Help! Visa status question

Hi!
Just found this site today so here goes first post
I don't know if anyone out there can help me but here goes anyway!
I'm on the Mext postgraduate scholarship, Ph. D. course year 1.
The thing is I plan to marry my girlfriend, who's Japanese, later this year. According to some internet sources I might have my visa changed to "spousal visa".
As far as I know I forfeit my scholarship if my residency status changes to anything other than "ryugaku".
Will I have to change my status when I get married or can I keep my ryugaku status until my course is finished?
Any information, experiences, etc greatly appreciated,
Tom

You can do whatever you want - you still qualify for college student status, so you can keep using that.

What is printed in your passport is what you have, it cannot be forced to something else, only removed, and thats only if your naughty and get deported.

Thanks Ewok85, you've eased my mind!

Just stay on your 留学 visa, get married, and then change status after your studies are finished, if you plan to remain in Japan afterwards. No problem.