Location: Tokyo, Japan
Program: Postgraduate – Master’s and Doctoral (PhD) Programs
Eligibility: International students
Duration: 2 to 3 years
Deadline: October 31, 2025
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The University of Tokyo (UTokyo) MEXT Scholarship, administered through the University Recommendation route by the Graduate School of Science, supports outstanding international students who wish to pursue a Master’s or Doctoral degree at one of the world’s leading science faculties. Under this route, the Graduate School of Science conducts its own preliminary selection and nominates candidates to the University of Tokyo, which then nominates its candidates to Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) for final selection. Applicants must first complete their admission application for the Graduate School of Science under the Special Selection for International Applicants process before submitting MEXT scholarship documents.
The Graduate School of Science at the University of Tokyo one of the world’s most prestigious research universities, consistently ranked among the global top 30 encompasses a wide range of disciplines including astronomy, biophysics and biochemistry, chemistry, earth and planetary science, mathematics, and physics. The School is home to world-class research facilities, internationally recognised faculty, and graduate departments at the frontier of scientific discovery, and supports a growing international student community through its International Team and dedicated scholarship and admissions processes.
Benefits of the Programme
This programme will provide the following to its recipients:
- A monthly stipend of ¥144,000 – ¥145,000 (AY2026 actual amounts). These amounts are subject to change depending on the size of the annual fiscal budget each year, commodity prices, etc.
- An additional monthly stipend of ¥2,000 or ¥3,000
- Full exemption from enrollment and tuition fees.
- Economy class round-trip airfare
- A guaranteed room in the University of Tokyo International Lodge for the first one year
- Other benefits
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Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for this programme, applicants must meet the following:
- Must be a citizen of a country with diplomatic relations with the Japanese government; Japanese nationals are ineligible (except those with dual nationality who plan to renounce Japanese nationality before arrival)
- Must be born on or after April 2, 1991 (in principle)
- Must have completed (or be expected to complete) the qualifications necessary for admission to the Graduate School of Science as a Master’s or Doctoral student
- Must have a final grade point of 2.30 or higher (calculated according to MEXT’s formula) in their latest degree programme, or a current GPA of 2.30 or higher if still enrolled
- Must meet the language proficiency requirement: English proficiency at B2 or above on the CEFR scale (e.g. TOEFL iBT 72 or above, IELTS 5.5 or above), or completion of a degree programme with English as the primary language of instruction; or Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) N2 or higher, or completion of a degree programme with Japanese as the primary language of instruction
- Must apply to a field of study related to or the same as their previous university studies, and one that can be researched at the Graduate School of Science
- Must not be residing in Japan at the time of application
- Must not be a previous recipient of a Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship (with certain exceptions)
- Must not be concurrently applying for another AY2026 MEXT scholarship programme
- Must have completed their admission application for the Graduate School of Science under the Special Selection for International Applicants process before submitting MEXT scholarship documents
Note: Kindly check the official webpage for full and detailed requirements.
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Selection Criteria
Applications undergo a three-stage screening process. First, the Graduate School of Science reviews all submitted applications and nominates its preferred candidates. These nominees are then assessed in a second screening at the University of Tokyo level, which nominates its final candidates to MEXT. MEXT conducts the third and final selection, with grantees officially notified in June 2026. The number of nominations is strictly limited typically to at most one per Graduate School making this a highly competitive process in which meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee selection.
How to Apply
CLICK HERE to visit the official webpage and submit your application
