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What Is the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship for Pakistani Students?
The MEXT scholarship for Pakistani students is the Japanese Government’s fully funded award for study in Japan at undergraduate, Master’s and PhD level. It waives all tuition, pays a monthly stipend of 117,000 to 145,000 yen depending on your level, and provides a return economy air ticket. You apply either through the Embassy of Japan in Islamabad or through a Japanese university that nominates you. MTZ helps you apply. MTZ does not award or guarantee any scholarship.
At a Glance
Here is the MEXT scholarship for Pakistani students in one view, with every figure taken from the official 2027 MEXT guidelines and the Embassy of Japan.
Funder
Government of Japan, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
Running since
1954
Study levels
Undergraduate, Master’s and PhD, plus five further categories
Monthly stipend
117,000 yen undergraduate, 143,000 yen research (non-degree), 144,000 yen Master’s, 145,000 yen PhD, plus a regional allowance of 2,000 to 3,000 yen in designated areas
Tuition
waived in full, along with entrance examination and matriculation fees
Airfare
one return economy ticket, routed and dated by MEXT
Two ways to apply
through the Embassy of Japan in Islamabad, or through a Japanese university
Language
Japanese and English are tested on the embassy route; undergraduates receive a one-year Japanese preparatory course; MEXT sets no fixed IELTS band
Scholarship length
5 years undergraduate, 7 years for medicine or dentistry, 2 years Master’s, 3 years PhD
Age guide (2027 cycle, official)
undergraduate applicants born on or after 2 April 2002; research applicants born on or after 2 April 1992; confirm the current cut-off from the official guideline before you apply
Cost to apply
no MEXT application fee
Rupee note
yen amounts are the official figures; any rupee equivalent is indicative only and moves with the exchange rate
Recent Pakistan award
11 Pakistani students received MEXT Research Scholarships for the 2026 year (Embassy of Japan in Pakistan, 26 March 2026)
The MEXT Scholarship
Embassy Recommendation track
On the embassy track, the Embassy of Japan in Islamabad recruits and screens you inside Pakistan before recommending you to MEXT. The Embassy runs a First Screening of your documents, written academic papers, and an interview. Applicants who pass are recommended to MEXT in Tokyo, which then runs a Second Screening and makes the final decision. Shortlisted candidates sit the test and interview in Islamabad or Karachi. This is the route most Pakistani school leavers and many graduates use, and it is the one the MEXT embassy track Pakistan searches point to.
Verify the current embassy cycle at the Embassy of Japan in Pakistan:
Two Ways to Apply From Pakistan
The MEXT scholarship reaches Pakistani students by two separate routes, and the route you choose decides who screens you, what you sit, and when you apply. One runs through the Embassy of Japan in Islamabad. The other runs through a Japanese university. Both lead to the same fully funded award from the Government of Japan.
University Recommendation track
On the university track, you apply directly to a MEXT-approved Japanese university, and that university nominates you to MEXT. There is no embassy exam on this route; the university assesses you against its own admission process, often with an English-taught programme. The Embassy of Japan confirms that many Pakistani students secure MEXT each year by this direct-to-university route rather than through the Embassy. It suits Master’s and PhD applicants who already have a supervisor or programme in mind.
Verify the MEXT routes at Study in Japan (MEXT):
The seven MEXT categories
MEXT funds seven categories of student. This page leads on the two that draw the most Pakistani applicants: Undergraduate Students and Research Students (Master’s and PhD). The other five are Teacher Training Students, Japanese Studies Students, College of Technology Students, Specialized Training College Students, and the Young Leaders’ Program for serving professionals. The Embassy of Japan in Pakistan advertises the Undergraduate, Research, and Teacher Training categories each year. If you fit one of the smaller categories, MTZ will tell you which guideline applies.
Fields you can study, including Medicine and Dentistry
Undergraduate applicants choose a field under either Social Sciences and Humanities or Natural Sciences. Natural Sciences includes Medicine and Dentistry as a field choice, and a grantee selecting medicine or dentistry holds the scholarship for seven years rather than five. Music and the fine arts are not eligible at undergraduate level. Research applicants apply in the field they majored in or a related field. This is a Japanese-Government academic scholarship, not an MBBS placement, so the medical field here means studying medicine inside Japan under MEXT funding.
Who Can Apply: Eligibility
You can apply for the MEXT scholarship from Pakistan if you hold Pakistani nationality, meet the academic level for your study stage, and fall within the official age window for the year you apply. The accordion below sets out each gate exactly as MEXT publishes it.
