Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship

Scholarships to support international students' study in Japan are available through the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)

MEXT Scholarships

Level
Category
Embassy Recommendation
University Recommendation
Other
Graduate
Graduate-level students
⚫*
⚫*
Teacher Training Students
*
Young Leaders' Program (YLP) Students
*
Undergraduate
Undergraduate students
⚫*
⚫*
Japanese Studies Students
*
*
Colledge of technology students
*
Specialized training college students
*

⚫*= accepted by Tokyo Tech / *= conducted by MEXT

There are two ways by which students may receive consideration for the MEXT Scholarship.

One way is through an Embassy Recommendation, by which Japanese embassies and consulates (hereafter referred to as "Japanese embassies") recommend candidates for MEXT Scholarships. The other is through a University Recommendation, by which Tokyo Tech recommends candidates for MEXT Scholarships. Simultaneous recommendation for both of these types of scholarships is not allowed. Upon receiving recommendations from Japanese embassies and universities, MEXT shall make the final decision regarding recipients. Those selected to receive the MEXT Scholarship shall be provided with the following benefits.

Stipend:

- Graduate-level students
   <Non-degree students>
     Japanese Intensive Course Students and Research Students: 146,000 yen/month
   <Degree-seeking students>
     Master's Program Students: 147,000 yen/month
     Doctoral Program Students: 148,000 yen/month
- Undergraduate students: 120,000 yen/month

Stipends are subject to change as specified by the regulations of the MEXT Scholarship program.

MEXT scholarship students who enroll in April will receive the monthly stipend from April. Those who enroll in September will receive it from October.

Travel Expenses:

In accordance with MEXT regulations, each scholarship recipient will be provided with an economy class air ticket between the international airport closest to his/her place of residence in his/her country of nationality and Narita or Haneda International Airport. Insurance premiums for travel to/from Japan shall be borne by the recipient. The airport the recipient departs from or returns to must be an airport in the country of his/her nationality.

School Fees:

Application, admission and tuition fees shall be waived. Those who, at the time of application for a degree program at Tokyo Tech, are not yet MEXT Scholarship recipients must first pay the application fee, which shall be reimbursed after they are admitted as a MEXT Scholarship recipient.

Embassy Recommendation

MEXT asks the Japanese embassies to recommend candidates for the MEXT Scholarship. Since application periods differ by country, those wishing to receive an Embassy recommendation should check with the Japanese embassy in their home country.

Those wishing to receive the MEXT Scholarship as undergraduate students should plan to arrive in Japan in April. Those wishing to receive the scholarship as graduate-level students should plan to arrive in Japan in either April or September. Graduate-level applicants to Tokyo Tech must obtain a "Letter of Acceptance" from a Tokyo Tech faculty member. After passing the first round of screening at a Japanese embassy, scholarship candidates should contact a Tokyo Tech faculty member as soon as possible to ask for a "Letter of Acceptance". This "Letter of Acceptance" confirms that the Tokyo Tech faculty member will act as the candidate's academic supervisor should the candidate be accepted for the MEXT Scholarship. Candidates can find potential Tokyo Tech academic supervisors and their contact details in the STAR Search database (the Tokyo Tech researchers' database) on the Tokyo Tech website.

Graduate-level students selected for the MEXT Scholarship through Embassy Recommendations are accepted at Tokyo Tech as Japanese Intensive Course Students and will attend the Japanese Intensive Course for the first six months after arrival in Japan. (Those selected through Chinese Embassy Recommendation, ASCOJA, the Ministry of Railways in India are an exception).

Graduate-level students from China, who are selected for the MEXT Scholarship through Embassy Recommendations, will enter Tokyo Tech as Research Students. Generally, those students will attend a one-year preparatory course in basic and specialized Japanese language at the Preparatory School for Chinese Students to Japan, taught at the Northeast Normal University of China, before coming to Japan. Students who already have adequate Japanese language skills may be able to take only the specialized Japanese language course at the Preparatory School in China, or they may be permitted to enter Tokyo Tech as Research Students without taking any preparatory courses.

Graduate-level MEXT scholarship students recommended through ASCOJA will take the Japanese language preparatory course at Tokyo Japanese Language Education Center for six months. Then, they will enter Tokyo Tech as Research Students or may be eligible to apply for the entrance examination to enroll in Tokyo Tech's master's / doctoral program for September at earliest.

Graduate-level MEXT scholarship students recommended through the Ministry of Railways, India are eligible to apply for the IGP (C) entrance examination to enroll in Tokyo Tech's master's program in either April or September in a designated year.

Japanese Intensive Course Students or Research Students passing the screening examination during their studies or research at Tokyo Tech may enroll in a master's or doctoral program in either September or April.

Undergraduate students are required to study in a preparatory school, either at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies or Osaka University, for one year prior to admission to Tokyo Tech, and may enroll in April of the following year if they pass the Special Screening Examination for International Undergraduate Students administered by Tokyo Tech.

University Recommendation (Undergraduate, Graduate)

Tokyo Tech will recommend for the MEXT Scholarship academically outstanding individuals who are considered to be in need of a scholarship. Individuals who are coming to Japan to study at Tokyo Tech as Undergraduate (GSEP), or degree-seeking graduate-level students (International Graduate Program (A)) are eligible for Tokyo Tech's recommendation.

(1) Graduates
Students enroll directly in the Tokyo Tech International Graduate Program's Degree Courses (Integrated Doctoral Education Program, master's program or doctoral program). Enrollment is in September. In the case of the Integrated Doctoral Education Program, the scholarship period, from the time of enrollment, is for two years (for obtaining a master's degree), and that period can be extended, under certain conditions, for students who pursue a doctoral degree.

(2) Undergraduates
Students enroll in the Department of Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering at the School of Environment and Society in April.

Notes:

Based on MEXT rules requiring that MEXT Scholarship recipients receive their education and conduct research at the university which recommended them, those who obtain a MEXT Scholarship through Tokyo Tech's University Recommendation cannot enter or transfer to another university.

Eligibility and Requirements for MEXT Scholarships

Please see individual application guidelines for more information:

Contact

Student Exchange Group 2, International Student Exchange Division(TP-003)

Email tokyotech.mext@jim.titech.ac.jp