Top 20 Scholarships in Japan for International Students (2026/2027)

Japan offers some of the world’s best fully funded scholarships for undergraduate, master’s, PhD, and research students. Here are the top opportunities for the 2026/2027 academic year:

1. MEXT Scholarship

• Fully Funded
• Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD, Research
• Tuition, airfare, monthly stipend
• Most prestigious Japanese government scholarship

Website: MEXT Scholarship

2. ADB-Japan Scholarship Program at selected Japanese universities

• Covers tuition, living expenses, travel

Website: ADB-JSP Scholarship

3. Joint Japan World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program

• Fully Funded Master’s
• Development-related fields
• Includes leading Japanese universities

Website: JJ/WBGSP

4. Honjo International Scholarship Foundation

• Master’s & PhD
• Monthly stipend up to ¥230,000
• Open to international students

Website: Honjo Scholarship

5. Rotary Yoneyama Scholarship

• Undergraduate to PhD
• Monthly stipend
• Large international student network

Website: Rotary Yoneyama Scholarship

6. Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship Programme

• Master’s & PhD
• Selected Japanese universities
• Partial grant and loan combination

Website: Aga Khan Foundation Scholarship

7. YLP Scholarship

• Fully Funded
• Future government and business leaders
• Hosted by National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies

Website: YLP Scholarship

8. University of Tokyo MEXT Scholarship

• Fully Funded
• Master’s and PhD
• One of Asia’s top universities

Website: University of Tokyo Admissions

9. Kyoto University International Scholarships

• Various fully funded opportunities
• Master’s and PhD programs

Website: Kyoto University Scholarships

10. Osaka University International Scholarship

• Multiple scholarship schemes
• Research and degree programs

Website: Osaka University Scholarships

11. Tokyo Institute of Technology Scholarship

• Master’s and PhD
• Research-focused funding

Website: Institute of Science Tokyo Scholarships

12. Hokkaido University President Fellowship

• Graduate-level scholarship
• Tuition and stipend support

Website: Hokkaido University Scholarships

13. OIST Graduate Scholarship

• Fully Funded PhD
• Research-focused
• No tuition fees

Website: OIST Graduate Program

14. JASSO Scholarship

• Undergraduate and Graduate
• Monthly stipend support

Website: JASSO Scholarships

15. Mitsubishi Corporation International Scholarship

• Merit-based funding
• Selected partner universities

Website: Mitsubishi Corporation Scholarship Foundation

16. Asian Future Leaders Scholarship Program

• Full and partial scholarships
• Leading Asian universities

Website: AFLSP

17. Sophia University New Student Scholarship

• Undergraduate and Graduate
• Tuition reduction and grants

Website: Sophia University Scholarships

18. Waseda University International Scholarships

• Various scholarship opportunities
• Undergraduate to PhD

Website: Waseda Scholarships

19. Nagoya University Global 30 Scholarship

• International degree programs
• Tuition and stipend support

Website: Nagoya University Scholarships

20. Keio University Scholarship Program

• Merit and need-based awards
• International students eligible

Website: Keio University Scholarships

Best Fully Funded Scholarships to Prioritize

If you’re looking for the most competitive and comprehensive opportunities, focus on:

1. MEXT Scholarship
2. OIST Graduate Scholarship
3. ADB-Japan Scholarship Program
4. Joint Japan World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program
5. YLP Scholarship
6. Honjo International Scholarship Foundation
7. SNU President Fellowship (South Korea, not Japan, but often considered alongside East Asian opportunities)

For students from Nepal, the strongest options are typically MEXT, OIST, ADB-JSP, Honjo, and university-specific scholarships at the University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, and Osaka University.