Scholarships

In Japan, only a few scholarships cover all the costs of study; and most aim to cover just a portion of the student's living expenses and tuition fees. Therefore, calculate the total expenses of studying in Japan to create a financial plan that does not rely solely on scholarships but rather your own funds as well.

Click here to download "Scholarship for International Students in Japan" which summarizes the content of this webpage.

Types of Available Financial Assistance

Type	Eligibility / Ability to Apply
	Before coming to Japan / before entering a university, etc.	After coming to Japan / after entering a university, etc.
1. International Student Scholarship (Monbukagakusho Scholarship for International Students)	△ Although it is not possible to apply, students with outstanding results on the EJU will be selected as "reservists" only for some academic courses.	〇 Apply through the school. However, since the number of students who can be recommended varies from school to school, some schools may not be able to apply.
2. Student Exchange Support (Acceptance Agreement) Scholarship	△ Be enrolled in a host university with a concluded student exchange agreement.	× Applications cannot be made after coming to Japan.
3. Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho MEXT) Scholarship		△ Those who are already in Japan as international students may also apply under certain conditions.
4. Scholarships from Local Governments, International Exchange Organizations, etc.	△ Only a few allow applicants to apply before coming to Japan.	〇 The majority of scholarships must be applied for after coming to Japan or after entering a university, etc.
5. School Scholarships and Tuition Fee Reductions Systems	〇 Some schools offer scholarships that students can apply for prior to enrollment.	〇 Some schools offer scholarships that are available to students in Japan or can be applied for after enrollment.

Scholarship Details and How to Apply

1. International Student Scholarship Program (Monbukagakusho Scholarship for International Students)

This program provides scholarships to privately financed international students who are enrolled in universities, graduate schools, junior colleges, technical colleges, special training colleges, educational institutions offering preparatory courses for entering Japanese universities, or Japanese language educational institutions in Japan (hereinafter referred to as "universities, etc."), who are outstanding in both academic achievement and character, and who have difficulty in studying for financial reasons.

* Only those whose status of residence is Student are eligible for the International Student Scholarship (Monbukagakusho Scholarship for International Students). Those who have a status of residence other than Student such as Dependent or Long-term Resident are not eligible.

Eligibility	Monthly Amount	Payment Period
・ Graduate schools (doctorate, master's) ・ Research students (graduate level) ・ Undergraduate universities ・ Junior colleges ・ Technical colleges (third year and above) ・ Vocational schools ・ International student programs ・ University, junior college, and technical college majors ・ University preparatory courses	48,000 yen	In general, one year from April to March of the following year, or six months from October to March of the following year
・ Japanese language institutions	30,000 yen

Application Requirements and How to Apply

[Applying before coming to Japan / before admission to a university, etc.]

Privately financed international students who have achieved excellent results in the Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU) and plan to enroll as a regular student in a Japanese university undergraduate school, junior college, technical college (third year or above), or special training college program will be selected as a "reservist" for the International Student Scholarship Program (Monbukagakusho Scholarship for International Students).

Those who have received a reservation decision under this system and are admitted as a regular student to an undergraduate university, junior college, technical college (third year or above), or vocational school within the designated period, and are recommended by the university or school to JASSO as a "reservist," and receive a decision from JASSO, may receive a scholarship.

How to apply:

If taking the EJU in Japan: When you apply for the EJU online (application), select "Apply" in the "International Student Scholarship Program" section.

If taking the EJU outside Japan: Place a "〇" in the designated box on the EJU application form.

* For information on how to apply for the EJU, please click here.

[Applying after coming to Japan / after entering a university, etc.]

Eligibility:

・ The applicant must be enrolled as a regular student in a Japanese graduate school or have an undergraduate degree or higher and be enrolled as a research student in order to conduct research activities at the graduate level.

・ The applicant must be enrolled as a regular student at a university, junior college, technical college, or special training college in Japan.

・ The applicant must be enrolled as a regular student in a major course or a special course for international students established by a Japanese university, junior college, or technical college.

・ The applicant must be enrolled as a regular student at an educational institution that offers preparatory courses for admission to a Japanese university.

・ The applicant must be enrolled in a Japanese language educational institution with the aim of entering a Japanese university, graduate school, junior college, technical college, or special training college.

Application requirements:

・ The applicant must have a grade point average of 2.30 or higher at the graduate level, undergraduate level, or at a Japanese language institution in the previous year, and must be expected to maintain this level of performance during the period of the scholarship.

・ The applicant must meet the following language standards in Japanese or English. (* Excluding special courses for international students, preparatory courses, and Japanese language institutions.)

