University of Tokyo MEXT Scholarship 2027 in Japan (Fully Funded)

The University of Tokyo MEXT Scholarship 2027 is fully funded by the Japanese government. It waives your tuition and enrolment fees, pays you a monthly stipend, and covers your economy flight to Japan and back, for a Master’s or PhD that starts in October 2027.

This is the MEXT University Recommendation route. You apply through the University of Tokyo, not through the Japanese embassy in your country. The call below is run by the Graduate School of Science, which takes students in physics, astronomy, earth and planetary science, chemistry and biological sciences.

What is the University of Tokyo MEXT Scholarship?

MEXT is Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Every year it pays for international students to do graduate degrees at Japanese universities. On the University Recommendation route, the university chooses its own candidates and nominates them to MEXT.

The University of Tokyo is Japan’s top-ranked university. Its Graduate School of Science runs this call for the October 2027 intake. You apply for admission to the school and for the scholarship in the same window.

What you get

• Full exemption from tuition and enrolment fees
• A monthly stipend. In 2026 it was 144,000 yen a month for Master’s students and 145,000 yen for PhD students. MEXT sets the 2027 amount later.
• An economy ticket to Japan from the international airport nearest your home
• An economy ticket home at the end of your scholarship, after you graduate
• A guaranteed room in a University of Tokyo International Lodge for your first year, at about 50,000 to 70,000 yen a month, which you pay from your stipend

The scholarship runs for 2 years for a Master’s (October 2027 to September 2029) and 3 years for a PhD (October 2027 to September 2030). If you move from a Master’s into a PhD, MEXT can extend your funding with approval. Domestic travel, airport taxes, travel insurance and extra baggage are paid by you.

Fields you can apply in

The Graduate School of Science has five departments:

• Physics
• Astronomy
• Earth and Planetary Science
• Chemistry
• Biological Sciences

Other University of Tokyo graduate schools run their own MEXT calls with their own dates. If your field is engineering, economics or something else, check your target school’s admissions page for its MEXT call.

Who can apply

• Citizens of any country that has diplomatic relations with Japan
• Born on or after 2 April 1992
• Living outside Japan when you apply
• A grade point of 2.30 or higher on MEXT’s own scale (graduates use final grades, current students use grades so far)
• English at CEFR B2 or above, or Japanese at JLPT N2 or above
• Applying in a field related to what you studied before, and meeting the University of Tokyo’s admission requirements
• Not a past MEXT scholar, and not already funded by the Japanese government (a few exceptions are listed on the official page)

Is there an age limit?

Yes. In principle, you must be born on or after 2 April 1992. Most applicants are 34 or younger when the programme starts.

Do I need IELTS or TOEFL?

You need English at CEFR B2 level. A TOEFL iBT score of 72 or an IELTS score of 5.5 meets it. If your last degree was taught mainly in English and meets the admission rules, that can count instead of a test.

Do I need to speak Japanese?

No. English is enough for this call. If you already have Japanese at JLPT N2 or above, you can use that as your language proof instead.

Can I apply with a low GPA?

The minimum is a grade point of 2.30 on MEXT’s own formula. Many students worry about this. MEXT converts your grades onto its own scale, so a grade that looks low at home may still meet it. Use the formula on the official page to work out your own number.

Required documents

• MEXT application form (printed double-sided)
• Field of study and research plan, on the official template
• Recommendation letter from a dean or higher at your university, on letterhead, signed by hand and addressed to the President of the University of Tokyo
• Passport-style photo taken in the last six months
• Official academic transcripts, with an explanation of the grading system if it is not shown
• Proof of English or Japanese
• Abstract of your graduation thesis
• Official certificate of graduation or expected graduation
• Copy of your passport photo page

All documents must be in English or Japanese, on A4 paper.

How to write your research plan

The research plan is the heart of this application. The committee reads it to see whether you know what you want to study and why the University of Tokyo is the right place for it.

• Pick one clear research question that builds on your last degree. MEXT requires your new field to connect to what you studied before.
• Read the recent work of two or three professors in your target department. Say how your plan fits their lab.
• Explain your method in plain steps: what data, experiments or fieldwork, and what you expect to find.
• Give a realistic timeline for 2 years (Master’s) or 3 years (PhD).
• Use the official template and stay within its length.

Ask your dean for the recommendation letter early. It must be signed by hand, and digital signatures are not accepted, so it can take time to arrange.

How to apply, step by step

1. Choose your department in the Graduate School of Science and read its admission guide.
2. Apply for admission through the Special Selection for International Applicants before the scholarship deadline.
3. Download the MEXT application form and the research plan template from the official page.
4. Collect your transcripts, language proof, thesis abstract, graduation certificate, passport copy and photo.
5. Get your recommendation letter from your dean, signed by hand.
6. Scan everything as instructed and upload it through the online MEXT form between 15 and 30 October 2026 (Japan time).
7. Check your inbox for the automatic confirmation email.

Selection process

Selection happens in three rounds:

• Mid-February 2027: the Graduate School of Science tells its nominees by email
• April 2027: the University of Tokyo confirms the nominees it will send to MEXT
• June 2027 (expected): MEXT announces the final scholarship results

Places are very limited. In the last round, each graduate school could nominate one person, and the university could send up to three names to MEXT. A focused research plan is how you stand out. MEXT publishes its official 2027 guidelines after this call closes, so it may adjust some dates or terms.

Deadline

30 October 2026, Japan Standard Time.

The application window opened on 15 October 2026. Applications by email are not accepted, so use the online form. Your admission application to the Graduate School of Science must also be in by this date.

Have a question?

Drop your question in the comments and we will do our best to help. If you have studied in Japan on a MEXT scholarship, tell us how it went, it helps the next reader.

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Apply on the Official University of Tokyo Website