Science Tokyo International Graduate Program A (Fall 2027) — MEXT Scholarship

• Nationality: Applicants must hold the nationality of a country that has diplomatic relations with Japan, subject to MEXT's rules.
• Age: Applicants must generally be 34 years old or younger as of 1 April of the first scholarship year.
• Academic performance: A GPA equivalent to at least 2.30 on MEXT's 3.00 scale in the most recently attended degree programme is required.
• Academic background: The proposed research must relate to the applicant's previous field of study or a related discipline that can be pursued at Science Tokyo.
• English proficiency: Applicants must meet the stated English-language requirement. Accepted evidence may include a qualifying English test result equivalent to CEFR B2 or proof of qualifying English-medium education.
• Health and arrival requirements: Applicants must be able to pursue their studies in Japan and arrive within the prescribed period.
• Visa status: Scholarship recipients are generally required to enter Japan with the appropriate Student residence status.

Meeting these requirements does not guarantee admission or scholarship selection. Applicants should consult the current scholarship guidelines for the complete eligibility conditions and exclusions.

Research Areas and Programme Suitability

IGP(A) covers science and engineering disciplines through its participating departments. Depending on the programme, research may involve areas such as physics, chemistry, mathematics, mechanical engineering, electrical and electronic engineering, materials science, life science and technology, information and communications engineering, and environmental engineering.

Applicants should not select a programme solely because its subject appears on this list. They should examine the department's actual research themes, identify a suitable academic supervisor and establish whether the intended programme is eligible for MEXT scholarship recommendation.

A strong academic match between the applicant's previous training and proposed research is particularly important because MEXT requires the proposed field to be related to the applicant's academic background.

How Scholarship Selection Works

The application involves two connected but separate decisions: admission to IGP(A) and selection for MEXT funding.

1. The applicant identifies a suitable programme and prospective academic supervisor.
2. The applicant obtains the required supervisor consent and submits the admission application with the prescribed supporting documents.
3. Science Tokyo assesses applicants and may recommend eligible candidates to MEXT through an available scholarship route.
4. MEXT makes the final scholarship decision.

Important funding limitation: Science Tokyo states that MEXT's university-recommendation General scheme is suspended from 2026 onwards. Some IGP(A) programmes may seek recommendation places under the Priority scheme, but their allocation is not guaranteed. The university warns that if a programme does not obtain the necessary Priority places, applicants seeking MEXT funding through that programme may be unsuccessful and instead undergo consideration as privately funded international students.

Consequently, applicants should confirm the scholarship route and available recommendation places for their chosen programme. They should not assume that meeting the eligibility requirements or receiving an admission offer guarantees full funding.

Conditions That Can Affect Scholarship Eligibility

In addition to meeting the initial requirements, applicants should be aware of restrictions that may prevent selection or lead to the cancellation of funding. These include certain previous MEXT scholarship awards, simultaneous applications for overlapping MEXT scholarship routes, failure to meet the required academic background, inability to arrive within the prescribed period, and failure to obtain the required Student residence status.

Recipients must also comply with university rules and MEXT scholarship conditions. Funding may be stopped in circumstances specified by MEXT, including withdrawal from the university, moving to another university, prolonged absence, or academic difficulties that prevent completion within the standard period.

These conditions make it important to read the official scholarship guidance before applying, particularly if the applicant has previously studied in Japan or received government scholarship support.

Documents to Prepare

Applicants should follow the current IGP(A) application guide for the exact document list and prescribed formats. Depending on their circumstances, they may need:

• Official academic transcripts and degree certificates.
• Certified translations of documents not issued in English or Japanese, where required.
• A self-introduction and letter of intent for the prospective academic supervisor.
• The supervisor's consent letter.
• Academic evaluation or recommendation documents in the required format.
• The designated MEXT scholarship application form.
• A recommendation letter from the dean or equivalent authorised official at the applicant's home university.
• Evidence of English proficiency or qualifying English-medium education.
• Any additional materials required by the selected programme.

Applicants should arrange transcripts and recommendations early. Some documents must be issued by an academic referee or university official and may take time to obtain. The university may also request an updated scholarship form if MEXT changes its official format.

Application Process

1. Read the official Fall 2027 IGP(A) application guide.
2. Compare the available programmes and confirm which degree routes and research areas match your academic background.
3. Verify that your chosen programme can consider applicants for MEXT funding under the applicable recommendation scheme.
4. Identify a prospective supervisor whose research aligns with your interests.
5. Send the supervisor the required self-introduction, letter of intent and supporting information.
6. Obtain the required consent letter and submit it by the university's specified deadline.
7. Complete the online application and provide all admission and scholarship documents in the prescribed formats.
8. Monitor official university communications for the admission outcome and subsequent scholarship decision.

For the Fall 2027 intake, Science Tokyo lists the application period as 9 September to 22 November 2026. The supervisor consent-letter deadline is 15 November 2026, and the application deadline is 22 November 2026 at 23:59 Japan Standard Time. The published admission-result date is 3 March 2027 at 15:00 JST. MEXT scholarship decisions follow a separate timeline, with the official announcement expected later in the year.

Application Advice

Start by confirming that your intended programme is eligible for the scholarship, then identify a suitable supervisor. This is more important than preparing a generic application because the programme's research focus and available scholarship recommendation places can determine whether this route is suitable for you.

Request academic records and recommendation letters early, use the university's prescribed forms and submit the consent letter before its separate deadline. If you cannot confirm the availability of a MEXT recommendation place, contact Science Tokyo before committing to application costs or making financial plans based on receiving the scholarship.