Japanese language proficiency: Pass the JLPT N2 level or higher, score 200 or higher on the EJU Japanese as a Foreign Language (Reading Comprehension, Listening Comprehension, and Listening-Reading Comprehension), or score at least at the level of language proficiency otherwise recognized by JASSO

English proficiency: B2 level or above in the CEFR

・ The applicant must be willing to cooperate with the survey on their academic career conducted by ETIC through their university or other institutions after receiving the scholarship.

・ The average monthly amount of remittances (excluding entrance and tuition fees, etc.) must be less than 90,000 yen.

・ If the applicant has dependents living in Japan, their annual income must be less than 5 million yen.

・ The applicant must not be a recipient of a scholarship or other benefits that are restricted from being paid in conjunction with the scholarship.

・ The applicant must not be a recipient of JASSO Student Exchange Support.

・ The applicant must be aiming to enter a university or other higher education in the year following the year in which they receive the scholarship. (Japanese language institutions only)

How to apply:

Please check with the person in charge at your university, etc.

* Because the number of students who can be recommended varies from school to school, some schools may not be able to apply

2. Student Exchange Support (Acceptance Agreement) Scholarship

Please contact the university you are currently enrolled at for information on applying for this program, etc.

Eligible Recipients	Eligible Countries and Regions	Monthly Amount	Payment Period
・ Individuals who are permitted by the host university based on the agreement on student exchange, etc. ・ Individuals who are unable to participate in the inbound program solely at their own expense for financial reasons ・ Individuals who can surely obtain the Student status of residence when participating in the host program (For those participating in an acceptance program of 90 days or less, any type of residency status is acceptable.) ・ After the completion of the program, individuals must return to their home institution to continue their studies and obtain a degree from the home institution or graduate from the home institution ・ If the individuals receives a scholarship other than this program for participation in the host program, the total monthly amount of the scholarship must not exceed 80,000 yen	Countries with diplomatic relations with Japan (However, Taiwan and Palestine are eligible)	80,000 yen	8 days or more, but not more than 12 months

3. Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho MEXT) Scholarship

There are two ways to apply for a Japanese Government Scholarship: by applying to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) with a recommendation from a Japanese embassy or other Japanese diplomatic mission in your country, or by applying to the MEXT with a recommendation from a Japanese university.

The method of receiving a recommendation from an embassy or consulate abroad is called an "embassy recommendation," while the method of receiving a recommendation from a university and applying for a position is called a "university recommendation."

The contents differ slightly depending on whether you apply through the "embassy recommendation" or the "university recommendation," so the information is divided into two categories depending on the application method.

Please note that in order to receive a Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho MEXT) scholarship, you must obtain the Student status of residence.

3-1. Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho MEXT) Scholarship <Embassy Recommendation>

Some application requirements are more detailed than those listed here, so please check with the Japanese embassy or other Japanese diplomatic mission in your country.

The type and field of application may vary from country to country. Please check with the Japanese embassy or other Japanese diplomatic mission in your country to see if there are any openings in the type and field you wish to apply for.

In addition, all required documents and interviews will be conducted by the Japanese embassy or other diplomatic mission abroad in your country.

> List of Overseas Diplomatic Establishments (external link)

Type	Fields and Conditions	Age (when arriving in Japan)	Preparatory Training (Japanese language education, etc.)	Monthly Amount * Base Amount	Payment Period
Young Leaders Program	[Areas] (1) Public Administration Course (2) Business Course (3) Law Course (4) Local Administration Course (5) Medical Administration Course [Conditions] ・ University graduate ・ Young administrative official from Asian county/region with practical experience	Generally under 40	None	242,000 yen	1 year
Research students (Doctoral, master's, professional degree, non-degree student)	Field of study at university or related field	35 and under	6 months (Only for those who need it)	143,000 to 145,000 yen	Degree students: Standard completion period + 6 months of preparatory education or less Non-degree students: up to 2 years
Teacher training students	・ Graduates from a university or teacher training school ・ Teachers employed by primary and secondary education institutions in their home country or teachers (with at least 5 years of tenure) employed by teacher training colleges (excluding universities) ・ Applicants are required to return to their home country and reinstate their position.	35 and under	6 months (Only for those who need it)	143,000 yen	Within 1.5 years
Undergraduate students	(1) Humanities A: Law, Political Science, Education, Sociology, Literature, History, Japanese Language, etc. Humanities B: Economics, Business Administration, etc. (2) Science A: Science, Electronics & Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering & Architecture, Chemistry, etc. Science B: Agriculture, Health Sciences, Science Science C: Medicine, Dentistry	25 and under	1 year (Only for those who need it)	117,000 yen	4 years, in addition to 1 year of preparatory training (excluding medical, dental, pharmaceutical, and veterinary programs)
Technical college students	Machinery, Electrical/Electronics, Information/Communication/Network, Materials/Materials, Architecture, Civil Engineering, Merchant Marine, etc.		1 year		3 years (3.5 years for merchant marine only), in addition to 1 year of preparatory training
Vocational school students	Industry, Sanitation, Education and Social Welfare, Commercial Practice, Clothing and Home Economics, Culture and Liberal Arts				3 years
Japanese studies students	・ Applicants must be enrolled in a university undergraduate program and have majored in a field related to Japanese language and culture for at least one year ・ Upon returning to their home country, students must return to school.	18 to 30	None		Within 1 year

* Tickets will be provided for travel to and from Japan. There is no need to pay an entrance fee, examination fee, or tuition.

