Applicants for the Japanese Ritsumeikan University Scholarship. The MEXT Scholarship University Recommendation is open to international students worldwide from any nation with solid diplomatic ties to Japan. The Japanese Government’s MEXT is the sponsor of the Ritsumeikan University Scholarship. We encourage all international students from around the world who wish to study for a master’s or PhD scholarship in Japan. The Japanese government is offering fully funded scholarships for the school year. Apply for More Fully Funded Scholarships from here.
Japanese international students from any country in the world can apply for funded scholarships at Ritsumeikan University in Japan, which cover all of the offered study subjects. The Ritsumeikan University Scholarship does not require the IELTS exam in order to apply for scholarships. While the program scholarship lasts for three years, the master’s degree scholarship lasts for two years.
Founded in 1900, Ritsumeikan University is a private university situated in Kyoto, Japan. This university is ranked as Japan’s top private university or alternative university. About 35,000 students, both domestic and foreign, attend the university from all over the world.
Ritsumeikan University Scholarship Summary
| Country | Japan |
| University | Ritsumeikan University |
| Degree level | Masters, PhD |
| Scholarship coverage | Fully Funded |
| Eligible nationality | International |
| Last Date | 22 December 2024 |
Financial Benefits
MEXT is a fully free/funded scholarship at Ritsumeikan University located in Kyoto, Japan. All the costs will be covered by the MEXT.
- 100% of the tuition fee (covered by the APU Tuition Discount Scholarship) is given to students.
- Monthly Stipend: JPY 143,000-145,000 will be given to students.
- Economy class air travel tickets are given to students to/from Japan at the beginning and end of the program.
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About the MEXT Scholarship:
MEXT stands for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT), an institution in Japan that offers scholarships for bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and PhD degrees in the fields/majors that you have studied in your country.
MEXT Scholarships are funded and sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Japan, in Japan. You will study in the best/top Japanese universities as a research student under the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program in Japan.
Language Requirements
Aspirants necessarily meet the English language requirements.
The English proficiency test score required for a scholarship is equal to B2 or above, or depends on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale (e.g., a TOEFL score of 72 or above is required for a scholarship, and an IELTS score of 5.5 or above is required for a scholarship).
OR
Those students whose earlier institute course of action language is in English can submit an English Proficiency Certificate from their previous university, and they are exempted from the language test.
Eligibility Criteria
Ritsumeikan University Scholarship
- Aspirants not having Japanese nationality are nationals of a country that has good diplomatic relations with Japan and are eligible to apply.
- Aspirants are required to be physically and mentally fit.
- Aspirants must be born on or after April 2, 1988.
- Aspirants will be able to arrive in Japan in the middle of September 2026
- The applicant obtained a CGPA equal to or higher than 2.30 out of 3.00 for the most recent two years of formal study.
- Candidates should be prepared to attain a student visa and enter Japan for study upon receiving the scholarship.
- English language proficiency is required.
Application Deadline
| Timeframe | Activity | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Late Nov 2025 – late Dec 2025 | Applicants submit applications to Ritsumeikan University (hereinafter “RU”) | |||||||||
| Jan – Feb 2026 | RU announces admission results to applicants | |||||||||
| Feb – Mar 2026 | Successful applicants submit the MEXT Scholarship Certificate to their local Embassy or Consulate of Japan to apply for a student visa as a Japanese government scholar. | |||||||||
| Jun – Jul 2026 | MEXT notifies scholarship results to RU | |||||||||
| RU notifies applicants of their scholarship selection results | ||||||||||
| Jul – Sep 2026 | RU issues MEXT Scholarship Certificates to those granted MEXT scholarships. | |||||||||
| Successful applicants submit the MEXT Scholarship Certificate to their local Embassy or Consulate of Japan to apply for a student visa as a Japanese government scholar | ||||||||||
| Mid-Sep 2026 | Scholars travel to Japan on a date designated by RU, attend orientation, etc. | |||||||||
| Sep 26, 2026 | The fall semester begins, and scholars begin their formal studies at RU | |||||||||
Procedure to apply for the Ritsumeikan University Scholarship
The application system is not online for the Ritsumeikan University Scholarship in Japan. At Ritsumeikan University, aspirants may apply for enrollment in master’s and/or PhD degree programs of definite graduate schools through the application process defined below. Aspirants admitted to the university through these detailed processes will also be commended by the university for the MEXT Scholarship.
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