You must hold the nationality of a country with diplomatic relations with Japan, and Pakistan qualifies. Applicants who hold Japanese nationality at the time of application are not eligible. A dual national holding Japanese nationality may still apply if they choose the other nationality and give up Japanese nationality by the date of arrival in Japan.
The level you have already completed decides which MEXT category you enter. Undergraduate applicants need 12 years of schooling, which an FSc or A-Level result satisfies. Master’s applicants need 16 years of education or a bachelor’s degree. PhD applicants need a relevant Master’s degree. You may apply if you will meet the academic condition by the enrolment date, with a prospective-graduation certificate where your final result is still pending.
MEXT sets no fixed IELTS band, which is why the study in Japan fully funded Pakistan route appeals to applicants without a test score in hand. On the embassy track you sit written papers in Japanese and English, plus subject papers for your field, so your language level is judged by examination rather than a certificate. Undergraduates then receive a one-year Japanese preparatory course before degree study. English-taught Master’s and PhD programmes exist through the university track, and you must in principle be willing to study in Japanese where the programme requires it.
On the embassy track you submit your application to the Public Affairs Section, Embassy of Japan, 53-70 Ramna 5/4, Diplomatic Enclave 1, Islamabad 44000, or to the Japan Cultural Centre at the Consulate General of Japan in Karachi. The Embassy runs the First Screening in Pakistan, then recommends you to MEXT for the Second Screening. On the university track you apply straight to a MEXT-approved Japanese university, which nominates you. This Pakistan mechanism, embassy versus university, is the single thing to settle before you start.
Your field and level must match an eligible MEXT category. Undergraduate fields fall under Social Sciences and Humanities or Natural Sciences, with music and fine arts excluded. Research applicants apply in the field they majored in or a related field, suitable for graduate study at a Japanese university.
For the 2027 cycle, MEXT states that undergraduate applicants must in principle have been born on or after 2 April 2002, and research applicants on or after 2 April 1992. These cut-off dates move forward by one year each cycle, so confirm the current year’s cut-off from the official MEXT guideline before you apply. Limited exceptions apply only where MEXT judges that national circumstances, such as compulsory military service, prevented an earlier application.
Documents You’ll Need
You submit a fixed set of documents on the MEXT embassy track, in two complete packets, one set of originals and one set of copies. The list below is what the Embassy of Japan and the official guideline ask Pakistani applicants to provide. It tells you what you submit, not who can apply, which the Eligibility section already covered.
Core documents for every applicant
1
The FY2027 MEXT Application Form, with a recent 4.5 x 3.5 cm photograph attached.
2
Academic transcripts for Matriculation or O-Level and for Intermediate or A-Level. Graduates add their university transcript.
3
A graduation certificate, or a prospective-graduation certificate where your final result is still awaited.
4
A recommendation letter from a class teacher or the principal of your last school, for undergraduate applicants, or from your university for research applicants.
5
The FY2027 medical certificate, on the prescribed form, signed by a physician.
Documents required only if they apply to you
The Embassy Mark Sheet Form, completed as instructed on the Embassy page.
A certificate of enrolment, if you are currently studying at a school or university.
A Hope certificate from your institution, where your final result is expected after the deadline.
A language proficiency certificate for Japanese or English, only if you hold one, with two copies and an issue date within two years.
For research applicants, a field-of-study and research plan, plus degree certificates for the level you have completed.
What the MEXT Scholarship Covers
The MEXT scholarship is fully funded: it waives all tuition, pays you a monthly stipend, and brings you to Japan and home again on a return ticket. What it does not cover is your housing and your first few weeks of living costs, so plan for those before you travel.
[Covered]
Monthly stipend of 117,000 yen for undergraduate students, 143,000 yen for research (non-degree) students, 144,000 yen for Master’s students, and 145,000 yen for PhD students. A regional allowance of 2,000 to 3,000 yen is added in designated areas. MEXT notes the amount may change each fiscal year.
Tuition waived in full, together with the entrance examination fee and the matriculation fee at your Japanese university.
Return air travel, as one economy ticket from the international airport nearest your home to Japan, and a ticket home at the end of the award, with the route and dates set by MEXT.
[Not covered]
Accommodation. You pay your own rent. Some universities offer limited international halls, but a room is not guaranteed.
Domestic and incidental travel. Travel to your nearest airport, airport taxes, and travel insurance are yours to pay.
Your first weeks in Japan. MEXT advises bringing about US$2,000, because the first stipend lands one to one and a half months after you arrive.
Health insurance. You enrol in Japan’s National Health Insurance on arrival and pay the premium yourself.
Note: The figures above are the official MEXT amounts, stated in Japanese yen. Any rupee equivalent is indicative only and changes with the exchange rate, so treat yen as the figure that counts and check the live rate before you budget.
