal Arts-related" (department)
● Subjects for the exam
For some interdisciplinary departments, the decision is based on the exam subjects. For minor categories (departments) in the "Other" major category and the "General Sciences" or "Other" medium category, Mathematics II or one science subject is required as an exam subject when taking the general exam. The exam method is not only general selection, but also admission through recommendation selection and comprehensive selection. There are cases where departments with the same name exist in other faculties. If you cannot make a decision based on the major category and exam subjects, you can inquire.
<Reference>
[Ashinaga Foundation] About scholarships
[Ashinaga Foundation] Ashinaga MUFG Scholarship Fund
[Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology] Department system classification table (PDF)

③ Shintaro Yamada D&I Foundation STEM (science and engineering) Women's Scholarship Grant

　The Shintaro Yamada D&I Foundation was established in 2021 with the aim of contributing to the realization of a society in which everyone can maximize their abilities, regardless of gender, race, age, religion, etc., by promoting D&I (Diversity & Inclusion). The representative director of the foundation is Shintaro Yamada, founder of Mercari. The foundation's goal is to increase the proportion of women entering university in STEM fields (※2035) from 1% (※2024) in 20 to the OECD average of 2% (※28) by 3.
　As part of this initiative, the "STEM (Science) Girls Scholarship Grant" was launched to support the selection of science-related fields, and has been awarded to approximately 1200 female junior and senior high school students across Japan so far. The loans do not require repayment, and can be used to purchase a computer, attend cram schools, or participate in experiential programs in fields of interest. Although it is aimed at girls, it is unique in that applications can be made regardless of grades or income. Also, unlike other scholarships, it can be received while still in high school.
　The purpose of this scholarship is to support female junior and senior high school students who choose STEM (science and engineering) majors. If there are any changes between the time of application and the time of payment, and the student decides to choose a humanities class, the student will not be eligible for the grant.

*1) Acronym for "Science," "Technology," "Engineering," and "Mathematics."
*2) The ratio of students entering science and engineering in the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's School Basic Survey "Students by Related Department"
*3) Figures calculated based on data from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's School Basic Survey and OECD, Education at a Glance at the time the Foundation was established in 2021.

<Reference>
[Yamada Shintaro D&I Foundation] Scholarship Grant for Women in STEM (Science)
[Yamada Shintaro D&I Foundation] Scholarship Grant Program (field of interest, etc.)
In addition to providing scholarships for girls in STEM (science and engineering), the foundation also offers a program called "Girls Meet STEM," which allows girls to experience working and studying in the STEM fields at universities and companies, thereby helping them discover what they like and what they want to do.