To concentrate on your study, it is important to have a sufficient budget for the student life. The living cost is high in Tokyo. The average expenditure will be about 130,000 to 140,000 yen a month, provided that you rent a private room in Tokyo. You can obtain a work permit after your arrival, but the working hours are limited under the law. Therefore, we recommend you to be well prepared for your finance.
Please refer to the scholarships below. Most of the scholarships are applicable after enrollment, however, they are very competitive. There are few scholarships for Kenkyu-sei (research students). Except for Embassy recommended MEXT Scholarship, all scholarship information are provided at International Liaison Office.
Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho:MEXT) Scholarship
- Embassy recommendation (Contact Office: The Embassy or Consulate of Japan in your home country)
- Application in your home country.
- The Embassy or consulate of Japan in your home country is responsible for this scholarship, holding different requirements and policy according to each country. Please note that the University of Tokyo DOES NOT provide any details and the application procedure is out on its own. Please inquire directly at the appropriate contact office in your country.
- The scholarship covers the monthly stipend as well as the return airfare. You can also take an intensive Japanese course for the first six months after arrival, if required.
- We highly recommend this scholarship.
- University recommendation
- Application in your home country.
- The applicant needs a strong recommendation from a professor of the University of Tokyo for the Japanese government's screening. Most applicants are selected on the basis of the agreement of academic exchange with the overseas university.
- The application period is from January to February.
- Domestic application
- Application after enrollment.
- After enrollment, there is a chance to apply for the Government scholarship, however, the it is limited to one student from the Graduate School of Science.
- The application period is around January.
- Monthly stipend
- Graduate/Research students: 170,000 yen(first year), 160,000 yen(after second year)
- Undergraduate students: 134,000 yen (first year), 126,000 yen (after second year)
Private Scholarships
Monthly stipend: About 50,000 - 150,000 yen
- Direct application (Contact Office: Each Foundation)
- Application after enrollment.
- Information is available at ILO. There are about 15 foundations providing scholarships.
- University recommendation
- Application after enrollment.
- There are about 45 foundations, setting wide variations of application requirements by age, major, and so on. The applicants will be screened in the University of Tokyo in the first stage, therefore, it will be very competitive.
The scholarships are only for international students who belong to the School of Science of the University of Tokyo. A certain level of Japanese language ability is necessary to apply for private scholarships. Please take a look at the Japanese version of this page for more detailed information about each scholarship.
Scholarship by JASSO
- Application after enrollment.
- Students enrolled in the University of Tokyo (including research students) are applicable.
- Monthly stipend
- Graduate/Research students: 70,000 yen
- Undergraduate students: 50,000 yen
The University of Tokyo Assistance Association
- Application after enrollment.
- Students enrolled in the University of Tokyo (including research students) are applicable. (One or two students per year.)
- Monthly stipend: 50,000 yen