Japanese Government Scholarship Programs

1. Applicants must hold U.S. citizenship.
   (Applicants who hold Japanese nationality at the time of application are not eligible.)
2. Applicants must have been born on or after April 2, 1992.
3. Applicants must be a university graduate (at the time of participation on the program) or have completed 16 years of school education.
4. Applicants must be able to arrive in Japan between April 1, 2027, and April 7, 2027, or within two weeks of the date set by the receiving university for the beginning of the semester for October term (in principle in September or October).
5. Applicants in principle must apply in the field that they previously studied as an undergraduate.

Note1: Please send one set of required digital documents (you don't have to duplicate files).

Note 2: Other file sharing sites may be accepted, please contact education@sr.mofa.go.jp before sharing.

Note 3: Once we have received your application documents, we will reply to your e-mail. If you do not receive an acknowledgement of receipt within three (3) business days, please call 1-415-780-6086 or send a separate e-mail.

1. Interview: Applicants who pass the initial application screening will be invited to participate in an online interview in early June. Details will be provided through e-mail.
2. In-Person Written Test: Applicants who pass the initial application screening will be invited to take an in-person Japanese test (if applicable - see below) at the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco. The test date is TBD. Please check back later.

Applicants that plan to apply for a graduate program at a Japanese university where courses are taught in Japanese will be required to take a Japanese test.

Note: All applicants must have the ability to do research and adapt to living in Japan. While Japanese language ability is not a requirement for participation, some study of Japanese language prior to applying is encouraged. All applicants must also be willing to learn Japanese if selected for participation.

Request a Provisional Acceptance to Japanese Universities

Those who pass the First Screening (test and interview) will receive a recommendation from our consulate and will be directed to apply to the Japanese universities they wish to enter (maximum of 2 as indicated in the application) to obtain a letter of provisional acceptance from the university(s) of their choice.

Notification of Acceptance to Japanese Universities

Candidates will receive notification of acceptance by Fall 2026. Those selected will begin their studies in Japan from April or October 2027.

Q1 Letter of Recommendation:

Please ask your recommender to email the PDF to us directly.

Q2 Transcript:

If you have digital transcripts, please submit them with your other application documents via file uploader site. If you have paper transcripts, you can upload a scanned copy with your other application documents and submit via file uploader site.

Q3 Diploma:

Please DO NOT send the original diploma. Please upload a scanned copy with your other application documents and submit via file uploader site.

Q4 Medical Certificate:

If it is difficult for you to submit your medical certificate by the application deadline, please let us know. We can extend the due date of the medical certificate until the announcement of the results of first screening (mid-late July).

Q5 Past Examination Questions (English Language and Japanese Language):

Sample examination questions from previous years can be found here: “Past Examination Questions”

Q6 Useful Links:

• “Planning studies in Japan”Provided by the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO). This link contains information on applying to universities in Japan as well as a list of university degree courses offered in English.
• “Researchers” Provided by the Japan Science and Technology Agency
  This ”research map” is a multifunctional platform and database containing a directory of researchers and records of research in Japan
• “Memoirs of Japan”