Funding Study Abroad from Japan: Tobitate!, JASSO & Scholarships

Money for study abroad from Japan comes in three layers: Japanese public grants (the Tobitate! Ryugaku Japan programme and the three JASSO overseas study grants), repayable public loans (JASSO’s overseas loans and the Japan Finance Corporation education loan), and foreign-government or private awards such as Fulbright, Chevening, DAAD and named foundations.¹²³ Japanese public grants are limited to Japanese nationals and permanent residents, while the main JASSO overseas degree loan also admits several other residence statuses, so check eligibility before anything else.⁴⁵⁶

Every amount, quota and deadline below is set per round or per fiscal year and is stated as of October 2026. Read the current call for applications (Boshu Yoko 募集要項) before planning around any figure.⁷⁸

The Scholarship Ecosystem for Japan Residents: Grants vs. Loans

Grants (Kyufu-gata) vs. Loans (Taiyo-gata): What You Repay

A grant (Kyufu-gata 給付型) does not have to be repaid; a loan (Taiyo-gata 貸与型) does. JASSO describes its loans as money you borrow, with the repayment duty on the borrower: Dai-isshu (第一種) loans are interest-free and Dai-nishu (第二種) loans are interest-bearing.²⁹

JASSO’s overseas loan menu is now short. It offers the Dai-nishu Shogakukin (Kaigai) (第二種奨学金（海外）) for degree study abroad, and a Type 1 loan only for people already selected for the JASSO graduate degree grant.² Dedicated short-term overseas loans have not been recruited since FY2024, so short-term students keep their domestic JASSO loan and may add a one-off lump sum, described below.²

JASSO’s domestic grant and Japanese tuition waivers are outside the scope of this guide.⁵

Exchange and Short-Term Study vs. a Full Foreign Degree

The decisive split is whether you stay enrolled in Japan. Students on exchange or short-term study use Tobitate, the JASSO exchange grant (Kyotei Haken 協定派遣), continuing domestic loans and the study-abroad lump sum.¹⁰⁵¹¹ Students enrolling abroad for a full degree use the JASSO degree grants, the Type 2 overseas loan, Fulbright, Chevening, DAAD and foundations; the JFC loan covers both groups.⁷⁸¹²¹³

The table below summarises each programme’s headline terms (as of October 2026). Amounts are per month unless stated.

Programme	Funder	Study type	Monthly amount	Other payments	Nationality / status	Key conditions	Post-award conditions	Combinable with
Tobitate university (19th round)⁴	MEXT and JASSO, private donations	28 days to 1 year, enrolled in Japan	¥160,000 or ¥120,000 by region (¥60,000 above income threshold)	Preparation ¥150,000 / ¥250,000 plus top-up ¥60,000 / ¥100,000; tuition ¥300,000	Japanese national or PR granted by application	Age 30 or under on 1 April 2027	Pre- and post-training, report, “evangelist” activities	Not any JASSO overseas study grant
Tobitate high school (12th round)¹⁴	MEXT and JASSO	14 days to 1 year	Same as university, tuition included	Preparation and top-up as above	Japanese national or PR	Apply through the school	Pre- and post-training	Not MEXT’s government high school study-abroad scheme
JASSO Kyotei Haken⁵	JASSO	8 days to 1 year under a university agreement	¥80,000 to ¥120,000 (4 regions)	Travel ¥160,000 or ¥10,000	Japanese national, PR, SPR	Selected by your university	Return and graduate in Japan	JASSO loans yes; not Tobitate, domestic grant, graduate grant
JASSO undergraduate degree grant⁷	JASSO	Bachelor’s abroad, up to 4 years	¥139,000 to ¥352,000 (2026 actuals)	¥10,000 travel	Japanese national, PR, SPR; living in Japan	Within 3 years of high school; income ¥20M or less	Annual survey during and 5 years after	Type 2 overseas loan, non-JASSO awards
JASSO graduate degree grant⁸¹⁵	JASSO	Master’s 2 years, doctoral 3 years	¥177,000 to ¥388,000 (2026 actuals); special quota higher	¥10,000 travel	Japanese national, PR, SPR	Under 35 (master’s) / under 40 (doctoral)	Annual survey during and 5 years after	Type 2 overseas loan, Type 1 graduate loan
JASSO Type 2 overseas loan¹²⁶	JASSO (loan)	Degree abroad	¥20,000 to ¥120,000 (undergraduate); ¥50,000 to ¥150,000 (graduate)	Optional entry lump sum ¥100,000 to ¥500,000	Broader: includes spouse visas, Teijusha, some Dependents	Graduation window or enrolled abroad	Repay from 7th month; monthly-loan rate capped at 3.0%	JASSO degree grants
JFC Kuni no Kyoiku Loan¹³¹⁶	Japan Finance Corporation (loan to parent)	Course of 3 months or more abroad	Lump sum up to ¥4.5M	n/a	Not stated on JFC pages	Household income caps	Up to 20 years, 4.05% fixed	JASSO loans yes
Fulbright (US)¹⁷¹⁸	Japan-US Educational Commission	Graduate study and other categories	Not published as a monthly figure	Travel, stipend, year-1 tuition, insurance	Japanese citizens only	Japan residence on 1 July 2026	J-1 two-year home residence	Not another grant for the same purpose
Chevening (UK)¹⁹	UK FCDO	One-year master’s	Not stated on the pages reviewed	Not stated on the pages reviewed	Citizen of an eligible country	2,800 hours work experience	Return to home country 2 years	Not stated
DAAD (Germany)²⁰²¹	DAAD	Master’s and doctoral	€992 (master’s)	Insurance, travel, €460 study allowance; no tuition	Any nationality meeting Japan residence rules	Last degree 6 years old or less (master’s)	Not stated	Not stated

