Culture & Education
Scholarship
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The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Monbukagakusho:MEXT) of the Japanese Government offers scholarships to foreign students who wish to study at Japanese universities. To date, some 65,000 students from approximately 160 countries and regions around the world have studied in Japan under the Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho) Scholarship programme established in 1954.
Warning: In some countries there are fraudulent organisations that offer to help students apply for these Japanese Government scholarships in return for a deposit. The only way to apply for a Japanese Government scholarships is through the Embassy or consular office of Japan in your home country, or through a participating Japanese university. You will not be asked to pay a deposit to apply for the scholarships.
There are three types of scholarships offered to New Zealand citizens and two types for Niueans and Cook Islanders in New Zealand under the Japanese Government Scholarship programme.
- Research students (OPEN!)
- Undergraduate students (OPEN!)
- Japanese studies students (Closed)
- College of Technology (KOSEN) Students (OPEN!)
- Specialised Training College Scholarship (OPEN!)
For further Information, please refer to the Study in Japan Comprehensive Guide.
1. Research students
2026 scholarship applications are now open.
QualificationsApplicants must be New Zealand citizens and must be under 35 years of age. Each applicant must have an undergraduate degree or the same or a higher level of academic ability than a university or college graduate.
| Schedule of the 2026 Research Students | |
| April 2025 | Applications open |
| 5pm, 27 June 2025 | Applications close |
| 14 July 2025 | Examination |
| 16 July 2025 | Interviews |
| November 2025 | Secondary Screening |
| January-February 2026 | Notification of Acceptance |
| April/September-October 2026 | Arrival in Japan |
For applications and guidelines please refer to the Study in Japan website. Please submit your application in paper form to the office where you wish to sit the examination and be interviewed. Applications will not be accepted via email.
Please note that the Certificate of Health is not required at the application stage, please submit a Self-Assessment Medical Report. Successful applicants will be required to submit the Certificate of Heath at a later stage.
2. Undergraduate students
2026 applications are now open.
QualificationsApplicants must be New Zealand citizens and must be between 17 and 25 years of age and have completed 12 year of school education or have completed courses in a school comparable to a high school (includes prospective graduates).
| Schedule of the 2026 Undergraduate students | |
| April 2025 | Applications open |
| 5pm, 27 June 2025 | Applications close |
| 14 July 2025 | Examination |
| 16 July 2025 | Interviews |
| October/November 2025 | Second Screening |
| November 2025 | Notification of Acceptance |
| April/September-October 2026 | Arrival in Japan |
For applications and guidelines please refer to the Study in Japan website. Please submit your application in paper form to the office where you wish to sit the examination and be interviewed. Applications will not be accepted via email.
Please note that the Certificate of Health is not required at the application stage, please submit a Self-Assessment Medical Report. Successful applicants will be required to submit the Certificate of Heath at a later stage.
3. Japanese studies students
2025 applications are now closed. The information below is for reference only. Applications for the 2026 scholarship will open in January 2026.
QualificationsApplicants must be from 18 to 30 years old. Applicants must be enrolled as undergraduate students in faculties or schools which major in Japanese language or Japanese culture in a university outside Japan at the time when they come to Japan and they must be enrolled in the home institution at the time when they return to their home countries.
| Schedule of 2025 Japanese Studies Students | |
| 15 January 2025 | Applications open |
| 19 February 2025 | Applications close |
| 26 February 2025 | Examination/Interviews |
| Mid March 2025 | First Screening Notification |
| July/August 2025 | Placement Notification/Orientation |
| September/October 2025 | Depart for Japan |
For application forms please see the Study in Japan website. Please submit your application in paper form to the office where you wish to sit the examination and be interviewed. Applications will not be accepted via email.
4.College of Technology (KOSEN) Students
2026 applications are now open.Qualifications
Applicants must be either Niueans and Cook Islanders with New Zealand passports only who will complete Year 11 on or by March 2026, and who are born on or after 2nd April 2001. Applicants will ideally have intermediate level Japanese at present, be willing to learn Japanese and will have competency to receive education in Japanese after the one-year preparatory Japanese language course as all classes are taught in Japanese.
| Schedule of 2026 KOSEN Students | |
| April 2025 | Applications open |
| 5pm, 27 June 2025 | Applications close |
| 14 July 2025 | Examination |
| 16 July 2025 | Interviews |
| October/November 2025 | Second Screening |
| November 2025 | Acceptance notification |
| Early April 2026 | Arrival in Japan |
For applications and guidelines please refer to the Study in Japan website. Please submit your application in paper form to the office where you wish to sit the examination and be interviewed. Applications will not be accepted via email.
5.Specialised Training College Students
2026 applications are now open.Qualifications
Applicants must be either Niueans and Cook Islanders with New Zealand passports who have completed Year 12 on or by March 2026, and who are born between on or after 2nd April 2001. Applicants will ideally have intermediate level Japanese at present, be willing to learn Japanese and will have competency to receive education in Japanese after the one-year preparatory Japanese language course as all classes are taught in Japanese.The study fields available under this scholarship are as follows:(A) (Industrial) Technology, (B) Personal Care and Nutrition, (C) Education and Welfare, (D) Business, (E) Fashion and Home Economics, (F) Culture and General Education.
| Schedule of 2026 Specialised Training College Students | |
| April 2025 | Applications open |
| 5pm, 27 June 2025 | Applications close |
| 14 July 2025 | Examination |
| 16 July 2025 | Interviews |
| October/November 2025 | Second screening |
| November 2025 | Acceptance notification |
| Early April 2026 | Arrival in Japan |
For applications and guidelines please refer to the Study in Japan website. Please submit your application in paper form to the office where you wish to sit the examination and be interviewed. Applications will not be accepted via email.
Past Examination Samples
Please see the following website for samples of past examinations: Study in JapanJapanese Studies exams have not been displayed so please see the Japanese exams for Research Scholarships as they are equivalent.
For further enquiries, please contact:
Consulate-General of Japan ( Auckland)
Level 15, 41 Shortland Street, PO Box 3959, Auckland 1140
Tel: 09-303 4106 E-mail:info-cul@ac.mofa.go.jp)
Japan Information and Cultural Centre (Wellington) 04-495 8332 Jicc@wl.mofa.go.jp
Consular Office of Japan (Christchurch) 03-366 5680 cultural.chc@wl.mofa.go.jp