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Japan · Master’s & PhD · Fully Funded

University of TsukubaUniversity · Japan

University of Tsukuba MEXT Scholarship 2027 in Japan (Fully Funded)

Read this first, because this scholarship has changed since most of the listings about it were written — and the change decides whether you can apply at all. The University of Tsukuba MEXT Scholarship is real, funded by Japan’s Ministry of Education (MEXT), and it covers full tuition, round-trip airfare and a monthly stipend. But the route most older listings describe — the University Recommendation General Program, with a November–December application window — is expected to be discontinued from the 2027 academic year, according to the university’s own MEXT page, updated in September 2026. Only the Special Program route continues, programme by programme, each with its own deadline. The embassy route, meanwhile, has largely closed for 2027 entry. So there is no single deadline for this award any more — this article explains the routes that are actually open and the ones that are not.

Deadlines vary by programme — check the programme page Open Updated 16 Oct 2026 By University of Tsukuba
Award
Full tuition exemption, round-trip airfare to and from Japan, and a monthly stipend of approximately ¥117,000 for undergraduates, ¥144,000 for Master’s students and ¥145,000 for doctoral students (a preparatory/research rate of about ¥143,000 is also reported). Accommodation and living support and medical/health coverage are also reported. These are the standard MEXT rates as reported by several independent sources, including the Embassy of Japan in India’s published 2027 terms — the University of Tsukuba’s own MEXT page does not state stipend figures, and the 2027 MEXT guidelines had not yet been published at the time of checking (expected around December 2026), so amounts remain subject to confirmation.
Eligible
Nationality of a country that has diplomatic relations with Japan; in principle, holders of Japanese nationality at the time of application are not eligible (dual nationals living outside Japan may qualify if they choose the foreign nationality and give up Japanese nationality before arrival). Strong academic record: a grade point average of at least 2.30 on a 3.00 scale at the previous school, to be maintained during the scholarship period. Age (graduate route): born on or after 2 April 1992 — under 35 — with only narrow MEXT-recognised exceptions (such as military service or loss of study opportunities due to war). For a Master’s: a Bachelor’s degree (16 years of education) completed or expected by March 2027. For a doctorate: a Master’s degree or equivalent completed or expected by March 2027. Language: Japanese at JLPT N2 level or higher, or English at CEFR B2 level or higher (all four skills), by the time of enrolment; or completion of a prior degree taught in the relevant language. Physically and mentally fit to study at a university in Japan; applicants must commit to enrolling at the University of Tsukuba if accepted, and are subject to the university’s security export-control screening.
How
Embassy Recommendation route: apply through the Japanese embassy or consulate in your own country and pass its first screening; then request a Letter of Provisional Acceptance from the University of Tsukuba, submit it to the embassy, and await MEXT’s second screening and final result. For 2027 entry this route is now closed in most countries. University Recommendation, Special Program route (the route that continues for 2027): identify an eligible Special Program, read that programme’s own guideline, contact a prospective academic supervisor in advance and obtain their consent, pass the programme’s entrance examination, and submit the MEXT scholarship documents by the programme’s stated deadline. MEXT makes the final decision (expected around early March 2027 for the Materials Innovation programme); enrolment is in April 2027 (Materials Innovation) or October 2027 (some other programmes). The General Program route is expected to be discontinued for 2027 — do not present it as available.
Deadline
No single published deadline. Embassy Recommendation: deadlines are set separately by each Japanese embassy or consulate and have largely already passed for 2027 entry (for example, the Embassy of Japan in India set 15 May 2026 for research students and 25 May 2026 for undergraduates; the University of Tsukuba’s deadline to request a Letter of Provisional Acceptance was 1 September 2026). University Recommendation, Special Program: deadlines are set programme by programme — for example, the Materials Innovation special entrance examination closed for applications on 3 September 2026 at 5:00 p.m. JST, with its scholarship-document deadline for recommended candidates in early December 2026 (exact date to be announced). The 2027 MEXT guidelines were still to be published at the time of checking.
Fine print
The General Program November–December window shown in older listings (published June 2026) should not be relied on — the university’s official MEXT page, updated September 2026, says General Program recruitment is expected to be discontinued from the 2027 academic year and only the Special Program will continue. Undergraduate entry exists only through selected Special Programs, not generally. The widely repeated "under 25 for undergraduates" age limit was not confirmed in the official Tsukuba documents opened, so it is not stated here. Stipend figures are standard MEXT rates as reported, not figures published by the University of Tsukuba.

About the scholarship

The University of Tsukuba MEXT Scholarship is a Japanese Government (MEXT) scholarship for study at the University of Tsukuba, funded by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The award is fully funded in the usual MEXT sense: full tuition exemption, round-trip airfare to and from Japan, and a monthly stipend of approximately ¥117,000 for undergraduates, ¥144,000 for Master’s students and ¥145,000 for doctoral students, with accommodation and living support and medical/health coverage also reported. One caveat on the numbers: the University of Tsukuba’s own MEXT page does not state stipend figures — these are the standard MEXT rates as reported by several independent sources, including the Embassy of Japan in India’s published 2027 terms, and the 2027 MEXT guidelines had not yet been published at the time of checking.

