Japanese Government (MEXT) Undergraduate Scholarships

2025/4/15
 

The application window for the 2026 MEXT Undergraduate Scholarship Programme for UK nationals is now open. All applications must be emailed to the scholarship office by 2 June 2025, 17:00 (BST).

Past exams can be viewed here. Those who wish to apply are encouraged to review past exams well in advance. There is no textbook or syllabus for the exam but the EJU syllabus can be used for reference.

The use of calculators is not permitted and there will be no reference materials provided during the exams.

 

Table of Contents

 

Application Documents

Please be sure to thoroughly read through the Application Guidelines before submitting the necessary documents for your application.Fields of art, including music, are not majors eligible for application.

The 2026 list of undergraduate courses permitting direct placement is expected to be available from July.

 

General Outline

This award is offered on an annual basis to those with 12 years of school education, who are under the age of 24 and wish to study at a national university in Japan.

Scholarships are tenable from April each year. Grantees will hold their award for five to seven years, including the one-year preparatory education in the Japanese language. The Japanese Government provides return airfare, school fees and a monthly grant of ¥117,000 (subject to change).

 

Application Deadline

All the applications as stipulated in the application guidelines must be emailed by Monday 2 June 2025, 17:00 (BST), in the following method. Shortlisted candidates will have to submit original hard copies, including the official exam results from the school or exam boards, at a later stage.
  • Documents (3) authorised transcripts, (4) exam results and (5) a recommendation letter can be emailed directly from the school and referees to the Embassy
  • Email subject must include the programme name (e.g. 2026 MEXT Undergraduate Scholarship application)
  • The size of each email should not exceed 10MB otherwise it cannot be received.
  • We cannot send acknowledgement of receipt of application to applicants.

All application documents and enquiries should be emailed to:

MEXT Undergraduate Scholarship
Japan Information and Cultural Centre
Embassy of Japan
scholarship@ld.mofa.go.jp

*Currently, exams and interviews are expected to take place at the Embassy in London on Thursday 3 July 2025. Shortlisted candidates will be notified of the confirmed date and time. There will be no option for online or alternative location for the exam and interview regardless of candidates’ place of residence. 

 

Application Timetable

Application deadline 2 June 2025
UK exams and interviews 3 July 2025
Results of primary screening in the UK* July 2025
Secondary screening in Tokyo October to November 2025
FINAL RESULTS with placement by Tokyo December to February 2026
Pre-departure orientation March 2026
Departure for Japan April or September/October 2026
 

*Please note that, although candidates may be successful up until this point, the final result depends on confirmation of their university placement.

 

MEXT Alumni Personal Experiences

 

Alumni Association in the UK

 

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Earthquake information is available in English on NHK World website.  

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