No Japanese language proficiency or IELTS required

If you wish to live and study in Japan, take advantage of this opportunity. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) Scholarship is an amazing opportunity for students who want to do their bachelor’s, master’s, or Ph.D. from Japan on a fully-funded scholarship. 

Summary

  • Country: Japan
  • Scholarship Type: Merit-based
  • Offered by: Govt of Japan
  • Institutions: Japanese Universities
  • Type: Fully Funded one-time scholarship
  • Degree Program: Undergraduate, Postgraduate, and PhD
  • Scholarship Amount: 117,000 Yen
  • Deadline: 31st Oct 2023/Nov 2023 (Varies from country to country). Check with embassy in your country.

Students can apply in various fields with the MEXT scholarship. However, master’s students are restricted to apply only to certain areas that, include:

  • Welfare science
  • Medicine
  • Traditional entertainment arts
  • Dentistry and the related fields

You have to apply for the scholarship through the Government embassy and consultants. Therefore, ensure that your country has good political relations with Japan. 

MEXT Scholarship Benefits

On getting the MEXT Scholarship, you will get the following benefits:

Education Fee: This will cover all the fees from your entrance examination to matriculation and university tuition fees.

143,000 Yen Per Month for Research Students.

144,000 Yen/Month for a student of  Master’s Program.

145,000 Yen/Month for a student of a Doctoral Program.

Monthly Allowance: Students will get a monthly stipend of 117,000 yen, which is approximately $833. Apart from that, 2,000 to 3,000 yen will be supplementarily awarded to the students who will be conducting research. However, this amount may change depending on the Government’s budget.

Accommodation: The university will provide residence halls to all scholarship holders until they complete their degree.

Traveling Expenses: MEXT will cover the travel expenses from your country of origin to Japan in an economy-class ticket.

Find full list of scholarships in Japan here.

Eligibility

The following conditions and qualifications should be met if a candidate wants to achieve a MEXT scholarship. 

  • Nationality: The candidate should be from a country having good political relations with Japan. Find more details here. This scholarship is only for non–Japanese students. If the candidate has Japanese nationality at the time of application, they will not be eligible for the scholarship. 
  • Language Requirements: The candidate must be able to speak English and should be interested in learning the Japanese language. The candidate must show a deep understanding of learning about Japan.
  • Health Condition: The candidate should be mentally and physically fit. For that, he/she must attach the health fitness report signed by a certified physician.
  • Age Requirements: The applicant should be at least 18 years of age at the time of admission to the undergraduate program. For master, doctoral, and teacher training programs, the candidate should be below 35 years of age.
  • Academic Requirements: The candidate should have completed 12 years of education or academic qualification equivalent to 12 years of schooling and be eligible for the undergraduate program.
  • Arrival in Japan: Once the scholarship has been granted, the candidate should reach Japan within the given time frame.

You can visit the Japan Embassy website for detailed information on eligibility and ineligibility for the MEXT scholarship.

Courses Applicable for MEXT Scholarship

The candidates who want to apply for graduate programs have two fields of study to choose from. They are Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, and Humanities. 

Social Sciences and Humanities

The majors in this field include: 

  • Law
  • Politics
  • Literature
  • History
  • Sociology
  • Japanese language
  • Economics
  • Business administration 

Natural Sciences  

  • Science (Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics)
  • Civil engineering and architecture 
  • Chemical studies
  • Mechanical studies
  • Electric and electronic studies
  • Agricultural studies
  • Hygienic studies
  • Biological sciences
  • Medicine, dentistry, and related fields 

How to Apply for a MEXT Scholarship?

Follow the following steps to apply for MEXT Japan Scholarship:

  1. Look for the Japanese consulate website for your country and open it.
  2. There will be an Education or Scholarships section on the website. By clicking on it, you will see a list of various scholarships. Find the MEXT scholarship and click on “apply now.” 
  3. Download the application form and complete it, considering each point carefully. 
  4. Submit all the required documents for the MEXT scholarship to the Japanese Embassy. (The list of required documents is in the next section). 
  5. There will be a written test that the Japanese embassy will conduct.
  6. Interviews will be conducted for the short-listed candidates. 
  7. Candidates selected for the MEXT scholarship will be informed via email. 

Documents Required

The candidate should submit the following documents. Without any of these, the application will not be entertained.

  1. Application form for MEXT Scholarship
  2. Letters of recommendation: There should be two recommendation letters that have to be written by the principal, teachers, or professors of the last institute attended. 
  3. Research Plan
  4. Academic Transcripts: The degree should be verified by the institute. The candidate should have 12 years of education proof for a bachelor’s program. For a master’s, a bachelor’s degree is required, and for the Ph.D. program, a master’s degree should be attached. 
  5. Health Certificate: Proof that you are mentally and physically fit for the program.
  6. Enrollment certificate
  7. Photographs
  8. CV and academic thesis (for research students)
  9. Certificate of English language proficiency 

Official Website

https://www.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/admission/scholarship.html

https://www.mofa.go.jp/about/emb_cons/over/index.html

FAQ 

Is it difficult to get a MEXT scholarship?

There is no doubt that MEXT is a highly competitive scholarship. However, if you carefully fulfill all the requirements, show a keen interest in learning about Japan, and develop a strong application strategy, your chances of getting accepted for MEXT will increase. 

Can I receive the Japanese government scholarship twice? 

Suppose you have already won a Japanese government scholarship and completed your education. In that case, you will not be eligible for a scholarship again until you complete at least three years of research or education after completing the previously awarded scholarship. 

Do I need to learn Japanese for MEXT? 

If the institute you are applying to gives instructions in the English language, then there is no need to learn Japanese. You will need to show English language proficiency documents only. However, you still need to learn the basics of Japanese to get through things easily.