JAPANESE GOVERNMENT (MEXT) SCHOLARSHIP FOR 2026 (TEACHER TRAINING STUDENTS)

2026/1/5
The Japanese Government offers scholarships to international teachers who wish to conduct research on school education at designated Japanese universities as Teacher Training Students under the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program.
 
For application guidelines and application forms, please check MEXT Scholarship for 2026 Embassy Recommendation website.
For “Course Guide of Teacher Training Program”, please check MEXT’s website.


Key points of the guideline
1.  Eligibility
  1. Nationality:
    Applicants must have the nationality of a country that has diplomatic relations with Japan. An applicant who has Japanese nationality at the time of application is not eligible. However, persons with dual nationality who hold Japanese nationality and whose place of residence at the time of application is outside of Japan are eligible to apply as long as they choose the nationality of the other country and renounce their Japanese nationality by the date of their arrival in Japan (the acquisition of student status).
 
  1. Age:
    Applicants must be born on or after 2 April 1991.
 
  1. Academic and Career Background:
    Applicants must be graduates of universities or teacher training schools and have worked as teachers at primary/secondary educational institutions or teacher training schools (excluding universities) in their home countries for a total period of five years or more as of October 1, 2026. In-service faculty members in a higher education institution are not eligible.
 
  1. Japanese Language Ability:
    Applicants must be willing to learn Japanese. Applicants must be interested in Japan and be willing to deepen their understanding of Japan after arriving in Japan. Applicants must also have the ability to do research and adapt to living in Japan.
 
  1. Return and Continue to Work after the End of the Scholarship Period:
    Applicants must assure that they return to their home country by the end of the final month of the scholarship period and resume their work as a teacher at his/her primary/secondary educational institution or teacher training school. Applicants shall utilize the results of their research on school education in Japan. If a grantee does not satisfy both conditions, he/she may be ordered to return the entire amount of the scholarship paid during the full scholarship period from the start of the payment retroactively. Those who are uncertain about whether they will return and resume their work after the end of the scholarship period should not apply for this program.
 
  1. Term of Scholarship:
    The scholarship period is the necessary period for the completion of the accepting university’s training course, which should be between October 2026 (or the starting month of the course) and March 2028. If the term start date (enrollment start date) is on September 1, 2026, the scholarship period will start in September 2026. Extension of the scholarship period is not permitted.
 
2 Selection Process
  1. Application Deadline: 4:00pm (FJT) on 4 February 2026
    (Received by the Japanese Embassy in Kiribati)
    (Please write “For Japanese Scholarship” on your envelope)
  2. Examination (English and Japanese Test) and Interview: Middle of February to Beginning March 2026
  3. Announcement of Primary Selection: Middle of March 2026
  4. Announcement of Successful Candidates: Around July 2026
 
For any inquiry, please contact by telephone no.: 330-4633 or email: eojculture@fj.mofa.go.jp.  
Completed forms must reach the Embassy by 4:00pm (GILT) on 4 February 2026.
 

Back to List

Back to Top