How to Apply for the MEXT Scholarship 2027

Embassy track, step by step

1. 1
   Phase 1 · February–April

   Prepare your documents

   Check your embassy's website for dates. Prepare the application form, research plan (start 6 weeks early), transcripts, recommendation letter, medical (health) certificate, photo and a passport copy if your embassy asks for one.

2. 2
   Phase 2 · from around mid-April

   Submit your application

   Submit the complete package to the embassy by its own deadline — each mission sets a different one. Many require submission in person. Missing documents mean instant rejection.

3. 3
   Phase 3 · early May–late July

   Written exams

   Research students sit Japanese and English; undergraduates add maths and science. Never leave the Japanese section blank — attempt every question.

4. 4
   Phase 4 · same window

   Embassy interview

   15–30 minutes. Why Japan? The details of your research plan. Your plans after the scholarship. How ready you are for cultural adjustment.

5. 5
   Phase 5 · by 1 September

   Request provisional acceptance

   Research students who pass the first screening contact up to two universities at a time and obtain at most two letters of provisional acceptance (by 1 September 2026 in the FY2027 round), then submit a Placement Preference Application Form listing up to three universities, around mid-September to early October.

6. 6
   Phase 6–7 · November–March

   Second screening, placement and result

   MEXT runs the second screening and university placement from November — expect months of silence. Final results come between January and early March (research students) or after February (undergraduates). Then visa preparation.

University track, step by step

1. 1
   Phase 1 · 6–12 months before

   Find professors

   Use Google Scholar, J-GLOBAL, KAKEN and ResearchGate. Read their recent papers and understand each lab's focus. Check that the university holds a MEXT recommendation quota. See the Contacting Professors guide.

2. 2
   Phase 2 · 4–8 months before

   Secure acceptance

   Cold-email with your CV and research proposal. Wait 2–4 weeks, send one polite follow-up, and aim for the letter of acceptance — the golden ticket.

3. 3
   Phase 3 · deadline period

   Submit to the university

   Each university sets its own deadline, often between October and January. Send your research plan, transcripts, references and acceptance letter — see the full checklist.

4. 4
   Phase 4–5 · after the deadline

   Nomination and approval

   The university selects its nominees (professor acceptance doesn't guarantee this). MEXT approves an estimated 85–95% of them, and you know your exact university from day one.

Common mistakes

Next steps

Whichever track you choose, the Field of Study and Research Plan is the single most critical document. Learn how to write one that stands out.