Are there Japanese universities with no application fee?
If you have been searching for universities in Japan with zero application fee for international students, the honest answer is that they are rare. Universities keep the fee on paper, and then offer waivers or exemptions for students who fit certain conditions, like applying from a country on the OECD/DAC list of low-income or least-developed countries, applying to a specific program, or coming from a household with financial hardship.
The good news is that if you do qualify, the savings are real, and these are some of the most respected universities in the country.
Here are five Japanese universities offering application fee waivers or exemptions for international students in 2026:
1) Hokkaido University
Hokkaido University, one of Japan's seven former imperial universities, waives the application fee for international students applying to the Intensive Japanese Course phase of the Modern Japanese Studies Program (MJSP) at its Sapporo campus.
The MJSP is a one-year program designed for international students who want to build their Japanese language skills and learn about Japanese society, history, and culture before moving into a full degree program. The Intensive Japanese Course is the first phase, and applicants to this phase do not pay an application fee. The program admits students twice a year, in April and October, and is taught primarily in Japanese with some English-language support for incoming students.
If you are planning to study Japanese in Japan as a step toward a bachelor's or master's degree, this is one of the few programs at a major national university where applying does not cost anything.
Learn more about the MJSP and apply at Hokkaido University.
2) Doshisha University
Doshisha University, a private institution in Kyoto founded in 1875, offers an Application Fee Waiver for Applicants from Developing Countries for students applying to its Institute for the Liberal Arts (ILA).
The ILA is Doshisha's English-taught undergraduate program, where international students can study global issues, social sciences, humanities, and Japanese culture without needing prior Japanese ability. To qualify for the waiver, applicants must hold the nationality of and currently reside in one of the OECD/DAC eligible Least Developed Countries or Other Low Income Countries, the same 48-country list that Waseda uses for its own waiver.
Doshisha also offers entrance scholarships for international students that can reduce tuition by up to half, on top of the application fee waiver.
Learn more about the ILA program at Doshisha University.
3) Waseda University
Waseda University, one of the top private universities in Japan runs a Screening Fee Waiver Program for Applicants from Specified Countries that applies across many of its undergraduate and graduate programs.
The screening fee at Waseda is normally ¥35,000, so the waiver represents a real saving for students who qualify. To be eligible, you must hold the nationality of and currently reside in a country classified as a Least Developed Country or Other Low Income Country on the OECD/DAC list of ODA recipients. The waiver is not automatic, you have to actively submit a waiver request as part of your application, and dual-nationality holders need both passports to fall within the eligible list.
Waseda has a strong English-medium offering through schools like the School of International Liberal Studies, the School of Political Science and Economics, and the School of Fundamental Science and Engineering, so this option is open to students who do not yet speak Japanese.
Read the full waiver eligibility and application form on the Waseda University admissions page.
4) The University of Tokyo
The University of Tokyo, Japan's highest-ranked national university, offers an Exemption of Admission Fee program for students who meet specific financial or academic criteria. The standard admission fee at UTokyo is ¥282,000, so the exemption is one of the most valuable on this list for students who qualify.
Eligibility is based on financial hardship, the death of a person responsible for school expenses, or damages from a natural disaster within one year of admission. For graduate students, outstanding academic performance is also considered.
The university also runs separate tuition fee exemption schemes that can reduce or fully waive tuition, decided through a screening process after admission.
One important note, the admission fee exemption applies after you are admitted, not at the application stage, so applicants still pay the screening fee when they submit their application. UTokyo also confirms that Embassy-Recommended MEXT (Monbukagakusho) Scholarship recipients are exempt from paying the application fee.
Check eligibility and apply for the exemption at the University of Tokyo.
5) Hiroshima University
Hiroshima University, ranked among Japan's leading national universities and home to more than 30 English-medium degree programs, offers an application fee exemption for international students who meet specific criteria, including students from countries on Japan's official development assistance list and students applying to certain international programs.
The standard examination fee at Hiroshima is ¥17,000 for undergraduate applications and around ¥30,000 for graduate applications, so the exemption removes one of the early costs of applying. Hiroshima University offers programs in fields like engineering, integrated arts and sciences, biomedical and health sciences, and informatics, with multiple scholarship options for international students who progress to enrollment.
Read the application fee exemption details at Hiroshima University.
Things to keep in mind before applying
Application fee waivers and exemptions in Japan almost always come with conditions, so before you submit anything, check the eligibility requirements on each university's official admissions page. The most common requirements are nationality, current country of residence, household income, and the specific program you are applying to. Most waivers also need to be requested actively, with supporting documents like a passport copy, certificate of residence, or proof of income, and they will not be applied automatically.
If you are not sure whether you qualify, the fastest way to find out is to email the international admissions office directly. They tend to respond within a few business days and can confirm your eligibility before you spend time on the full application.
Apply to top universities in Japan with Global Admissions
Japan has more than 700 universities, and finding the right fit, especially as an international student, takes time. If you want help choosing programs that match your goals, budget, and eligibility for fee waivers or scholarships, our advisors at Global Admissions can guide you through the process from shortlist to application.
Start your application with Global Admissions or book a call with us if you need help applying to universities in Japan.
