Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program

Since 1954, the Government of Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT or Monbukagakusho) has provided scholarships each year to assist students interested in studying at Japanese universities. The program offers four types of scholarships for U.S. citizens: Research Student Scholarship (for college graduates under 35), Undergraduate Student Scholarship (for high school graduates generally under 24), Specialized Training College Student Scholarship (ages 17-22 with 12 years of education), and Japanese Studies Scholarship (ages 18-30 enrolled in Japanese language/culture programs). As of the 2015 Japanese academic year, approximately 102,000 students from around 160 countries and regions have studied in Japan as MEXT Scholarship recipients. The program supports study at Japanese universities across various academic disciplines. U.S. citizens must apply through the specific MEXT Scholarship office (Embassy or Consulate-General) that oversees their jurisdiction, and applicants may only apply to one location each year.