University of Tokyo MEXT University Recommendation Scholarship

The University of Tokyo MEXT University Recommendation Scholarship is a prestigious Japanese government scholarship program facilitated by Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). Under this track, the University of Tokyo (UTokyo)—Japan's highest-ranking institution of higher learning—directly screens and nominates outstanding international researchers for full government scholarship awards to pursue postgraduate Master's or Doctoral studies. The program provides exceptional academic immersion within Japan's foremost scientific research faculties.

Who it's for

The scholarship is open to international applicants who wish to pursue graduate research degrees at UTokyo. Eligible candidates must reside outside Japan at the time of application, demonstrate exceptional academic distinction (equivalent to a minimum 2.30 GPA on MEXT's 3.0 scale), and be under 35 years of age. Applicants must possess a bachelor's degree (for Master's courses) or a master's degree (for PhD courses) and secure preliminary approval from a UTokyo graduate faculty professor.

What it covers

The scholarship provides 100% full coverage of university examination fees, matriculation fees, and all semester tuition fees throughout the degree. Recipients receive a monthly living allowance of JPY 144,000 for Master's students or JPY 145,000 for PhD students (with a supplemental JPY 2,000–3,000 regional allowance for Tokyo), plus round-trip economy class international airfare between Japan and their home country.

• Must not hold Japanese nationality and reside outside Japan at the time of application.
• Born on or after April 2, 1992 (under 35 years of age).
• Minimum academic grade point average of 2.30 out of 3.00 calculated according to the official MEXT formula.
• Demonstrated English proficiency (CEFR B2 equivalent or higher, e.g., TOEFL iBT 80+, IELTS 6.5+) or Japanese proficiency (JLPT N2+).
• Prior consent or preliminary agreement obtained from a prospective UTokyo supervising professor.

• Full exemption from university entrance examination fees, admission fees, and full tuition.
• Monthly living stipend of JPY 144,000 (Master's) or JPY 145,000 (PhD), plus Tokyo regional stipend supplement.
• Economy class international airfare from home country international airport to Narita/Haneda, and return airfare upon graduation.
• Access to international student housing and subsidized university facilities.
• Comprehensive student healthcare through Japan's National Health Insurance system.

1. Explore research laboratories within the UTokyo Graduate School of Engineering, Science, or Information Science.
2. Contact a prospective faculty supervisor with your CV and detailed research proposal to obtain preliminary acceptance.
3. Complete the internal MEXT University Recommendation application form provided by the graduate school admissions office.
4. Submit official academic transcripts, degree certificates, research proposal, and letters of recommendation by November 20, 2026.
5. Successful faculty nominees are forwarded to MEXT for final scholarship endorsement.