The JASSO 'Monbukagakusho Honors Scholarship for Privately-Financed International Students' is often misunderstood. It is NOT a full ride. It is a supplemental monthly allowance designed to help international students who are already paying their own way in Japan to survive without working too many part-time jobs.
Quick Overview
Full Requirements & Details
Academic Requirements
- Min. CGPA
- 3.0
- Offer Degrees
- Bachelors, Masters, PhD
- Subjects
- Agriculture, Arts, Biology, Business, Chemistry, Computer Science, Economics, Engineering, History, Law, Mathematics, Medicine, Physics, Psychology
- Seats Available
- Thousands annually
- Study Gap Allowed
- No Restrictions (Gap Allowed)
- Research Publication
- No
- Work Experience
- No
- Age Range
- No Age Limit
Language Requirements
- IELTS
- No
- TOEFL
- No
- GRE
- Not Required
- Local Language
- Japanese
- Local Lang Test
- No
- Study Languages
- Japanese, English
Financial Details
- Type
- Partial
- Fund Details
- Monthly stipend of JPY 48,000 for university/grad students, JPY 30,000 for language schools.
- Monthly Stipend
- JPY 48000/mo
- Tuition
- No
- Living Costs
- Partial
- Travel & Health
- No / None
- Application Fee
- Free (No Application Fee)
- Spouse Allowed
- No
What Matters Most
Required Documents
Why You Should Apply
If you missed out on the elite MEXT scholarship and decided to self-fund your studies at a Japanese university or language school, JASSO is your lifeline. It provides a direct cash injection of 48,000 JPY per month (or 30,000 JPY if you are in a language institute). While this won't cover tuition or rent in central Tokyo, it is essentially free money for groceries and utilities.
It is usually granted for 6 to 12 months at a time.
Application Process
You do not apply for JASSO from your home country. You apply after you have arrived in Japan and enrolled in your institution. Every April, the international student office at your Japanese university or language school will announce the JASSO application period.
You fill out a form proving your financial need (e.g., showing your monthly allowance from home is below 90,000 JPY) and submit it to the school, which forwards it to JASSO.
How to Win This Scholarship
The secret to getting JASSO is twofold: attendance and grades. JASSO relies heavily on your school's recommendation. If you skip classes or have a low GPA, the school will not nominate you.
Secondly, there is a 'Reservation Program' for students who score exceptionally high on the EJU (Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students) before arriving in Japan. If you crush the EJU, you can reserve a JASSO stipend before you even step foot in the country.
Benefits After Completing Study
It keeps you out of debt and prevents you from violating your student visa's strict 28-hour-per-week work limit.
You cannot receive JASSO if you are already receiving the fully funded MEXT scholarship or another major government grant. It is strictly a hardship/merit hybrid for self-funded students.
Official Source
For complete details and to verify all requirements, please refer to the scholarship provider's official website.
Visit Official Source