MEXT Scholarship 2026 Application Form: The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (Monbukagakusho: MEXT) of Japan offers scholarships for international students to study in Japan. Interested students are required to apply in one of two ways: embassy recommendation or university recommendation. See the application selection process for details.
About Japanese Government [Monbukagakusho: MEXT Scholarships 2026 for International Students (Undergraduate, Masters, Doctoral, College of Technology Specialized Training Programme)]
The MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology) offers scholarships to foreign students who wish to study at Japanese universities under the Japanese Government Scholarship Program for 2026. The application process typically involves submitting hard copy applications to the Japanese embassy in the applicant’s home country.
Type:
Undergraduate, Masters, PhD, Training
To be Taken at (Country):
Japan
MEXT Scholarship 2026 Requirements and Eligibility
Eligibility: Before inquiring the Japanese Embassy/consulate, please take a moment to read the basic eligibility thoroughly.
Applicants must generally be citizens of countries with diplomatic relations with Japan and meet age requirements, typically being born on or after a certain date.
Language Proficiency:
- While not always explicitly stated, having a good grasp of Japanese language can be advantageous, especially for research students.
Arrival in Japan:
- Applicants must be able to arrive in Japan within a specific timeframe after receiving notification of acceptance.
Applications are typically submitted via paper form to the respective institution, not through email.
- Embassy Recommendation:
Eligibility:
- Applicants must be a citizen of the country where the Japanese embassy is located and meet specific age and academic requirements.
Application Process:
- Download the application guidelines and forms from the Study in Japan website.
- Fill out the application form, obtain a Certificate of Health from a medical professional, and gather any other required documents.
- Submit the completed application package to the Japanese embassy or consulate-general in your country.
Deadlines:
Check the Study in Japan website for the specific application deadlines for the current cycle.
- University Recommendation:
Eligibility:
- Applicants must be eligible to apply for a degree program at the specific participating Japanese university.
Application Process:
- Contact the university’s international office to inquire about their MEXT program and application procedures.
- Apply to the university’s degree program, meeting their specific requirements.
- Some universities have separate application procedures for MEXT scholarships.
Eligible Countries:
All (specific deadlines TBA)
Value of MEXT Scholarship 2026:
MEXT scholarship is one of the few opportunities covering full expense hence very competitive in nature. Being eligible and having a high academic performance (GPA 2.3 or above out of 3.0) is vital.
Number of Awards:
Numerous
How to Apply for MEXT Scholarship 2026:
- Submission of MEXT Scholarship 2026 Application Form should be done to the Embassy/consulate of Japan of your home country. DO NOT SUMBMIT TO MEXT. Application forms can be found here: College of Technology students, Specialized training college students, Undergraduate Students, and Research students.
- Enrollment types, screening procedure and deadlines for submission differs by the country, check the application detail on at the website of the Japanese Embassy/consulate of your home country.
- Previous years examination can be found here
- It is important to go through all application requirements in the Award Webpage (see Link below) before applying.
For more details, Visit Award Webpage 1 and 2.
When is the MEXT Scholarship 2025-2026 Deadline?
Applications for most embassies are submitted Mid-May 2025. Application deadlines vary depending on the type of scholarship (undergraduate, research, etc.) and the submission method (embassy or university).
The MEXT scholarship is highly competitive, so it’s important to prepare a strong application.
