Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarships

Japan scholarships

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Monbukagakusho/MEXT) of the Government of Japan offers scholarships to foreign students who wish to study at Japanese universities and schools. MEXT Scholarships is a government scholarship full funded scholarship programs for international students to study in Japanese Universities.

Who is eligible?

All students including international students.

Field of study

Architecture, Business, Culture and Feneral Education, Civil Engineering, Education and Welfare, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Fashion and Home Economics, Information, Communication and Netword Engineering, Materials Engineering, Maritime Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Personal Care and Nutrition, Technology, Other Fields

Number of scholarships

1. Research student: 4,042 students
2. Teacher training student: 89 students
3. Undergraduate student: 460 students
4. Japanese studies student: 190 students
5. College of technology student: 86 students
6. Special training college student: 90 students

Scholarship value

1. ¥143,000～148,000 per month.
2. Tuition for national universities and Institute of National College of Technology waived; tuition for public and private universities paid for by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
3. Round-trip fare (air ticket) provided.

Scholarship period

The Japanese Government Scholarships will be awarded –

1. Research student: Maximum 2 years
2. Teacher training student: Maximum 1 year 6 months
3. Undergraduate student: 5 years
4. Japanese studies student: 1 years
5. College of technology student: 4 years
6. Special training college student: 3 years

Eligibility criteria

As can be seen in the chart below, there are six types of Japanese government-sponsored scholarships available under the Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho) Scholarship program: those for research students, teacher training students, undergraduate university students, Japanese studies students, college of technology students, special training students. Those wishing to apply for a scholarship should meet one of the criteria listed below:

1. Recommended by a Japanese embassy or consulate general (Embassy Recommendation).
2. Recommended by the Japanese university which will accept you (University Recommendation).
3. Selected by the Japanese university in which you are currently enrolled if you are a privately-financed student already studying in Japan (Domestic Selection).

Eligibility criteria for Research Students: Bachelor’s degree or higher / Age: born on or after April 2, 1985 (for the 2020 recruitment) / Study Area: the same field that the applicant has studied, or a related field.

Eligibility criteria for Undergraduate Students: High school diploma or higher / Age: born on or after April 2, 1995 (for the 2020 recruitment).

Eligibility criteria for Specialized Training College Students: Those who are enrolled in a postsecondary course at a specialized training college, or who are receiving preparatory education in Japanese language and other subjects prior to placement at the specialized training college. / Age: born on or after April 2, 1995 (for the 2020 recruitment).

Eligibility criteria for College of Technology Students: Applicants must be eligible for transferring admission to a third-year course at a collge of technology at the time of application./ Age: born on or after April 2, 1995 (for the 2020 recruitment).

Examinations required for Embassy recommendation:

How to apply

There are three ways of applying for the Japanese Government Scholarships. However, applying to Japanese Embassies is the most common and recommended ways.

１．Embassy recommendation

In this type of scholarship, scholarship recipients are recruited and initially screened by a Japanese embassy (or consulate general, depending on the country).
As the application process differs according to the country in which the Japanese embassy is located, please inquire at the Japanese embassy or consulate general in your country for details.

To apply through embassy recommendation please visit and select your nearest Japanese Embassies, Consulates or Permanent Missions >> Embassy recommendation

Application Guidelines

• Application Guidelines for Research Students (in Japanese)
  2020年度 募集要項　（日本語） (PDF: 259 KB)
• Application Guidelines for Research Students (in English)
  2020年度 募集要項　（英語） (PDF: 232 KB)

Application Forms

• • Application Form for FY2020
    2020年度 申請書 (PDF: 279 KB)
  • Placement Preference Application Form for FY2020
    2020年度 配置希望大学申請書 (PDF: 92 KB)
  • Field of Study and Research Plan
    専攻分野及び研究計画 (Word: 26 KB)
  • Certificate of Health
    健康診断書 (PDF: 188 KB)

Note: Certificate of Health must be filled in by a professional medical doctor.

• • Recommendation Letter Sample
    推薦書サンプル (PDF: 34 KB)

Note: This is a sample. Any form/style of letter is to be accepted.

２．University recommendation

(1) Research students and Japanese studies students who will be studying in Japan as an exchange student based on inter-university student exchange agreements can be screened through the national, public or private Japanese university involved as a candidate for a Japanese Government Scholarship. The university directly recommends the selected candidates to the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).

(2) Research students recommended by a university for study in Japan as government-sponsored scholarship recipients basically arrive in Japan in October.

３．Domestic Selection

(1) Privately financed, full-time postgraduate foreign students, prospective postgraduate students, and full-time, prospective fourth-year undergraduate university students (prospective sixth-year students in the case of medical schools, etc.) are granted domestic selection scholarships that begin in April. Recruitment is conducted through national, public and private universities with the exception of junior colleges.

(2) Universities carefully screen academically and individually excellent students and recommend them by mid-December as government-sponsored scholarship candidates to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).

Scholarship website

https://www.studyjapan.go.jp/en/toj/toj0302e-30.html