How to Apply From Pakistan
You apply for the MEXT scholarship from Pakistan in five steps, and the first decision, embassy track or university track, shapes every step after it. The dates below follow the recurring annual pattern; MTZ confirms the live dates for the current cycle before you start.
step-1 →
Choose your route. Decide between the Embassy of Japan in Islamabad and a direct application to a MEXT-approved Japanese university. School leavers usually take the embassy track; applicants with a target supervisor often take the university track.
step-2 →
Prepare your application. Pull together the documents from the Documents section and complete the official MEXT form for your category and year.
step-3 →
Submit by the cycle deadline. Embassy applications close around late May to early June for the following year’s intake. For the 2027 cycle the Embassy deadlines were 5 June 2026 for undergraduate and 26 May 2026 for research, so the next window opens on the same annual pattern. University-track deadlines follow each university’s own calendar.
step-4 →
Sit the screening. On the embassy track you take written papers and an interview in Islamabad or Karachi if shortlisted, then the Embassy recommends you to MEXT for its Second Screening. On the university track the university assesses and nominates you.
step-5
Receive the decision and prepare to travel. The Embassy contacts shortlisted candidates from late June, and MEXT confirms final awards later in the cycle. Once awarded, you obtain a Student visa and arrange arrival for the April or autumn term.
How MTZ Helps
MTZ guides you through the MEXT scholarship from the first profile check to the day your Student visa is stamped, on whichever route fits you. MTZ does not award or guarantee any scholarship; the decision rests with MEXT and the Embassy of Japan. What MTZ gives you is a stronger, cleaner application and fewer wrong turns.
MTZ starts by reading your academic record against the MEXT category that fits you, undergraduate, Master’s or PhD, and tells you honestly whether the embassy track or the university track gives you the better chance. You get a clear picture before you spend weeks on paperwork.
For the university track, MTZ helps you shortlist MEXT-approved Japanese universities and find a programme and, where needed, a supervisor whose field matches yours. A strong fit between your background and the programme is what nominations turn on.
MTZ works through the document set with you, the MEXT form, transcripts, recommendation letter, medical certificate, and the research plan for graduate applicants, so each piece is complete and consistent before submission. Small errors sink strong applicants, and this is where they get caught.
MTZ helps you submit to the right office, the Embassy in Islamabad, the Consulate in Karachi, or the university, by the cycle deadline, and keeps track of where you are in the First and Second Screening. You always know the next date that matters.
Once MEXT confirms your award, MTZ helps you assemble the Student visa file and prepare for arrival in the April or autumn term. The funding is settled by then; the focus shifts to getting you to Japan on time.
The Honest Limits
The MEXT scholarship is fully funded, but it is competitive and it has real edges you should weigh before you commit your time. MTZ does not award or guarantee any scholarship, and no consultancy can change the result of a MEXT screening.
Selection is decided by the funders. MEXT and the Embassy of Japan make every decision. The reasons for a result are not disclosed, and there is no appeal on the choice of university placement.
It is competitive. The Embassy of Japan awarded MEXT Research Scholarships to 11 Pakistani students for the 2026 year. Strong applicants are turned down every cycle, and a complete application is the entry ticket, not a guarantee.
Language is part of the deal. On the embassy track you sit Japanese and English papers, and most undergraduate study is in Japanese after a one-year preparatory course. You should be willing to learn Japanese.
Housing and early costs are yours. Accommodation is not provided, and the first stipend arrives one to one and a half months after you land, so you carry your own early living costs.
Cycles open once a year. If you miss the embassy window, which closes around late May to early June, you wait for the next year’s cycle.
MEXT by Level: Undergraduate, Master’s and PhD
MEXT funds three main study levels for Pakistani applicants, and the stipend, the length, and the entry requirement differ at each. The table sets them side by side so you can see which level fits you.
| What differs | Undergraduate | Master’s | PhD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly stipend | 117,000 yen | 144,000 yen | 145,000 yen |
| Tuition | Waived in full | Waived in full | Waived in full |
| Scholarship length | 5 years, or 7 for medicine and dentistry | 2 years | 3 years |
| Entry requirement | 12 years of schooling (FSc or A-Level) | 16 years or a bachelor’s degree | A relevant Master’s degree |
| Age guide, 2027 cycle | Born on or after 2 April 2002 | Born on or after 2 April 1992 | Born on or after 2 April 1992 |
| Main application route | Embassy track | Embassy or university track | Embassy or university track |
| Preparatory Japanese year | Yes, one year | Where the programme needs it | Where the programme needs it |
Research (non-degree) students sit just below the Master’s level and receive 143,000 yen per month. A regional allowance of 2,000 to 3,000 yen is added to any level in designated areas.
