Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship 2026

[Mathematics Education Researchers (MER) community]

The Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship is a great opportunity for students from all over the world to study in Japan for free. It is funded by the Japanese government through the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT). This scholarship pays for your tuition, living expenses, travel costs, and more. It helps students at all levels, like undergraduate, graduate, research, and training. This MEXT Scholarship Guide will help you understand everything you need to know about this fully funded scholarship in Japan.

• Host Country: Japan
• Scholarship By: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT), Japan

There are seven types of the Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho) Scholarship program. They are Research students, Teacher training students, Undergraduate students, Japanese studies students, college of technology students, Specialized training college students, and Young Leaders Program (YLP) students.

• MEXT Research Scholarship: For graduate-level students.
• Teacher Training Students: For teachers who want to improve their skills.
• MEXT Undergraduate Scholarship: For students who want to earn a bachelor’s degree.
• Japanese Studies Students: For those studying the Japanese language or culture.
• College of Technology Students: For students learning technical skills.
• Specialized Training College Students: For those studying vocational courses.
• Young Leaders Program (YLP) Students: For future leaders in various fields.

MEXT Scholarship eligibility criteria for international Students:

The rules for who can apply depend on the type of scholarship. Here’s a quick look:

• Research Students: Must be under 35 and have a college degree or 16 years of schooling.
• Teacher Training Students: Under 35, with a college degree and at least five years of teaching experience.
• Undergraduate Students: Aged 17 to 25, with 12 years of school education.
• Japanese Studies Students: Aged 18 to 30, enrolled in a Japanese language or culture program.
• College of Technology Students: Aged 17 to 25, with at least 11 years of schooling.
• Specialized Training College Students: Aged 17 to 25, with 12 years of schooling.
• Young Leaders Program (YLP) Students: Under 40, with a university degree and work experience.

Those who wish to study abroad are required to apply in one of two ways:
embassy recommendation or university recommendation. Please see the application selection process for details.

https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/planning/scholarships/mext-scholarships/