* For the above-mentioned upper age limit at arrival in Japan (excluding YLP), only those whose birthday is on or after April 2 are eligible.

* Undergraduate and technical college students may select up to a third field of their choice.

Vocational school students may select only one major field of study of their choice. Your major field of study will be decided by MEXT in consultation with the accepting university, etc., taking into consideration your preferences and the evaluation of your test and interview.

Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho MEXT) Scholarship <Embassy Recommendation Applications and Majors> Click here for details

3-2. Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho MEXT) Scholarship < University Recommendation>

For university recommendations, not all universities in Japan are able to recommend international students.

Only a select number of universities approved by the MEXT can make recommendations to the MEXT, and only those universities that are judged to be outstanding and deserving of the scholarship can make recommendations to the MEXT.

Therefore, if you are interested in applying for a scholarship with a recommendation from a university, you need to check first whether the school you are interested in has a recommendation quota.

Application requirements and academic standards vary depending on the accepting university.

In addition, the scholarship period and eligibility may vary depending on the type of recommendation framework a university has, so please check with the university you wish to enroll in for details.

Type	Language and Application Requirements	Age Restriction	Monthly Amount * Base Amount	Payment Period
Research students (Doctoral, master's, professional degree, non-degree students)	English: CEFR B2 equivalent or higher Japanese: JLPT N2 or equivalent*1	35 and under	143,000 to 145,000 yen	6 months to within the standard completion period
Undergraduate students		25 and under	117,000 yen
Japanese studies students	・ JLPT N2 or higher ・ Students who are enrolled in an undergraduate course at a university in a foreign country at the time of their arrival in Japan or return to their home country ・ Those who have studied Japanese language and culture at the university for more than one year in total ・ Upon returning to their home country, students must return to school ・ Those who have been recommended by their current universities based on inter-university exchange agreements, etc.	18 to 30	117,000 yen	Within 1 year

*1: Japanese or English proficiency is required depending on the language of instruction at the university or other institution you wish to enter.

* Tickets will generally be provided for travel to and from Japan. However, airfare may not be provided depending on the type of recommendation quota held by the host university.

There is no need to pay an entrance fee, examination fee, or tuition.

* For the above-mentioned upper age limit at arrival in Japan, only those whose birthday is on or after April 2 are eligible.

For the selection process for university recommendations, each university will conduct its own screening of documents, examinations, interviews, etc. Please inquire directly with the university to which you wish to apply for information on the selection process.

3-3. Notes for Students Currently in Japan Who Receive Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho MEXT) Scholarships <Embassy Recommendation / University Recommendation>

Note 1: You must complete the school you are currently enrolled in and return to your country before the start of the Japanese government scholarship period.

Note 2: It is necessary to re-acquire a new Student status of residence.

However, some university recommendations are only available to applicants from Japan.

In such cases, both Notes 1 and 2 above may not apply. If you are applying for a Japanese government (Monbukagakusho MEXT) scholarship through a university recommendation, please check with the university to which you wish to enroll.

4. Scholarships from Local Governments, International Exchange Organizations, etc.

Application requirements and selection procedures differ depending on the organization providing the scholarship, so please check the Scholarship for International Students in Japan Pamphlet for details.

Eligibility	Number of scholarships available to apply to before coming to Japan	Number of scholarships available to apply to after coming to Japan
Doctoral Program	13	110
Master's Program	17	117
Professional Degree Program	1	9
Graduate-level Research Students	4	18
Undergraduate Universities	13	91
Auditing Undergraduate Students	0	2
Junior Colleges	5	31
Technical Colleges	2	22
Vocational Schools	4	16
Private University and Junior College Programs for International Students	1	4
Japanese Language Institutions Other than Programs for International Students	2	7

Reference: JASSO "Scholarship for International Students in Japan Pamphlet 2022-2023"

5. School Scholarships and Tuition Fee Reductions Systems

There are many schools that offer scholarships and tuition reductions for international students.

Please check the list below or the school search system for scholarship data provided by universities.

> University scholarship data

> Scholarship and Tuition Fee Reduction System Search System　

* For the most up-to-date scholarship data, we recommend that you check the website of the school you wish to enroll in or contact the school directly.

You can also search for scholarship information on the following website.

> Search for scholarship information (Japan Study Support)