Japan Embassy opens MEXT Scholarship 2026 applications for Indian students

The Embassy of Japan in India has opened applications for the Japanese Government MEXT Scholarship 2026, offering fully funded opportunities for Indian students to pursue graduate studies in Japan.

The program is aimed at research students seeking admission to master’s and PhD courses and is open to applicants below 35 years of age.

Interested candidates must submit a preliminary application form via email to [email protected] by May 13, 2026, at 11:59 pm.

According to the schedule, application screening will be completed in May, followed by a written examination on June 28 and interviews in early July. The total number of scholarships will be announced by the Embassy.

For non regular students, the scholarship tenure will begin in April, September, or October 2027 and continue until March 2029.

Applicants are advised to review Points 4, 5, 12, and 13 of the application guidelines for details on terms and academic pathways.

Candidates enrolled as regular students in master’s or doctoral programs will receive support for the full standard duration of their course, as specified under Section 13, “Academic Pathway for Research Students.”

The scholarship covers a wide range of disciplines, including humanities, social sciences, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, biotechnology, agriculture, environmental science, pharmaceutical science, civil engineering, architecture, material science, electrical engineering, robotics, computer science, and sports science.

Eligibility criteria require master’s applicants to hold a bachelor’s degree with at least 70%, while PhD applicants must have a master’s degree with a minimum of 70% along with relevant academic or professional experience. For humanities and social sciences, the minimum requirement is 65%.

Selected candidates will receive a monthly stipend of 145,000 yen, approximately ₹85,300, for doctoral programs and 144,000 yen, approximately ₹84,700, for master’s or professional degree courses. The scholarship also includes a full tuition fee exemption and round-trip airfare.

The Japan Information Centre at the Embassy in New Delhi has advised applicants to contact officials only for genuine queries and avoid seeking information already available in the official guidelines, so resources can be focused on addressing important concerns.