JASSO & Japan Scholarships Beyond MEXT (2026 Guide)
20 Jan 2026, 00:00 Z
Reviewed by
Marcus Pang·Managing Director (Maths)
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Q: If I’m not going for MEXT (or I want a backup plan), how do I find Japan scholarships the “non-chaotic” way?
A: Use the official Study in Japan pages to understand what exists, then use their search tool to build a shortlist. Treat the database as a starting point, not a promise — and verify everything on the university/provider page.
TL;DR (2 minutes) - Start with the official “reality check”: scholarships are often partial support: https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/planning/scholarships/about-scholarships/ - Use the official search tool to build a shortlist: https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/search-for-scholarships/tuition-reduction_search.php?lang=en - Your goal is a shortlist you can actually execute: 5–10 options, each with a next action (email, form, portal).
Status: Last reviewed 2026-01-20. Scholarship availability and conditions change. Always verify current details on the university/provider page.
1) Start with the official “scholarship reality check”
Before you build a plan around scholarships, read this official overview:
Why it matters:
- It frames scholarships as support (often partial), which helps families budget realistically.
If you want a parent-friendly budgeting checklist (Japan vs Korea):
2) Where “beyond MEXT” scholarships show up (official starting links)
Use these official pages as your map:
- JASSO scholarships: https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/planning/scholarships/jasso-scholarships/
- Other scholarships: https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/planning/scholarships/other-scholarships/
Then use the official search tool:
