Government Scholarships

The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (abbreviated as Monbukagakusho in Japanese or MEXT in English) sponsors scholarships to enable foreign students from around the world to study and earn degrees at Japanese universities. Since its inception in 1954, more than 100,000 students from approximately 160 countries have taken advantage of these scholarships to study in Japan. MEXT Scholarships generally cover the cost of tuition, provide a monthly stipend to put toward living expenses, and provide round trip airfare. Specifics can be found in the application guidelines for each category of scholarship. Please note that the Consulate-General of Japan in Houston can ONLY accept scholarship applications from U.S. Citizens who live, study, or work in Texas and Oklahoma. If you currently reside outside of the jurisdiction, please check with your nearest Consulate-General of Japan.

Each scholarship has its own individual guidelines and qualifications. Please read everything carefully and note that regardless of when they are postmarked, our office must receive your documents by the stated deadlines. If you are ineligible to apply for a MEXT Scholarship, please visit the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO). This organization is an invaluable resource for international students who would like to study in Japan.
 
1. 2026 Research Student Scholarship (Application: OPEN, Deadline: May 23, 2025; Exam & Interview: Mid-June 2025)
·         Level of Studies: Graduate School Level.
·         Duration of Program: Varies by degree requirements for masters, doctoral or professional school students.
·         Notes: Please review age limits and degree requirements in the application guidelines.
·         Application Documents: Access the application from this Link
     
* Please note that 2026 Research Student Scholarship applicants from the U.S.A. must apply using the documents linked above which specify “For U.S.A.” Applications using incorrect forms will be considered incomplete.


2. 2026 Undergraduate Student  (Application: OPEN, Deadline: May 30, 2025; Exam & Interview: June 26, 2025) 
·         Level of Studies: Undergraduate Level.
·         Duration of Program: 5 years including 1 year of Japanese-language training (7 years for medicine, dentistry and veterinary science).
·         Eligibility Notes: Please review the age limits and note that generally a candidate must finish high school by March of the year that the scholarship starts. Applicants should also take special note of the required exams*.
·         Application Documents: Access the application from this Link

3. 2026 Specialized Training College Scholarship (Application: OPEN, Deadline: May 30, 2025; Exam & Interview: June 26, 2025)
·         Level of Studies: Specialized School.
·         Duration of Program: 3 years including 1 year of Japanese-language training.
·         Eligibility Notes: Please review age limits and education requirements in the application guidelines. Applicants should also take special note of the required exams*.  
·         Application Documents: Access the application from this Link
 
4. 2025 Japanese Studies Scholarship (Application: Closed; Deadline: February 10, 2025; Exam & Interview: Exam and Interview February 25, 2025) 
·         Level of Studies: Undergraduate Level.
·         Duration of Program: Approximately one year from October 2025 (or the starting month of the course).
·         Eligibility Notes: Please review age limits and education requirements in the detailed application guidelines accessible at the link below. Applicants must be enrolled at a university outside of Japan as undergraduate students majoring in a field related to the Japanese language or Japanese culture.  
·         Application Documents: Access the application from this Link
 
* Note that these scholarships require exams are formatted differently than American style exams. We strongly encourage potential applicants to review the exams before applying. Past exams should be accessible through the application link.

The application process for the Research, Undergraduate, and Specialized Training scholarships begins the spring or summer of the year BEFORE the scholarship begins.  Applications for the 2026 Research scholarship are due May 23, 2025. Applications for the 2026 Undergraduate and Specialized Training scholarships are due May 30, 202.

The application process for the Japanese Studies scholarship begins in the winter of the same calendar year as the scholarship. Applications for the 2025 Japanese Studies scholarship were due February 10, 2025.

The MEXT scholarship involves a multi-tiered, multi-month process that begins with your application arriving at our office. Promising applicants will then be invited to our office in order to interview and take a series of exams. For those who receive our recommendation based on their exam scores and interview, a second round of selection is carried out by Monbukagakusho in Japan. In some cases there is a final round of selection carried out by an applicant’s targeted university.

Please contact Matthew Klein at the Consulate-General of Japan in Houston at jetcoord@ho.mofa.go.jp if you have additional questions about the qualifications for a particular scholarship. Please refer to the specific scholarship in the email.

Mail COMPLETED** Applications to:
Consulate-General of Japan in Houston
Attn: Matthew Klein- MEXT Scholarship
909 Fannin Street, Suite 3000
Houston, Texas 77010


**Incomplete applications will be disqualified. This is not a postmark deadline. All application material must be received by the deadline to be considered.
 

Unavoidable Circumstances

In the event of unavoidable or unforeseen circumstances, the Japanese Government reserves the right to change or cancel the arrival date, scholarship, and contents of the application guidelines or the above timeline, at any time before or after notification of the results of the final selection.