The MEXT Undergraduate Studies Scholarship is for high school seniors or recent graduates who intend to earn an undergraduate degree from a Japanese university. It provides for airfare to Japan, tuition for the university, and a stipend for cost of living. In addition to the information provided on this page, all applicants are responsible for reading and following the instructions in the 2024 MEXT Undergraduate Scholarship Application Guidelines.

Applicants must indicate their intended program of study (major) in the application. The scholarship is open to students pursuing any major and is intended to provide the student with a one-year program of intensive Japanese study and then complete an undergraduate degree (typically a four-year program), for five years on the scholarship. Individuals who already have knowledge of the Japanese language sufficient to function in an academic setting may choose to opt out of the one-year intensive study of Japanese language. The term of the 2024 MEXT Undergraduate Studies Scholarship is from April 2024 to March 2029. The scholarship period for those majoring in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine or a six-year course in pharmacy is from April 2024 to March 2031.

For information on studying at Japanese universities, please use the resources below as a starting point:

• Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO)
• Japan Study Support
• Top Global University

• Must have U.S. citizenship and reside in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, or Washington State.
• The applicant must be able to travel to the Consulate-General of Japan in Seattle for the First Screening and to obtain visa prior to departure.
• Born on or after April 2, 1999
• Completion of high school diploma (or equivalent) by March 2024

Knowledge of Japanese Language

Applicants who have passed the interview will be required to take a Japanese language exam as part of the First Screening, so prior study of the Japanese language is highly encouraged. Applicants must be willing to learn Japanese, deepen their understanding of Japan, and carry out their academic studies in Japan in Japanese. If selected, grantees will be enrolled in a one-year preparatory education course. Individuals who have a strong functional command of Japanese may instead choose to be directly placed in a university and begin their program of study.

• senior
• graduate

• US Citizen

How to Apply

Applicants must carefully read the Application Guidelines before beginning to prepare their application packet. Please refer to the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO)'s Study in Japan webpage using the link below to access the Guidelines and Application Form

https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/smap-stopj-applications-undergraduate.html

All required documents should be included in a single envelope and mailed to:

Consulate-General of Japan in Seattle
ATTN: Education Desk
701 Pike Street, Suite 1000
Seattle, WA 98011

The deadline for application documents to be submitted to the Consulate-General of Japan in Seattle is June 5, 2023*.

*This is not a “post-marked by” deadline. Late applications will not be considered.

If you have questions about the MEXT Undergraduate Studies Scholarship, please contact education@se.mofa.go.jp

Unavoidable Circumstances

In the event of unavoidable or unforeseen circumstances, the Japanese Government reserves the right to change or cancel the arrival date, scholarship, and contents of the application guidelines or the above timeline, at any time before or after notification of the results of the final selection.

Scholarship Benefits

• Exemption from school fees (tuition/examinations/matriculation)
• Travel expenses to and from Japan
• Monthly stipend