Variety of scholarship for international students to study at Kyoto University, Japan

A wide variety of scholarship programs are available for international students wishing to study at Kyoto University. The selection processes are highly competitive, however, and in most cases applications are accepted only after matriculation. It is therefore advisable that students secure sufficient financial resources before coming to Kyoto .

For more information, visit the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) website  , and click “Study in Japan” > “Scholarships for Study in Japan”.

Scholarships accepting applications before matriculation

Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho: MEXT) Scholarships

Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho: MEXT) Scholarships are funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan. Applications should be made before matriculation, either through a Japanese embassy or consulate (embassy recommendations), or through the host university in Japan (university recommendations). Most of the MEXT Scholarship students at Kyoto University earned their scholarships through embassy recommendations.

MEXT Scholarship benefits (as of April 2019, subject to change depending on MEXT’s budget)

	Graduate students	Undergraduate students Japanese studies students
Monthly stipend	Research (non-degree) students 143,000 yen Master’s and professional degree 144,000 yen Doctoral 145,000 yen	117,000 yen
Those residing in certain regions may be eligible for an additional monthly payment of 2,000 or 3,000 yen
Fee exemptions	Examination, admission, and tuition fees are exempted
Travel expense coverage	One round-trip ticket is provided

For more information, see Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship.

Foreign government scholarships

Some international students fund their studies with scholarships from their national governments. To learn about the application periods, benefits, and other details of such programs, please contact the relevant agency in your country.

Student Exchange Support Program (Scholarship for Short-Term Study in Japan)

International students who have been accepted into a Japanese university under a student exchange agreement are eligible to apply for the Scholarship for Short-Term Study in Japan, administered by JASSO. This scholarship consists of a monthly stipend of 80,000 yen, provided throughout the period of stay in Japan.

Applications should be made to Kyoto University through the student’s home institution, together with those for the exchange program itself. Direct applications from the students themselves, to either Kyoto University or JASSO, will not be accepted.

Scholarships from private foundations

The application process for private scholarships varies by program. Some programs accept applications from students themselves, while others require submission through the students’ home universities.

Kyoto University annually selects and nominates candidates for approximately 60 private scholarship programs. Each program typically offers a scholarship of between 30,000 and 180,000 yen per month to one or two students. Applications are generally accepted following matriculation (some programs accept applications from those who have been accepted into a university, but have not yet matriculated).

Please note that many of these scholarships expect applicants to have a certain level of Japanese language proficiency.

A list of programs that accepted applications through Kyoto University during the previous academic year is available via University-nominated scholarships .

For information on scholarships accepting direct applications from students, visit the JASSO website  . The Asian Future Leaders Scholarship Program  (application for the October 2020/April 2021 entry closed) also accepts direct applications.

Scholarships accepting applications after matriculation

Privately financed international students who are currently enrolled at Kyoto University and interested in scholarship opportunities are advised to refer to Scholarships applied for through the University. Please note that some programs accept applications before matriculation as well.

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