Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship program for 2026 (research students)

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan offers scholarships to international students who wish to study in graduate courses at Japanese universities as Research Students (either regular students or non-regular students) under the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program as follows.

QUALIFICATIONS AND CONDITIONS

MEXT accepts applications from international students for study in Japan who satisfy the following qualifications and conditions. Its aim is to foster human resources who will become bridges of friendship between the grantee’s country and Japan through study in Japan and who will contribute to the development of both countries and the wider world.

(1) Nationality: Applicants must be U.S.A citizens. An applicant who has Japanese nationality at the time of application is not eligible. However, persons with dual nationality who hold Japanese nationality and whose place of residence at the time of application is outside of Japan are eligible to apply as long as they choose the nationality of the other country and renounce their Japanese nationality by the date of their arrival in Japan (the acquisition of student status). The First Screening must be conducted at the Japanese diplomatic mission in the country whose nationality the applicant chooses..

2) Age: Applicants, in principle, must have been born on or after April 2, 1991. Exceptions are limited to cases in which MEXT deems that the applicant could not apply within the eligible age limit due to the situation or circumstances of the applicant’s country (military service obligation, loss of educational opportunities due to disturbances of war, etc.). Personal circumstances (financial situation, family circumstances, state of health, circumstances related to applicant’s university or place of employment, etc.) will not be considered for exceptions.

(3) Academic Background: Applicants must satisfy any one of the following conditions for admission to either a master’s or doctoral course at a Japanese graduate school in which they wish to first enroll. (Applicants who will certainly satisfy any of the following conditions by the time of enrollment are eligible.)

(a) Master’s course / Doctoral course (first phase)

① Applicants who have completed 16 years of school education in countries other than Japan.

② Applicants who have completed a program with the standard study period of three years or more at universities or equivalent educational institutions in countries other than Japan and received a degree equivalent to a bachelor’s degree.

③Other than the above ① and ② conditions, applicants who are eligible for enrollment in a master’s course /doctoral course (first phase) at a Japanese graduate school.

(b) Doctoral course (second phase)

① Applicants who have been awarded with an overseas degree equivalent to a master’s degree or professional degree.

② Applicants who have graduated from universities and have been involved in research study at universities oresearch centers (including overseas universities and research centers) for two years or more, and recognized as having academic competency equivalent to persons with a master’s degree by the graduate school.

③ Other than the above ① and ② conditions, applicants who are eligible for enrollment in a doctoral course (second phase) at a Japanese graduate school

(4) Japanese Language: Applicants must be willing to learn Japanese. Applicants must be interested in Japan and be willing to deepen their understanding of Japan after arriving in Japan. Applicants must also have the ability to do research and adapt to living in Japan.

5) Health: Applicants must submit a health certificate in the prescribed format signed by a physician attesting that the applicant has no physical or mental conditions hindering the applicant’s study in Japan.

SCHOLARSHIP BENEFITS

(1) Allowance: The amounts listed below shall be paid depending on the course enrolled in. A supplemental regional allowance of 2,000 yen or 3,000 yen per month will be added to the monthly scholarship amount for the grantees studying or conducting research in specially designated regions. Due to the situation of the Japanese Government’s budget, the amount of payment may be subject to change each fiscal year. If a grantee is absent from the university for an extended period, the scholarship shall be suspended for that period.

① Students receiving the preparatory education and non-regular students: 143,000 yen per month

② Regular students enrolled in master’s or professional degree courses: 144,000 yen per month

③ Regular students enrolled in doctoral courses: 145,000 yen per month.

(2) Education fees: Fees for the entrance examination, matriculation, and tuition at universities will be paid by MEXT. The entrance examination fee, however, will be borne by the grantees if they cannot proceed to the master’s or doctoral course or cannot be admitted by the university.

(3) Traveling Expenses: Transportation to and from Japan.