Location: Japan
Program: Master’s and Doctoral Degree Programs
Eligibility: International students
Duration: Full duration of the graduate program
Deadline: November 5, 2026
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The MEXT University Recommendation (UR) Scholarship is a prestigious Japanese Government scholarship provided by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) to outstanding international students recommended by APU. The aim of the scholarship is to enhance the international competitiveness of Japanese universities and to promote the active exchange of international students. The process is two-stage: applicants must first apply to APU by November 5, 2026 for September 2027 enrollment; APU then reviews application documents and selects suitable candidates to recommend to MEXT. Applicants selected for recommendation are notified along with their APU application results, and MEXT makes the final scholarship award decision by the end of June 2027. Note that being recommended by APU is not a guarantee of selection by MEXT.
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU), located in Beppu, Oita, Japan, is consistently ranked as Western Japan’s top international university. Founded in 2000, APU is home to students from over 90 countries and regions, with international students making up approximately half the student body. APU’s Graduate School offers fully English-taught programmes and holds prestigious international accreditations including AACSB, AMBA, and TedQual. The university offers graduate programmes in Asia Pacific Studies (Master’s and Doctoral) and Management (MBA), and supports students through a comprehensive range of internal and external scholarship opportunities including the MEXT University Recommendation Scholarship, APU Tuition Reduction Scholarships, and various external fellowships.
Benefits of the Programme
This programme will provide the following to its recipients:
- Full admission fee coverage
- Full tuition fee coverage
- Monthly subsistence allowance of ¥144,000 (including housing)
- Travel expenses (Round-trip economy class airfare)
- Other benefits
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Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for this programme, applicants must meet the following:
- Must intend to study abroad in Japan from overseas — applicants already residing in Japan are not eligible
- Must be a national of a MEXT-designated country (see the official MEXT-designated countries list on the APU website)
- Must have been born on or after April 2, 1992
- Must have achieved a GPA of at least 2.30 on a 3.00 scale at their most recent university
- Must hold a “Student” status of residence (student visa) in Japan once enrolled
- Must not be currently serving on active military duty or employed as civilian staff by the military at the time of application
- Must not have previously received a Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship, unless over three years of educational or work experience has passed since the end of the previous scholarship, or unless the prior scholarship falls under certain designated exempt programmes — note: the Monbukagakusho Honors Scholarship for Privately-Financed International Students is not considered a MEXT Scholarship for this purpose
- Must not be receiving any other scholarship (including from the Japanese government, government-related organisations, or other sources) that has not been approved for concurrent acceptance with the MEXT Scholarship
- English proficiency test scores must be from exams taken on or after March 15, 2025
Note: Kindly check the official webpage for full and detailed requirements.
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Selection Criteria
The selection process is two-stage. In the first stage, APU reviews all received graduate application documents and selects suitable candidates to recommend to MEXT based on academic excellence, research ability and potential, and overall fit with APU’s graduate programmes. Applicants selected for recommendation are notified along with their final APU application results. In the second stage, MEXT makes the final scholarship award decision from the pool of candidates recommended by all participating Japanese universities, with final results announced by the end of June 2027. Being recommended by APU does not guarantee selection by MEXT — the final decision rests with MEXT. Scholarship conditions for 2027 may be subject to change.
How to Apply
CLICK HERE to visit the official webpage and submit your application.
