Study at Japan’s top university on a Japanese government scholarship. The University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Science is accepting applications for the University Recommended Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship for October 2027 entry at Master’s and PhD level. The scholarship covers tuition and enrollment fees, a monthly stipend, and an economy flight to and from Japan. The application window runs from 15 to 30 October 2026. Please read the caution below, because MEXT has said this route is expected to be discontinued from AY2027 onward, and the school says details may change.
University of Tokyo MEXT Scholarship 2027 Details:
- Host Country: Japan (Tokyo)
- University: University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Science
- Scholarship: University Recommended Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship
- Degree Level: Master’s (2 years) and Doctoral (3 years)
- Financial Coverage: Fully Funded (tuition exemption, monthly stipend, airfare)
- Study Start: October 2027
- Deadline: 30 October 2026 (Japan Standard Time)
Also check this University of Tokyo ADB-JSP Scholarship 2027 in Japan for another fully funded Master’s route at the same university.
Important Warning Before You Apply
The Graduate School of Science notes that MEXT has told universities the University Recommendation (General Category) is expected to end from AY2027 onward. The school’s application also closes before MEXT publishes its 2027 guidelines, so the result schedule and other details can still change. In addition, UTokyo’s Graduate School of Information Science and Technology has already stopped accepting applications for this route.
Financial Benefits
According to the Graduate School of Science’s official page:
- Tuition and enrollment fees: Exempted
- Monthly stipend: The AY2027 amount isn’t set yet. For AY2026 it was ¥144,000 for Master’s students and ¥145,000 for Doctoral students, with ¥2,000–¥3,000 extra in some designated regions
- Airfare to Japan: MEXT provides an economy-class ticket
- Return airfare: MEXT provides an economy-class ticket to your home country, in principle after you finish
- Housing: A room at the University of Tokyo International Lodge is guaranteed for the first year. Rent is about ¥50,000 per month in Kashiwa or ¥70,000 in Komaba
Not covered: local travel, airport taxes, travel insurance, and baggage costs. The stipend also stops during a leave of absence.
Also apply for Global Korea Scholarship 2027 for Undergraduates if you’re also at the start of your study-abroad search.
What Is the Duration of the Scholarship?
- Master’s Program: October 2027 to September 2029 (2 years)
- Doctoral Program: October 2027 to September 2030 (3 years)
A Master’s recipient who wants to continue to the Doctoral Program can request an extension, but MEXT reviews it rigorously and doesn’t approve it automatically.
Eligibility Criteria
- Level and Entry: International students entering the Graduate School of Science’s Master’s or Doctoral Program in October 2027
- Academic Record: A final grade point of 2.30 or higher, calculated by MEXT’s formula
- Nationality: A country that has diplomatic relations with Japan. Japanese nationals are ineligible, with a few exceptions
- Age: Born on or after 2 April 1992, in principle
- Language: English at CEFR B2 or higher (for example TOEFL iBT 72 or IELTS 5.5), or JLPT N2 or higher, or a degree program taught in English or Japanese
- Arrival: Able to arrive in Japan within two weeks before or after 1 October 2027
- Other Rules: You can’t already live in Japan, hold another MEXT or Japanese-government scholarship, or apply for another AY2027 MEXT program
Also check this Gates Cambridge Scholarship 2027 in the UK for another fully funded postgraduate route.
Required Documents
Upload these through the online form, in Japanese or English:
- Application form, printed double-sided
- Field of Study and Research Plan
- Letter of recommendation from a dean or above, addressed to the President of the University of Tokyo, on letterhead, with a handwritten signature
- Passport-type photo taken within the last six months
- Official transcript from your last university
- Proof of language ability, such as a TOEFL, IELTS, or JLPT score report
- Abstract of your graduation thesis
- Official statement of (expected) graduation
- Copy of your passport photo page
How to Apply for the University of Tokyo MEXT Scholarship 2027?
Apply for admission first. Complete your Graduate School of Science admission application following the school’s “Special Selection for International Applicants” instructions.
Prepare your documents. Ask your dean for the recommendation letter early, because it needs the right addressee and a handwritten signature.
Submit the MEXT electronic application. Upload every document through the school’s online form between 15 and 30 October 2026 JST. Email submissions aren’t accepted.
Check the confirmation email. The automated email you receive after submitting shows your application went through.
Wait for the nominations. The school notifies its nominees by email in mid-February 2027, and the University of Tokyo informs its nominees in April 2027.
Await the final MEXT decision. Grantees are tentatively notified in June 2027.
Official Website
Link to the Official Website is given below
Frequently Asked Questions:
It’s a Japanese government scholarship for international Master’s and PhD students, awarded through the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Science, which nominates candidates to MEXT.
It covers tuition and enrollment fees, a monthly stipend, and airfare. You still pay rent, though the University of Tokyo guarantees a lodge room for the first year.
International students with a grade point of 2.30 or higher who meet the age, nationality, and language rules and apply to the Graduate School of Science for October 2027.
The school doesn’t set the number until the application period closes. In the last round, each graduate school could nominate one applicant, and the University of Tokyo could nominate up to three to MEXT.
MEXT has notified universities that it expects to discontinue this University Recommendation route from AY2027 onward, and other UTokyo schools have already stopped accepting applications.
No. You apply through the University of Tokyo. The separate Embassy Recommendation route goes through the Japanese Embassy in your country.