Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
A deadline shown here is a research aid. The provider's current call controls the real deadline.
This is the track most applicants overlook, and it is often the better fit. If you already know the lab you want, a university nomination is decided by people who work in your field rather than by a general embassy panel. It also stays open months after the embassy round shuts.
| Academic | Strong academic record; varies by track and by the recommending embassy or university |
| Language | Japanese or English depending on the programme; many graduate programmes are taught in English |
| Other | Age limits apply and are enforced. Most universities expect prior contact with a prospective supervisor before they will consider a nomination. |
Apply directly to a Japanese university, which nominates you to MEXT. You normally need a supervisor at that university to agree to take you first, so contact potential labs months ahead. The university decides, not the embassy. You may not apply to both MEXT tracks in the same year.
We keep past cycles rather than deleting them. Historical dates are the best predictor of when the next call opens.
| Year | Status | Opens | Deadline | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027/2028 | Open | — | — | Deadlines are set by each university and run from around September 2026 to January 2027 for April 2027 entry, so this track is open now while the embassy round for the same intake has already closed. There is no single date. Check the international admissions page of the specific university and secure a supervisor before you apply. |
Always apply through the official site. Gradometer is not affiliated with this provider and never charges for scholarship information.
PK, IN, BD, LK, and most countries with Japanese diplomatic relations