Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology - MONBUKAGAKUSHO-Grant of the Japanese Government for Students of the Japanese Language and Culture

What you get

You receive a monthly stipend of 117,000 yen (about 680 EUR) for one academic year of study in Japan. A stipend is a regular living allowance. If your university is in certain designated regions, you get an extra 2,000 or 3,000 yen per month. The university charges you no entrance exam fee, no admission fee and no tuition. You also get a return economy flight between the airport nearest your home and an airport in Japan. The money comes from the Japanese government. The year leads to a certificate of completion, not a degree, and cannot be extended.

Who can apply

• Current studies: You are enrolled as an undergraduate student at a university outside Japan at the time of your entry into Japan and at the time of your departure from Japan.
• Your subject: Your main subject must be Japanese language or Japanese culture. If you are studying a different subject, such as engineering, economics or art, and are only studying Japanese as a minor subject, you cannot apply.
• Prior study: By 1 September 2026, you will have studied Japanese or Japanese culture at university level for a total of at least one year. Periods of study at several universities will be counted together, provided you can provide evidence of them.
• Language: Your knowledge of Japanese is sufficient to attend university lectures delivered in Japanese.
• Nationality: You are a national of a country that maintains diplomatic relations with Japan. Japanese nationals are not eligible to apply. If you also hold Japanese nationality, you must renounce it before entering Japan.
• Age: You were born between 2 April 1996 and 1 April 2008.
• Health: A doctor must confirm on the official form that there are no physical or mental health reasons preventing you from studying in Japan.
• No double funding: You have never previously received a scholarship from the Japanese Government. You are not applying for a further scholarship for 2026 and will not be receiving any further funding from the Japanese Government during the course of the year.

How to apply

You must apply via the Japanese Embassy or Consulate in the country of which you are a national, rather than directly to the Ministry. The application period for a programme starting in October usually begins between December and February of the previous year. The exact deadline depends on your country. The embassy first carries out a pre-selection process: a review of your documents, a written test in Japanese and an interview. Those who pass this stage are referred to the Ministry, which makes the final decision and informs you which university you will be attending.