Asia Pacific University Japanese Government Scholarship 2027 (Fully Funded)

Overview

The Asia Pacific University (APU) MEXT Recommended Japanese Government Scholarship is a fully funded award for international students who want to take a full Bachelor's, Master's or PhD degree at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Japan. It is funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology of Japan (MEXT) and goes to outstanding applicants officially recommended by APU. Knowledge of Japanese and IELTS or TOEFL scores are not mandatory.

What you get

The scholarship covers 100 percent of the monthly fee through an APU monthly fee reduction grant. It also pays JPY 144,000 per month for living expenses, an amount that may change, and economy class air travel between the home country and APU at the start and end of the program.

Separately, APU Tuition Reduction Scholarships are offered at 30%, 50%, 65%, 80% and 100%, covering the least number of credits needed to graduate in the standard period. They are supported by domestic and international companies and individuals together with MEXT, to ease the financial burden of outstanding international students of lesser financial means.

Who can apply

Applicants must intend to study in Japan from overseas, must not hold Japanese nationality and must be citizens of a country with diplomatic relations with Japan. They must be born on or after April 2, 1986, and have a GPA of at least 2.30 on a 3.00 scale at their most recent college. Undergraduate candidates need 12 years of school education outside Japan, Master's candidates 16 years and doctoral candidates 18 years.

How to apply

The University Recommendation scholarship accepts applications for September enrollment only. APU reviews the application documents and selects suitable candidates to recommend to MEXT. Those recommended are told with their final APU application results. MEXT decides the final awards by the end of June, and timing may change depending on MEXT circumstances.

Key dates

The application deadline is November 5, 2026.