Japan·GovernmentMEXT Scholarship 2027
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Government of Japan
Full Ride
Bachelor'sMaster'sPhD+1
Open·Next: April–May 2026
Scholarships
Fully Funded Scholarships in Japan
Japan hosts 24 fully funded scholarships for international students — a full ride, full tuition, or a complete tuition waiver. 19 pay for everything, 2 cover tuition in full, and 3 waive tuition entirely, spanning Master's (15), Bachelor's (9), PhD (9), and Language (2). Among the listed awards: MEXT Scholarship 2027, Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP) 2026-2027, and Indonesia LPDP Scholarship 2026. Deadlines cluster around April and January, and 13 run on a rolling or annual basis with no single fixed date.
- Scholarships listed
- 24
- Full-ride awards
- 19
- Degree levels covered
- 5
- Next deadlines
- September · October · January
What full funding is worth in Japan
Median listed international tuition by degree — this is the bill a fully funded award in Japan is covering.
Source: Global Admissions programme catalogue, 2026-09-01.
At a glance
Japan·GovernmentJapan·NGOAshinaga Africa Initiative 2026
Ashinaga
Full Ride
Bachelor's
Open·Next: Direct applications now only for Francophone (deadline ~Aug) and Lusophone (deadline ~Oct) countries; Anglophone countries moved to a school-partnership model (no direct applications since Aug 2024). Confirm 2026 dates on the official Ashinaga website.
Japan·GovernmentIndonesia LPDP Scholarship 2026
Lembaga Pengelola Dana Pendidikan (LPDP)
Full Ride
Master'sPhD
Open·Next: Runs in batches each year, typically with a Batch 1 registration window in January-February and a later batch following; confirm exact dates on the official LPDP portal.
Japan·UniversityKyoto iUP Scholarship (Kyoto University International Undergraduate Program)
Kyoto University
Full Ride
Bachelor's
Open·Next: Annual, with iUP admissions; apply in winter for autumn start
Japan·GovernmentJoint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP) 2026-2027
Government of Japan, administered by the World Bank
Full Ride
Master'sPhD
Open·Next: 2026 windows closed (Feb & May 2026); next windows expected ~January–May 2027.
Japan·GovernmentADB-Japan Scholarship Program 2027
Government of Japan, administered by the Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Full Tuition
Master'sMBA
Open·Next: Varies by institution
Japan·GovernmentJapanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship - Specialized Training College Students
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
Full Ride
Open·Next: Annual; embassy recommendation only, opens ~spring
Japan·NGORotary Peace Fellowship 2027-2028
The Rotary Foundation (Rotary International)
Full Ride
Master's
Open·Next: The 2027-2028 cycle is closed. The 2028-2029 application is expected to open online in February 2027; districts endorse candidates, so start early.
Japan·GovernmentJapanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship - College of Technology (KOSEN) Students
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
Full Ride
Bachelor's
Open·Next: Annual; embassy route opens ~spring for the following April
Japan·UniversityNagoya University Global 30 (G30) Undergraduate Scholarship
Nagoya University
Full Tuition
Bachelor's
Open·Next: Annual; automatic with G30 admission + scholarship form
Japan·UniversityTohoku University President's Fellowship for International Students
Tohoku University
Tuition waiver
Bachelor'sMaster'sPhD
Open·Next: Annual; flag your interest when you apply for admission
Japan·GovernmentJapanese Grant Aid for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS)
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
Full Ride
Master'sPhD
Open·Next: Annual; recruitment opens country-by-country via the JDS office
Japan·GovernmentJapanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship - Japanese Studies Students
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
Full Ride
Language
Open·Next: Annual; embassy recommendation only, enrol that autumn
Japan·GovernmentErasmus Mundus Joint Master in Japan-Europe Master on Advanced Robotics (JEMARO)
European Commission (Erasmus Mundus)
Full Ride
Master's
Open·Next: Annual, usually closes Dec–Jan for September entry
Japan·NGOABE Initiative (African Business Education Initiative for Youth) - JICA
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
Full Ride
Master's
Open·Next: Annual batches via JICA / embassies, ahead of autumn intake
Japan·GovernmentJapanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship - Research Students
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
Full Ride
Master'sPhD
Open·Next: Annual; embassy route opens ~April-May for next year
Japan·UniversityUniversity of Tsukuba MEXT Scholarship (University Recommendation)
University of Tsukuba
Full Ride
Master'sPhD
Open·Next: Apply ~Nov-Dec, results ~June, enrol October
Japan·GovernmentJapanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship - Undergraduate Students
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
Full Ride
Bachelor's
Open·Next: Annual; embassy route opens ~spring for the following April
Japan·UniversityUniversity of Osaka Tuition Fee Exemption for Privately-Financed International Students
The University of Osaka
Tuition waiver
Bachelor'sMaster'sPhD
Open·Next: Two windows a year: ~late March and ~late September
Japan·UniversityKeio University Design the Future Award for International Students
Keio University
Full Ride
Master'sPhD
Open·Next: Annual; varies by graduate school, ~late Aug to mid-Oct
Japan·GovernmentErasmus Mundus Joint Master in Imaging and Light in Extended Reality (IMLEX)
European Commission (Erasmus Mundus)
Full Ride
Master's
Open·Next: Annual call for September intake; scholarship applications close in winter
Japan·GovernmentJapanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship - Young Leaders Program (YLP)
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
Full Ride
Master's
Open·Next: Annual; nominated via designated organizations, varies by country
Japan·UniversityInstitute of Science Tokyo Scholarship for Outstanding International Undergraduate Students
Institute of Science Tokyo
Tuition waiver
Bachelor's
Open·Next: Annual (Apr-Mar); judged on entrance exam or prior-year results
Japan·GovernmentJapanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship - Teacher Training Students
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
Full Ride
Open·Next: Annual; embassy recommendation only, enrol that autumn
Deadlines coming up
September
January
April
Rolling / annual windows
- Ashinaga Africa Initiative 2026
- Kyoto iUP Scholarship (Kyoto University International Undergraduate Program)
- ADB-Japan Scholarship Program 2027
- Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship - Specialized Training College Students
- Nagoya University Global 30 (G30) Undergraduate Scholarship
- Tohoku University President's Fellowship for International Students
- +7 more
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Frequently asked questions
How many fully funded scholarships does Japan offer international students?▾
24 scholarships in Japan cover the full ride, full tuition, or a complete tuition waiver, including MEXT Scholarship 2027.
What do these scholarships cover?▾
19 cover a full ride (tuition, living costs, and often travel), 2 cover tuition in full, and 3 waive tuition entirely. A typical award: Full Ride.
When are the deadlines?▾
Deadlines cluster around April and January, and 13 run on a rolling or annual basis with no single fixed date.