University of Tokyo MEXT Scholarship 2027 for Master’s and PhD | Fully Funded

The University of Tokyo is taking applications for the MEXT University Recommended Scholarship for October 2027 entry. It can pay your tuition and a monthly stipend and also give you a flight to Japan. But there is a warning you must read first. The Japanese government has told universities that this scholarship route is expected to be discontinued from AY2027 onward. The Graduate School of Science still accepts applications and says details can change. Another UTokyo school has already stopped taking them.

Applications run until 30 October 2026.

Quick Facts

Official information checked: 15 October 2026

What the Scholarship Pays

Paid by the scholarship

• Enrollment fees and tuition fees
• A monthly stipend
• An economy flight to Japan if you arrive in the set period
• An economy flight home if you return in the final month after you graduate

Who Can Apply

You must meet all of these.

• You have a nationality of a country that has diplomatic relations with Japan. Japanese nationals are not eligible with a few exceptions
• You have outstanding academic results with a grade point of 2.30 or higher. MEXT sets the formula
• You were born on or after 2 April 1992 in principle
• You meet the entry rules of the Master’s or Doctoral programme
• You have completed your admission application to the Graduate School of Science
• You are healthy enough to study in Japan
• You can arrive in Japan within two weeks before or after 1 October 2027
• You can get a Student visa

Language rule. You need one of these:

• An English score at CEFR level B2 or higher. Examples are TOEFL iBT 72 or IELTS 5.5
• A completed programme taught in English that meets the entrance rules
• JLPT N2 or higher
• A completed programme taught in Japanese that meets the entrance rules

This is why some websites say IELTS is not needed. It is not needed if your earlier programme was taught in English and meets the entrance rules. You still must upload proof of that.

You are not eligible if

• You live in Japan at the time you apply
• You received a MEXT scholarship before with few exceptions
• You apply to another MEXT scholarship for AY2027
• You plan to receive another scholarship from the Japanese government
• You are active military or work for the military
• You plan a long period of fieldwork leave or internship outside Japan
• You cannot prove you finished your degree by the deadline if you were expected to graduate

Documents You Need

All documents must be in English or Japanese. Use A4 size. Print double sided. Documents in other languages need a Japanese translation. Submitted documents are not returned.

Key Dates

How To Apply

1. Read the school rules called Instructions for International Students applying to the Graduate School of Science.
2. Complete your admission application to the Master’s or Doctoral programme.
3. Prepare every document in the table above.
4. Scan each document and save it in the file type the form asks for such as PDF.
5. Upload everything through the online MEXT application form. Email is not accepted.
6. Submit before 30 October 2026.
7. Check the automatic email you receive after you submit.

Both applications must be finished before the deadline. These are the MEXT scholarship application and the admission application. If one is missing your application does not count.

Visit Here to Apply

How Selection Works

The Graduate School of Science nominates candidates first. Then the University of Tokyo picks nominees for the whole university. Last of all MEXT decides who gets the scholarship.

In the last round each graduate school could nominate at most one applicant. The university could nominate at most three to MEXT. The numbers for this round are set after the application period closes. The competition is very strong.