Depending on your track, the standard scholarship period is:

• With preparatory year (most students)
  • 5 years total (1 year prep + 4 years bachelor)
  • 7 years for Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine, and six-year Pharmacy
• Direct placement (for students skipping the prep year)
  • 4 years (or 6 years for the fields above)

In some cases, if you graduate and are accepted into a graduate program in Japan with strong academic results, you may later apply to extend your scholarship into Master’s/graduate studies.

The exact schedule varies by country, because each Japanese Embassy/Consulate sets its own deadlines. However, the general timeline for Embassy Recommendation is:

1. Call for applications (Embassy/Consulate)
   • Usually announced between April and May of the year before you go to Japan (for example, April–May 2025 for April 2026 arrival).
2. First Screening (at the Japanese Embassy/Consulate) – roughly May–August
   • Document screening
   • Written exams (Japanese, English, Maths, and Science for science track)
   • Interview
3. Second Screening & university placement (MEXT in Japan) – late year
   • Embassies send recommended candidates to MEXT
   • MEXT reviews all files and coordinates with universities to decide final placement
4. Final results & placement decision
   • Successful candidates receive confirmation of scholarship + assigned university
5. Arrival in Japan
   • Normally between 1 and 7 April for those starting with the preparatory year
   • Or around September/October if directly placed at a university that starts in autumn

Always check the Japanese Embassy/Consulate website in your country for the correct and current deadlines

Nationality

• You must have the nationality of a country with diplomatic relations with Japan.
• You cannot be a Japanese citizen at the time of application.
• Applicants with dual nationality (including Japanese) may apply only if they choose the non-Japanese nationality and agree to renounce Japanese nationality before arriving in Japan.

Age

• For the 2026 intake:
  • You must, in principle, have been born on or after 2 April 2001.
  • In practice, this means you are at least 17 and under 25 at the time of enrollment.

Academic background

You must satisfy one of these (or equivalent):

• Have completed 12 years of schooling outside Japan (or will complete by March 2026; by August 2026 if starting from autumn through direct placement), or
• Have finished a school equivalent to a Japanese upper secondary school, or
• Have passed an academic qualification exam equivalent to 12 years of schooling, or
• Otherwise be eligible for admission to a Japanese university at the time of application (as defined in your home country’s system).

Language & motivation

• You must be willing to learn Japanese and ready to study your major mainly in Japanese after the preparatory year.
• You should show genuine interest in Japan and willingness to take part in cultural/exchange activities during and after your studies.

Health

• You must submit a health certificate, confirming you have no physical or mental conditions that would prevent you from studying in Japan.

Who is NOT eligible

You are not eligible if:

• You are military personnel or civilian employees of the military.
• You cannot arrive during the period specified by MEXT / the accepting university.
• You are already a MEXT scholar (or applying to another MEXT program starting in the same or overlapping year).
• You plan to study in Japan as a privately-funded student and will not complete that program before the MEXT scholarship period starts.
• You intend to receive another scholarship from the Japanese government at the same time.

The exact list and format can vary slightly by country, but the core documents follow the official 2026 Application Guidelines for Undergraduate Students. Always check your local embassy website for the final list.

Typical required documents include:

1. Application Form (Undergraduate Students, FY2026)
2. Direct Placement Preference Form (only if you request direct placement)
3. Academic transcripts for all years of secondary/high school
4. Graduation certificate or proof of expected graduation
5. Recommendation letter from a principal, teacher, or school official
6. Certificate of Health (on the official MEXT form, filled by a medical doctor)
7. Proof of nationality (passport copy or other official document)
8. Certificate of academic qualification exam (if you passed an exam instead of normal 12-year schooling, where relevant)
9. Photographs (passport-sized, recent, in the format specified)

Some embassies may also ask for:

• Short personal statement / motivation letter
• Language test results (if available)
• Additional country-specific forms

• Open to nationals of countries/regions that have diplomatic relations with Japan.
• There is no single public “list” of countries on the guidelines page; instead, each Japanese diplomatic mission announces the scholarship in its country if eligible.

If you’re unsure whether your country is eligible:

• Check if there is a Japanese Embassy/Consulate in your country on the official MOFA list, then check its MEXT scholarship page.

For successful undergraduate grantees, MEXT typically provides:

• Monthly stipend
  • About 117,000 JPY per month
  • A small regional allowance (approx. 2,000–3,000 JPY) may be added if you study in certain designated regions
  • Amounts can change slightly depending on the Japanese government budget
• Tuition & university fees
  • Entrance exam fees, admission fees, and tuition at the preparatory school and university are fully waived
• Round-trip international airfare
  • Economy-class flight to Japan from the international airport nearest to your residence
  • Economy-class return flight to your home country after you finish the scholarship
  • Some local and extra costs (domestic travel, taxes, extra baggage, etc.) must be paid by the student

Note: The scholarship can be suspended or cancelled if you are absent for long periods, fail to meet academic requirements, or break the rules set by MEXT/university.

The process is through the Japanese Embassy/Consulate in your country, not directly to MEXT or universities.

1. Check your eligibility and read the official guidelines
   • Download and study the “Application Guidelines for Undergraduate Students (2026)”.
2. Visit your local Japanese Embassy/Consulate website
   • Find the MEXT Undergraduate Scholarship page for your country.
   • Check the local deadline, place of submission, and any extra requirements.
3. Prepare your documents
   • Fill in the official Application Form and other required forms.
   • Collect transcripts, certificates, recommendation letter, photos, and health certificate.
4. Submit to the Embassy/Consulate
   • Submit all documents by the deadline set by the Japanese Embassy/Consulate in your country.
   • Do not send documents directly to MEXT in Japan.
5. First Screening (Embassy)
   • Document screening
   • Written exams:
     • Japanese
     • English
     • Mathematics
     • Science (for Natural Sciences applicants: choose two out of Physics, Chemistry, Biology)
   • Interview at the embassy/consulate
6. Second Screening (MEXT in Japan)
   • Embassies recommend successful candidates to MEXT.
   • MEXT reviews applications, coordinates with universities, and decides final placements.
7. Final notice & pre-departure
   • If selected, you receive final confirmation, a university placement, and instructions for visa and travel.
8. Arrival, preparatory year & enrollment
   • Most students first attend a one-year Japanese-language and academic prep course (e.g. Tokyo University of Foreign Studies or Osaka University).
   • After successfully completing the prep year, you sit the entrance exam and enroll in the assigned university.

• Language of study: almost all undergraduate programs under MEXT are taught in Japanese, after the preparatory year. You must be ready to study your major in Japanese.
• Direct placement is possible mainly for those with strong Japanese (or English, for specific English-medium programs) and who meet the university’s direct-entry conditions. Many applicants still go through the prep year.
• You cannot easily change your broad course (e.g. from Humanities to Natural Sciences) after selection, so choose your field carefully.
• You cannot receive multiple Japanese government scholarships at the same time (e.g. another MEXT program).
• MEXT expects scholars to act as bridges between Japan and their home countries and may later contact graduates for follow-up surveys or alumni activities.