Frequently Asked Questions
These are the questions Pakistani applicants and parents ask MTZ most often about the MEXT scholarship. Each answer leads with the direct reply, then adds the detail.
Yes. The MEXT scholarship for Pakistani students is fully funded by the Government of Japan. It waives all tuition, pays a monthly stipend of 117,000 to 145,000 yen depending on your level, and provides a return economy air ticket. You still pay your own rent and your first few weeks of living costs in Japan.
The MEXT stipend is 117,000 yen a month for undergraduate students, 143,000 yen for research (non-degree) students, 144,000 yen for Master’s students, and 145,000 yen for PhD students. A regional allowance of 2,000 to 3,000 yen is added in designated areas. MEXT notes the amount may change each fiscal year.
The embassy track is screened inside Pakistan by the Embassy of Japan, and the university track is handled directly by a Japanese university that nominates you. On the embassy track you sit written papers and an interview in Islamabad or Karachi, then the Embassy recommends you to MEXT. On the university track there is no embassy exam; the university assesses you against its own admission process.
No, MEXT sets no fixed IELTS band. On the embassy track your language is tested through written Japanese and English papers, so a separate IELTS score is not the gate. English-taught Master’s and PhD programmes exist on the university track, where individual universities may ask for proof of English, so check the programme you target.
For the 2027 cycle, MEXT states that undergraduate applicants must in principle have been born on or after 2 April 2002, and research applicants on or after 2 April 1992. These cut-off dates move forward by one year each cycle, so confirm the current year’s cut-off from the official MEXT guideline before you apply.
Yes. Medicine and Dentistry are eligible undergraduate fields under MEXT’s Natural Sciences group, and a grantee in medicine or dentistry holds the scholarship for seven years rather than five. This means studying medicine inside Japan under Japanese-Government funding; it is an academic scholarship, not an MBBS placement abroad.
The embassy track opens once a year, usually around February, and closes about late May to early June for the following year’s intake. For the 2027 cycle the Embassy deadlines were 26 May 2026 for research and 5 June 2026 for undergraduate. The next cycle follows the same annual pattern, and MTZ confirms the live dates before you start.
You submit to the Embassy of Japan in Islamabad, at the Public Affairs Section, 53-70 Ramna 5/4, Diplomatic Enclave 1, Islamabad 44000, or to the Japan Cultural Centre at the Consulate General of Japan in Karachi. Shortlisted candidates then sit the written test and interview in Islamabad or Karachi.
The number varies by cycle and category. For the 2026 year the Embassy of Japan in Pakistan awarded MEXT Research Scholarships to 11 Pakistani students, alongside others who secured MEXT directly through Japanese universities. It is competitive, and a complete application is the entry ticket rather than a guarantee.
No, MEXT does not pay for your housing. You cover your own rent, and while some universities offer limited international halls, a room is not guaranteed. MEXT also advises bringing about US$2,000 for your first weeks, because the first stipend arrives one to one and a half months after you arrive.
In most cases yes. On the embassy track you sit a Japanese paper, and undergraduates take a one-year Japanese preparatory course before degree study. English-taught graduate programmes exist on the university track, but you should be willing to learn Japanese, since much of daily and academic life in Japan runs in it.
Yes. You may apply if you will meet the academic condition by the enrolment date. You submit a prospective-graduation certificate, and the Embassy of Japan also accepts a Hope certificate from your institution where your final result is expected after the deadline.
It depends on your level. Undergraduate awards run five years, or seven years for medicine and dentistry, including the one-year Japanese preparatory year. Master’s awards run two years, and PhD awards run three years. The period covers your studies in full at each level.
No. MTZ does not award or guarantee any scholarship; MEXT and the Embassy of Japan make every selection decision. What MTZ does is assess your profile honestly, match you to the right route and programme, build a clean application, and support your Student visa once you are awarded.
Apply for the MEXT Scholarship With MTZ
If you want a fully funded route to Japan, start with a free profile check. MTZ tells you which MEXT route fits you, helps you build the application, and supports you to the visa stage. MTZ does not award or guarantee any scholarship; the decision is always MEXT’s.
Mubbashir Qureshi, CEO, MTZ Global Visa Consultants Pvt Ltd. 25+ years personal experience guiding Pakistani students into study abroad and international education. MTZ Global Visa Consultants Pvt Ltd is SECP registered, ISO 9001:2015 certified, and staffed by British Council certified counsellors.
Last verified 11 June 2026. Next review 11 September 2026.