The important change is the route. MEXT scholarships at Tsukuba run through two channels: Embassy Recommendation (apply through the Japanese embassy in your own country) and University Recommendation. For 2027 entry the embassy route has largely closed — embassy deadlines vary by country and most have passed, and Tsukuba’s deadline to request a Letter of Provisional Acceptance was 1 September 2026. On the university side, the General Program — the route older listings describe, with a November–December window — is expected to be discontinued from the 2027 academic year, per the university’s official MEXT page updated in September 2026. What continues is the Special Program route: individual programmes such as Materials Innovation and Multimodal Biomedicine run their own entrance examinations and their own timetables. There is therefore no single deadline for this award — you must check the specific programme page.

Eligibility

  • Nationality of a country that has diplomatic relations with Japan; in principle, holders of Japanese nationality at the time of application are not eligible (dual nationals living outside Japan may qualify if they choose the foreign nationality and give up Japanese nationality before arrival).
  • Strong academic record: a grade point average of at least 2.30 on a 3.00 scale at the previous school, to be maintained during the scholarship period.
  • Age (graduate route): born on or after 2 April 1992 — under 35 — with only narrow MEXT-recognised exceptions (such as military service or loss of study opportunities due to war).
  • For a Master’s: a Bachelor’s degree (16 years of education) completed or expected by March 2027. For a doctorate: a Master’s degree or equivalent completed or expected by March 2027.
  • Language: Japanese at JLPT N2 level or higher, or English at CEFR B2 level or higher (all four skills), by the time of enrolment; or completion of a prior degree taught in the relevant language.
  • Physically and mentally fit to study at a university in Japan; applicants must commit to enrolling at the University of Tsukuba if accepted, and are subject to the university’s security export-control screening.
  • Note: undergraduate entry exists only through selected Special Programs, not generally — and the widely repeated "under 25 for undergraduates" age limit was not confirmed in the official Tsukuba documents opened, so it is not stated here.

Benefits

  • Full tuition exemption.
  • Round-trip airfare to and from Japan.
  • A monthly stipend of approximately ¥117,000 (undergraduate), ¥144,000 (Master’s) or ¥145,000 (doctoral) — the standard MEXT rates as reported; the University of Tsukuba page does not state figures, and the 2027 guidelines were still to be published at the time of checking.
  • Accommodation and living support and medical/health coverage are also reported.

Documents to prepare

  • For the University Recommendation, Special Program route (Materials Innovation guideline): the application form on the prescribed form, plus an application checklist.
  • Academic transcript for each year of the last university attended, with an official document explaining the grading system if it is not shown on the transcript.
  • Graduation/degree certificate (or certificate of expected graduation).
  • A summary of research and future research plans, in English on the designated form.
  • Language proficiency evidence (JLPT N2 certificate, or a four-skill English test score at CEFR B2 or higher).
  • An examination admission slip with a recent photograph (4.5 × 3.5 cm, taken within the last six months).
  • A letter of approval from the head of your current university/department (or employer) if currently enrolled or employed.
  • For the general MEXT application, secondary sources consistently also list: the MEXT application form, passport or national ID, letters of recommendation (the dean or president of your university, addressed to the President of the University of Tsukuba), a field-of-study/research plan, a medical certificate, a CV, and a thesis abstract where applicable. These general-list items were not all confirmed in the official documents opened, so the article presents the programme-specific list above as confirmed and the wider MEXT list as the usual requirement.

How to apply

  1. Embassy Recommendation route (now closed for most countries for 2027): apply through the Japanese embassy or consulate in your own country and pass its first screening; then request a Letter of Provisional Acceptance from the University of Tsukuba, submit it to the embassy, and await MEXT’s second screening and final result.
  2. University Recommendation, Special Program route (the route that continues for 2027): identify an eligible Special Program at the University of Tsukuba and read that programme’s own guideline.
  3. Contact a prospective academic supervisor in advance and obtain their consent to the application.
  4. Pass that programme’s entrance examination (for example, document screening plus an oral examination).
  5. Candidates who pass and are selected for recommendation submit the MEXT scholarship documents by the programme’s stated deadline (early December 2026, exact date to be announced, in the Materials Innovation case).
  6. MEXT makes the final decision (expected around early March 2027 for that programme); enrolment is in April 2027 (Materials Innovation) or October 2027 (some other programmes).

FAQs

What is the deadline for the University of Tsukuba MEXT Scholarship 2027?

There is no single published deadline. Embassy-route deadlines vary by country and have largely passed for 2027 entry (for example, the Embassy of Japan in India set 15 May 2026 for research students; Tsukuba’s deadline to request a Letter of Provisional Acceptance was 1 September 2026). University Recommendation now runs only through individual Special Programs, each with its own timetable — for example, the Materials Innovation entrance examination closed on 3 September 2026, with its scholarship-document deadline in early December 2026. Check the specific programme page.

Is the University of Tsukuba MEXT Scholarship General Program still open?

