MEXT Scholarship 2028 in Japan (Japanese Government, Embassy Recommendation)

The Japanese government's MEXT scholarship funds international students at undergraduate, master's and PhD level, plus research, Japanese studies and teacher training categories. Under the Embassy Recommendation route you apply through the Japanese embassy or consulate in your country, which runs document screening, written exams (for some categories) and interviews before recommending candidates to MEXT. Embassy calls for April 2028 or autumn 2027 entry are expected to open around April 2027; the date below is an estimate based on previous cycles. Some universities also run a separate University Recommendation route. In Pakistan, the Embassy of Japan in Islamabad handles applications. Its round for 2027 closed on 26 May 2026, and the next round has not been announced. Applications are sent by post, and only shortlisted candidates are contacted for the test and interview. This page was last checked against the embassy website on 7 October 2026. Last checked 8 October 2026 against the Embassy of Japan in Pakistan and the official 2027 guideline: the 2027 round for Pakistan is closed; the last date to apply was 26 May 2026. The 2028 round is not announced yet. Embassy calls usually open around the middle of April. Under the 2027 guideline, research students must be born on or after 2 April 1992. The monthly stipend is 143,000 yen for research (non-degree) students, 144,000 yen for master's students and 145,000 yen for doctoral students, and the amounts can change each year. Entrance, matriculation and tuition fees are waived, and MEXT gives one economy air ticket to Japan and one back home. The embassy states that documents other than those on its list are not considered.