University of Tokyo Fellowship
University of Tokyo · Japan
Japan's top-ranked university funds outstanding international graduate students with a monthly stipend and fee exemption.
Application deadline
1 Dec 2026
57 days remaining
- Intake
- Apr or Sep 2027 intake
- Open to
- Worldwide
- Study level
- Masters, PhD
We never charge for applications
What the scholarship covers
- Monthly stipend of ¥200,000 or more
- Admission and tuition fee exemption
- Research support in some departments
- Duration matched to the standard programme length
Eligibility requirements
- Applying to a graduate programme at the University of Tokyo
- Excellent academic record
- English or Japanese proficiency depending on the programme
- Not receiving another major scholarship simultaneously
Documents you will need
- Graduate admission application
- Academic transcripts and degree certificates
- Research plan
- Two letters of recommendation
- Language proficiency certificate
How to apply, step by step
- 1
Choose the graduate school and programme
Requirements and deadlines are set per graduate school, not centrally.
- 2
Contact a prospective supervisor
Most departments expect prior contact before a research application.
- 3
Prepare the research plan
Specific about method and its fit with the laboratory you are joining.
- 4
Apply for admission
Fellowship consideration usually follows automatically from the admission application.
- 5
Watch the intake you are applying for
April and September intakes have separate cycles and deadlines.
When to do what
Counting backwards from the deadline. Applications rushed in the final fortnight are the ones that fail.
24 weeks before
Identify the graduate school and target laboratories.
20 weeks before
Email potential supervisors with your CV and interests.
14 weeks before
Draft the research plan with supervisor feedback.
10 weeks before
Request recommendation letters.
6 weeks before
Gather transcripts and language certificates.
2 weeks before
Submit the admission application.
What the panel is actually looking for
- Academic excellence
- Research plan quality and laboratory fit
- Supervisor endorsement
- Language readiness for the programme
Common mistakes to avoid
- Applying without contacting a laboratory first.
- Confusing the April and September intake deadlines.
- A research plan written without reference to Tokyo's work.
- Holding another major scholarship, which usually disqualifies you.
Fields of study
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Don't miss this deadline
We'll email you before applications for University of Tokyo Fellowship close.
Apply to more than one
Even outstanding applicants are rejected for reasons outside their control, quotas, country allocations, a stronger field that year. Shortlist three or four awards you genuinely qualify for and apply to all of them.