No — or rather, it should not be treated as open. The university’s official MEXT page, updated in September 2026, says General Program recruitment is expected to be discontinued from the 2027 academic year, with only the Special Program continuing. Older listings showing a November–December 2026 window are out of date.

How much is the University of Tsukuba MEXT Scholarship worth?

Full tuition exemption, round-trip airfare and a monthly stipend of about ¥117,000 (undergraduate), ¥144,000 (Master’s) or ¥145,000 (doctoral). These are the standard MEXT rates as reported by several independent sources; the University of Tsukuba page does not state figures, and the 2027 MEXT guidelines had not yet been published at the time of checking.

Who can apply for the University of Tsukuba MEXT Scholarship?

Nationals of countries with diplomatic relations with Japan, with a GPA of at least 2.30 on a 3.00 scale, under 35 for the graduate route (born on or after 2 April 1992), a Bachelor’s degree for a Master’s or a Master’s degree for a doctorate (completed or expected by March 2027), and Japanese at JLPT N2 or English at CEFR B2 (all four skills) by enrolment.

How do I apply for the University of Tsukuba MEXT Scholarship?

Through the Embassy Recommendation route (apply via the Japanese embassy in your country — now largely closed for 2027) or the University Recommendation Special Program route: pick an eligible Special Program, read its guideline, contact a prospective supervisor, pass the programme’s entrance examination, and submit the MEXT documents by the programme’s deadline.

Can undergraduates apply for the University of Tsukuba MEXT Scholarship?

Only through selected Special Programs — undergraduate entry is not generally available. The widely repeated "under 25" age limit for undergraduates was not confirmed in the official Tsukuba documents opened.

What documents do I need for the University of Tsukuba MEXT Scholarship?

For the Special Program route: the prescribed application form and checklist, transcripts with a grading-system explanation, graduation or expected-graduation certificate, a research summary and future plans, language-proficiency evidence, an examination admission slip with a recent photo, and a letter of approval from your current university or employer. The wider MEXT list (MEXT form, passport, recommendation letters, research plan, medical certificate, CV, thesis abstract) is the usual requirement.

Verified 28 Oct 2026 against the University of Tsukuba's official MEXT scholarship page (tsukuba.ac.jp/en/admissions/financial-scholarships/mext/, updated September 2026) and its published 2027 programme guidelines (Materials Innovation special entrance examination; Multimodal Biomedicine), with award figures cross-checked against several independent sources including the Embassy of Japan in India's published 2027 terms. There is no single published deadline: embassy-route deadlines vary by country and have largely passed for 2027 entry (Embassy of Japan in India: 15 May 2026 research students, 25 May 2026 undergraduates; Tsukuba's Letter of Provisional Acceptance request deadline 1 September 2026), while the university route now runs only through individual Special Programs, each with its own timetable (Materials Innovation entrance applications closed 3 September 2026 at 5:00 p.m. JST; oral examinations 8 and 13-15 October 2026; results 30 October 2026; scholarship-document deadline for recommended candidates early December 2026, exact date to be announced; MEXT final decision expected around early March 2027; enrolment April 2027, or October 2027 for some programmes). MATERIAL CORRECTION: the university announced in September 2026 that the University Recommendation General Program is expected to be discontinued from the 2027 academic year, with only the Special Program continuing — the November-December window shown in older listings (Bright Scholarship and others, published June 2026) should not be relied on, and the 2027 MEXT guidelines were still to be published at the time of checking (expected around December 2026). CONFLICTS: (1) General Program November-December window vs discontinuation — resolved in favour of the official university page, the newer primary source. (2) Undergraduate availability — aggregators describe the award as open to bachelor's, master's and PhD generally; the official material is narrower — bachelor's places exist only through selected Special Programs. (3) Stipend figures (¥117,000 / ¥144,000 / ¥145,000, preparatory/research rate about ¥143,000) are consistent across multiple independent secondary sources and match the Embassy of Japan in India's published 2027 terms, but do not appear on the University of Tsukuba's MEXT page — treated as confirmed by multiple secondary sources with the attribution caveat. (4) A DAAD Scholarships page mixing this award with unrelated Tsukuba scholarships and other deadlines was disregarded. (5) Programme-specific vs general deadlines: the Materials Innovation deadline (3 September 2026, already passed) does not contradict the general November-December window claimed by aggregators — they describe different routes; the article keeps the routes separate and never presents one programme's date as the scholarship's deadline. Eligibility confirmed in the official 2027 programme guidelines: nationality of a country with diplomatic relations with Japan (Japanese nationals in principle not eligible; dual nationals living outside Japan may qualify if they choose the foreign nationality and give up Japanese nationality before arrival); GPA at least 2.30/3.00; age under 35 for the graduate route (born on or after 2 April 1992, narrow MEXT-recognised exceptions); Master's needs a Bachelor's (16 years of education) completed or expected by March 2027, doctorate needs a Master's by March 2027; JLPT N2 or English CEFR B2 (all four skills) by enrolment, or a prior degree taught in the relevant language; physically and mentally fit; commit to enrolling at Tsukuba; security export-control screening. The "under 25 for undergraduates" age limit was not confirmed in the official documents opened and is not stated.

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