Scholarships in Japan for Nepali Students 2026

Top scholarships in Japan for Nepali students: MEXT (Monbukagakusho) — fully funded: full tuition + JPY 117,000–145,000/month living allowance + airfare. JASSO Scholarship (JPY 48,000/month). University-specific JASSO: JPY 80,000/month for top students. Many Japanese universities also offer partial tuition waivers of 30–100%.

MEXT has two tracks: Embassy Recommendation (apply through Japanese Embassy Kathmandu, deadline May–June) and University Recommendation (apply through a Japanese university, deadline varies). Requirements: bachelor's degree, age under 35, medical certificate, research proposal (for research student track). Results: October. Pathsala provides full MEXT application guidance.

For Japanese-taught programmes: JLPT N2 or higher. Many top universities (Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Tohoku) offer English-taught programmes requiring IELTS 6.0–7.0 or TOEFL 80+. MEXT includes Japanese language training. Pathsala offers Japanese language (JLPT N5/N4) classes in Kathmandu.

Tuition: JPY 535,000–1,100,000/year (NPR 5.3–11 lakhs). Living: JPY 80,000–130,000/month (NPR 80k–1.3 lakhs). MEXT covers all costs. National universities are significantly cheaper than private. Part-time work: 28 hrs/week with college permission (Resource Activity Permission).

Apply through the Japanese Embassy in Kathmandu. Required: Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) from Japan, admission letter, financial proof, valid passport. CoE is obtained by the university in Japan. Processing: 4–8 weeks. MEXT scholars receive full visa support. Pathsala guides you through the complete COE and visa process.