University Scholarships in Japan

Japanese universities offer tuition reductions, admission scholarships, merit grants and research scholarships.

Required documents

• University application form.
• Passport.
• Academic transcripts.
• Degree certificate.
• CV.
• Study plan.
• Research proposal for graduate programmes.
• Recommendation letters.
• Language certificate:
• JLPT or EJU for Japanese-taught programmes.
• IELTS, TOEFL or equivalent for English-taught programmes.
• Supervisor acceptance, often required for research degrees.
• Financial statement, if requested.

Eligible nationalities

• Usually open to international students.
• Some are for privately financed students.
• Some are for specific countries.
• Some require residence in Japan.
• Some are automatic for admitted students.
• Some are faculty-specific.

How to apply

• Check each university's scholarship page.
• Apply during admission or after enrolment.
• Contact a supervisor early for graduate programmes.
• Submit scholarship documents to the admissions office or international office.
• Some scholarships require university nomination.

Usual timeline

• Start preparing: 8 to 12 months before intake.
• April intake applications: often autumn of previous year.
• September or October intake applications: often winter to spring.
• Results: 2 to 5 months after application.
• Start: April or September/October.
• Payment: after enrolment and administrative registration.