MEXT Scholarship

The Monbukagakusho (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology - MEXT) offers the following scholarships to Australian Citizens who wish to study at Japanese universities.
| Category | Status |
| Undergraduate Category | 2026 APPLICATIONS - CLOSED |
| Research Category | 2026 APPLICATIONS - CLOSED |
| Teacher Training Category | 2026 APPLICATIONS - OPEN |
| Japanese Studies Category | 2026 APPLICATIONS - OPEN |
Stories of MEXT Scholars
Episode 1 – Interview with Embassy staff
Episode 2 – Interview with textile artist and researcher
Episode 3 - Viola performance at EXPO 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan

Undergraduate Category (2026 applications)
The Undergraduate scholarship is offered in principle for 5 years, including 1 year of preparatory study of the Japanese language and other subjects. There are opportunities to study in a variety of areas of the Social Sciences and Humanities or Natural Sciences. Benefits of the scholarship include all tuition fees, return airfares and a monthly allowance of 117,000 Yen (amount subject to change). Upon successful completion of their courses, students will be awarded a Bachelor's degree.
Please direct enquiries to:
MEXT Scholarship Desk
Telephone: 02 6273 3244
Email: cultural-application@cb.mofa.go.jp
Application deadline:
5 PM 3 June (Tuesday) 2025 AEST
Please email your application by the deadline above to:
MEXT Scholarship Desk
Email: cultural-application@cb.mofa.go.jp
Subject line: - MEXT 2026 Undergraduate – Full name (first and last)
If your application progresses forward in the selection process, you will be asked to post or deliver a hard-copy application to the Embassy of Japan in Canberra in July 2025.
Examination
It is highly recommended that you go over past exam papers before sitting the exams.
https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/planning/scholarship/application/examination/index.html
Applicants who wish to major in the Social Sciences and/or Humanities are required to take exams in Mathematics, English and Japanese (3 subjects in total).
Applicants who wish to major in the Natural Sciences are required to take exams in Mathematics, English, Japanese, Chemistry and either Physics or Biology depending on your nominated area of study (5 subjects in total).
Those who successfully pass the examinations will be required to undertake an online interview. Shortlisted candidates will be informed of the details at a later date.
Application Instructions and Guidelines
To apply, please read through the READ FIRST Application Instructions and click on the links below to download the necessary documents:
- READ FIRST: Application Instructions(PDF)
(321KB) - Application Documents

- Please note that only those who pass the first stage of screening are required to undergo an X-ray. As such you may leave that section (only) of the Certificate of Health blank.
- Recommendation Letter (Word)
(31KB) - If you would like to use Microsoft Word for the Recommendation Letter, please use the file above.
- Exam Location Form (PDF)
(79KB) - ※Please ensure to check this page frequently for any updates.
Research Category (2026 applications)
MEXT Scholarship Desk
Telephone: 02 6273 3244
Email: cultural-application@cb.mofa.go.jp
Application deadline:
5 PM 3 June (Tuesday) 2025 AEST
Please email your application by the deadline above to:
MEXT Scholarship Desk
Email: cultural-application@cb.mofa.go.jp
Subject line: - MEXT 2026 Research – Full name (first and last)
If your application progresses forward in the selection process, you will be asked to post or deliver a hard-copy application to the Embassy of Japan in Canberra in June 2025.
Examination and Interview
It is recommended that you go over past exam papers before sitting the exams.
https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/planning/scholarship/application/examination/index.html
All applicants who pass the documents selection stage are required to sit the Japanese language exam in Australia.
Those who progress to the interview stage will be required to undertake an online interview. Shortlisted candidates will be informed of the details at a later date.
Application Instructions and Guidelines
To apply, please read through the READ FIRST Application Instructions and click on the links below to download the necessary documents:
- READ FIRST: Application Instructions - Revised (PDF)
(349KB) - Application Documents

- Please note that only those who pass the first stage of screening are required to undergo an X-ray. As such you may leave that section (only) of the Certificate of Health blank.
- Field of Study and Research Plan (Word)
(25KB) - If you would like to use Microsoft Word for the Field of Study and Research Plan, please use the file above.
- Recommendation Letter (Word)
(31KB) - If you would like to use Microsoft Word for the Recommendation Letter, please use the file above.
- Exam Location Form(PDF)
(79KB) - ※Please ensure to check this page frequently for any updates.
Teacher Training Students Category
Program length: The duration required to complete the training course at a designated university, within the period from October 2026 (or the month the training course starts) to March 2028.
Japanese language ability: Please confirm if the university’s course is conducted in English or Japanese in the course guide. If the course is available in English, Japanese language ability is not required.
5 PM 12 February (Thursday) 2026 AEDT
Application submission
Complete Online Application Form (Microsoft Forms)
Email required documents specified in the READ FIRST Instructions to:
Email: cultural-application@cb.mofa.go.jp
Subject line: MEXT 2026 Teacher Training Students - Full name (first and last)
Please direct enquiries to:
MEXT Scholarship Desk
Telephone: 02 6273 3244
Email: cultural-application@cb.mofa.go.jp
Examination and Interview
It is highly recommended that you go over past examination papers.
https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/planning/scholarship/application/examination/index.html
(Please refer to the past Japanese examinations listed under “Research Students”).
All applicants who pass the documents selection stage are required to sit the Japanese and English language examinations in Australia. Travel expenses to and from examination venues are borne by the applicant. Those who progress to the examination stage will be required to undertake an online interview. Shortlisted candidates will be informed of the details of the examination and interview at a later date.
Application Instructions, Guidelines and Documents
To apply, please read through the READ FIRST Instructions and click on the links below to download the necessary documents:
Japanese Studies Students Category
Program length: 1 year from October 2026 (or the starting month of the course).
Japanese language ability: Applicants must have sufficient Japanese language ability to take a course in Japanese at a Japanese university.
5 PM 12 February (Thursday) 2026 AEDT
Application submission
Complete Online Application Form (Microsoft Forms)
Email required documents specified in the READ FIRST Instructions to:
Email: cultural-application@cb.mofa.go.jp
Subject line: MEXT 2026 JP Studies Students - Full name (first and last)
Please direct enquiries to:
MEXT Scholarship Desk
Telephone: 02 6273 3244
Email: cultural-application@cb.mofa.go.jp
Examination and Interview
It is highly recommended that you go over past examination papers.
https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/planning/scholarship/application/examination/index.html
(Please refer to the past Japanese examinations listed under “Research Students”).
All applicants who pass the documents selection stage are required to sit the Japanese language examination in Australia. Travel expenses to and from examination venues are borne by the applicant. Those who progress to the examination stage will be required to undertake an online interview. Shortlisted candidates will be informed of the details of the examination and interview at a later date.
Application Instructions, Guidelines and Documents
To apply, please read through the READ FIRST Instructions and click on the links below to download the necessary documents:
