Japanese Government MEXT Scholarships for Graduate Students 2026 | Fully Funded

The Japanese Government MEXT Scholarships is one of the most prestigious fully funded scholarships offered by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) for international students who wish to pursue their graduate studies in Japan.

The scholarship is available through two main application tracks:

• University Recommendation (UR) through APU.
• Embassy Recommendation through the Japanese embassy in the applicant’s home country.

First: MEXT Scholarship (University Recommendation – UR)

Eligibility Requirements

• Must intend to study in Japan from overseas.
• Must be a national of one of the countries designated by MEXT (such as Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Jordan, Tunisia, and others).
• Must be born on or after April 2, 1991.
• Must have a minimum GPA of 2.30 on a 3.00 scale.
• Individuals currently on active military duty or serving as civilian staff in the military are not eligible.
• Cannot receive this scholarship together with other scholarships not approved by MEXT.
• Must obtain a “Student” visa.
  

Award (Funding)

• Full exemption from admission and tuition fees.
• Monthly stipend of 144,000 JPY (including housing).
• Health insurance.
• Study materials.
• Round-trip airfare between the applicant’s country and Japan.

How to Apply

• Applications are available only for September 2026 enrollment.
• Application deadline: November 12, 2025.
• APU reviews applications and recommends eligible candidates to MEXT.
• Final results are announced by MEXT by June 2026.

Required Documents

Proof of English proficiency (TOEFL/IELTS), with tests taken after mid-March 2024.

Second: MEXT Scholarship (Embassy Recommendation)

Eligibility Requirements

• Must not hold Japanese nationality and must be from a country that has diplomatic relations with Japan.
• Must be born on or after April 2, 1991.
• Must be willing to learn Japanese and deepen understanding of Japanese culture.
• For MBA applicants only: At least three years of full-time work experience (or equivalent) by the time of enrollment.
• Individuals currently on active military duty or serving as civilian staff in the military are not eligible.
• Cannot receive this scholarship together with other scholarships not approved by MEXT.
• Must obtain a “Student” visa.
  

Funding Provided

• Full exemption from admission and tuition fees.
• Monthly stipend of 144,000 JPY (including housing).
• Round-trip airfare.

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How to Apply

1. First apply through the Japanese embassy in your home country.
2. After receiving the primary screening results from the embassy, submit your documents to APU.
3. Applicants must use the MEXT Scholarship (Embassy Recommendation) APU Application Form 2026.
4. Once reviewed, APU issues a Letter of Acceptance, which must then be submitted to the embassy.
5. The final decision is announced by the Japanese embassy.
   

Important Notes

• Embassy scholarship recipients cannot leave their home countries before April 1, 2026.
• Therefore, they will not be able to attend the APU Spring Entrance Ceremony or part of Orientation Week.
• Students enrolling in September will be able to attend on time.

Required Documents (after embassy results)

• Copies of all documents submitted to the embassy.
• Copy of the embassy’s primary screening result.
• Personal statement.
• (For MBA applicants only) CV + Certificate of Employment.
• Application fee payment receipt (7,000 JPY). Bank transfer details are provided in the official instructions.

APU Graduate Application Schedule 2026 (for Embassy Recommendation)

• Round 1: Deadline July 31 – Results August 25.
• Round 2: Deadline August 21 – Results September 12.
• Round 3: Deadline September 1 – Results September 22.