Japanese government opens scholarships for undergraduate, master’s and PhD studies

Students sitting a past Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination. /FILE

The Japanese government has opened applications for full scholarships for KCSE graduates to pursue undergraduate courses in Japanese universities.

The 2027 MEXT Scholarship for Kenyan nationals is also open for research students seeking to study for their master’s degree or doctorate.

The fully funded scholarship covers tuition, air ticket and a monthly stipend, with applications for both research and undergraduate programmes due by May 19, 2026.

To qualify for postgraduate courses, one must be a Kenyan born on or after April 2, 1992, and be a holder of a bachelor’s degree (second class, upper division) for a master’s programme, or a master’s degree with a completed thesis for a PhD.

For undergraduate qualifications, applicants must be Kenyan-born on or after April 2, 2002 and must be 18 years or older at the time of admission to a university in Japan.

They must have a KCSE mean grade of “A plain” and grades of “A plain” in at least four subjects, which must include Mathematics, and “A minus” in English and Kiswahili.

For College of Technology qualifications, applicants must be Kenyan-born on or after April 2, 2002 and must be 18 years or older at the time of admission to a university in Japan.

The minimum requirement is a KCSE mean grade of “A minus”, with grades of “A minus” or higher in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, and “B plus” in English.

For Specialised Training College applicants, the requirement is a Kenyan birth on or after April 2, 2002, and they must be 18 years or older at the time of admission to a university in Japan.

The minimum KCSE mean grade is “B plain”, with “B plus” or higher in Mathematics and “B plain” in English.

How to Apply – Undergraduate

Application for undergraduate, College of Technology and Specialised Training College is done through different links, each distinct from the other.

Undergraduate: https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/smap-stopj-applications-undergraduate.html 

College of Technology: https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/smap-stopj-applications-technology.html 

Specialised Training College: https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/smap-stopj-applications-specialized.html 

Past qualifying examinations can be accessed at https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/planning/scholarships/mext-scholarships/examination.html 

How to Apply – Research

Prospective applicants for master’s or PhD studies should read the details carefully and download the application forms at https://studyinjapan.go.jp/en/smap-stopj-applications-research.html 

Documents to be submitted are listed in the Application Guideline, which can also be downloaded from the same link.

Prospective applicants can also find past qualifying examinations via https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/planning/scholarships/mext-scholarships/examination.html

The forms and documents for all applications can be hand-delivered or posted, but must be received by the Scholarships Desk before the deadline of May 19, 2026, at 4:30 pm.

Soft copy applications can be submitted via [email protected], while hard copy applications can be hand-delivered at the Embassy of Japan in Kenya, Japan Information and Culture Centre, Mara Road, Upper Hill, Nairobi.

Applicants are advised to apply well before the deadline.