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Fully-funded Japanese Scholarships 2023 to Study for free in Japan

List of Top 5 Scholarships in Japan 2023-2024

The fully-funded Japanese Scholarships 2023-2024 in all of the Japanese Public Universities are now open for online applications.

Do you have the ambition of pursuing a degree in Japan but are worried about the expenses? Worry no more as there are lots of scholarships in Japan. A lot of students wish to study in Japan due to the high quality of education, excellent methods of teaching, world-class research facilities, and of course, the rich Japanese culture. But many are forced to let go of their dreams due to the high cost of education. Realizing this, many organizations are providing scholarships to foreign students in Japan.

The Japanese Government itself provides lots of scholarships for students around the world. In addition to that, local governments and local international associations of Japan also offer scholarships to those students who go to institutes in their districts. Plus, there are lots of private foundations including companies and organizations which have scholarship programs for students who can further their mission.

2023 Japanese Scholarships List for Students

Although there are many scholarships, we have put together a list of the top 5 scholarships in Japan that are open to international students. Some of these scholarships provide stipends only while others pay for the tuition fees of particular programs. Check them out.

#1 Japanese Government MEXT Scholarship Program

Offered by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT), Japan, these are fully-funded MEXT scholarships for studying in Japan. These are provided to international students to help them pursue Bachelor’s, Masters’s, and Ph.D. Programs in Japan. 

They are provided to increase international competitiveness as well as enhance student mobility. Thus, the scholarships are awarded to students on the recommendations of the Japanese Embassy or Consul General in the student’s home country or the Japanese university that the student has been accepted or is currently studying in. 

The scholarship covers 100% of the tuition fees, monthly stipend, traveling allowance, and other supporting costs. Students of different nationalities other than Japanese can apply. For further details, visit your country’s Japanese embassy, MEXT’s website, or the university you are interested in studying at.

#2 JASSO Scholarships

Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) is an organization aimed at supporting international students in Japan. It provides two types of scholarships. 

The first one is the Monbukagakusho Honors Scholarship for Privately-Financed International Students. This scholarship is offered to students who have been accepted at and enrolled in any Japanese university, graduate school, junior college, college of technology, specialized training course, advanced course, or preparatory course. The scholarship program is for 12 months and provides students with a monthly stipend. 

The second type of scholarship is the Student Exchange Support Program. This is meant for students who are accepted at any Japanese institute of higher education under a student exchange agreement for a short period of time. A stipend is provided to students under this program for 8 days to 12 months. More details on both of these scholarships are provided on JASSO’s website.

#3 The Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program

This scholarship program by the World Bank in collaboration with the Government of Japan is offered to students of developing countries. Students who have relevant professional experience after earning their bachelor’s degree and want to make an impact on their community are eligible to apply. 

However, only professionals working in the development sector after their bachelor’s degree are eligible. These scholarships are subject to funding and provided for any of the Preferred Programs and Partner Programs at universities in Japan, the USA, Europe, and Africa. Awardees of the scholarship are provided tuition fees, monthly stipends, round-trip airfare, travel allowance, and health insurance. 

A lot of renowned Japanese institutions of higher education are providing programs for which students can get these scholarships. These include the University of Tokyo, Meiji University, Keijo University, and many more. To know which programs are covered under this scholarship, your eligibility for the program as well as other details, visit the website of The World Bank.

#4 Asian Development Bank–Japan Scholarship Program (ADB–JSP)

Every year, many students are provided scholarships under this program. The scholarships are provided for postgraduate studies in science and technology, economics, management, and other fields related to development. 

The scholarship covers 100% of tuition fees, monthly allowance, housing, books, medical insurance, and travel. In order to be eligible for the program, students must have completed their bachelor’s degree and have gotten enrolled in an MA program at a partner institute. Residents of specific countries are eligible for the scholarship. They are required to return to their home country after completion of studies and contribute to development there. 

Many reputed Japanese institutes are among the partner institutes. These include The University of Tokyo, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Kyushu University, Koyoto University, and many others. Higher education institutes in the USA, India, Hong Kong, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand are also among the partner institutes. Learn more by visiting the website of the Asian Development Bank.

#5 Mitsubishi Corporation International Scholarships

Every year, Mitsubishi Corporation provides scholarships for studies in Japan in collaboration with Japan Educational Exchange and Services (JEES).  These scholarships are aimed at helping international students pursue their education in Japan. The scholarships are available for undergraduate studies (3rd and 4th year), Master’s programs, and Doctoral programs. Under these scholarships, students are provided with a monthly stipend for the remaining duration of their degree program. 

However, in order to be eligible, students must be already enrolled in a degree program at a Japanese institute. To know more and apply, contact the Japanese university that you are enrolled in or are interested to join.

Yousaf Saeed

I'm Dr. Engr. Yousaf Saeed, founder of the AScholarship Education Portal. My academic path includes 3 prestigious international scholarships — Australia Awards, CSC, and HKPFS — for my higher studies. I am also an IChemE affiliate whereas I've also worked for companies like Aramco and BYCO oil refinery as an production engineer at the start of my career. I completed MS, and PhD with major research publications in leading SCI journals (details on my Researchgate Profile). This aScholarship.com reflects my commitment to educating and therefore i started it for the purpose to guide aspiring international students for find scholarships for their higher education dream. As an experienced educator and mentor, I specialize in navigating the intricacies of research and patent and write useful articles on these topics too.