Stacking Rules: What Can and Cannot Be Combined

Combination rules are asymmetric, so check them programme by programme. The JASSO rules and the Tobitate guidelines set out the following (as of October 2026).⁴⁵⁷⁸

Tobitate cannot be combined with any of the three JASSO overseas study grants, and other scholarships plus internship pay must not average more than its monthly amount (university track).⁴
JASSO Kyotei Haken can be combined with JASSO Type 1 and Type 2 loans, but not with JASSO’s domestic grant, the graduate degree grant or Tobitate; other scholarships (loans excluded) must not exceed its monthly amount.⁵
The JASSO degree grants can be combined with the Type 2 overseas loan and non-JASSO awards; the graduate grant cannot be combined with Tobitate, the undergraduate grant or Kyotei Haken.⁷⁸
The Type 1 graduate loan is open only to graduate grant recipients with 3 or more months of grant remaining, and can sit alongside a Type 2 loan.²²²³
The JFC loan can be used together with JASSO and other scholarships.³
Foundations set their own limits on other funding, per their published guidelines.²⁴²⁵²⁶

Tobitate! Ryugaku Japan: How the Programme and Selection Work

Stage 2 (Shin Nihon Daihyo Program), Its Extension to FY2028, and Who Runs It

Tobitate is run by MEXT and JASSO and funded by donations from private companies and organisations. Its Stage 2, the Shin Nihon Daihyo Program (新・日本代表プログラム), was planned for FY2023 to FY2027 and has been extended by one year to FY2028 under a notice dated 1 October 2026 (as of October 2026).²⁷¹⁰ The official site is now tobitate-mext.jasso.go.jp.²⁷

Stage 2’s original five-year target was 4,000 high school and 1,000 university students, backed by 110 companies and organisations as of 1 September 2026 (as of October 2026).¹⁰

University Track vs. High School Track: Amounts and Study Periods

The 19th university round has 250 places across the Innovator (50), STEAM (100) and Diversity (100) courses, for study starting in FY2027 (as of October 2026).¹⁰⁴ The monthly grant is ¥160,000 for North America, Singapore, most of Europe and the Middle East, and ¥120,000 elsewhere, including a listed group of Central and Eastern European and Central Asian countries (such as Poland, Czechia, Hungary and the Baltic states).⁴ Applicants above the household income threshold receive ¥60,000.⁴

On top of the monthly amount, university students receive a preparation grant of ¥150,000 (Asia) or ¥250,000 (other regions), plus an extra ¥60,000 or ¥100,000 that the guidelines link to the weak yen and rising prices.⁴ Tuition support of ¥300,000 covers fees at a foreign higher education institution, but is not paid where fees are waived under an exchange agreement or where only language courses are taken (as of October 2026).⁴

University study runs from 28 days to 1 year, and stays of 3 months or more are recommended. Study must start between 1 August 2027 and 31 March 2028 and end by 31 January 2029.⁴ Plans consisting only of language study are excluded unless the language study is preparatory or supplementary (as of October 2026).⁴

The income threshold is the JASSO domestic Type 2 loan threshold. Applicants above it may still apply, but they are capped at about 10% of places and receive the ¥60,000 rate.⁴ Applicants must be enrolled in a degree course at a Japanese institution, be 30 or under on 1 April 2027 and, with stated exceptions, never have been selected before.⁴

The 12th high school round has 600 places in four exploration courses: STEAM (140), sports and arts (120), “my curiosity” (210) and social issues (130) (as of October 2026).¹⁰ High school study runs from 14 days to 1 year starting between 10 July 2027 and 31 March 2028, with the same monthly amounts and preparation grant; tuition is included in the monthly amount.¹⁴

Writing the Study Plan and Preparing for Interviews

University applications are filed by your institution, not by you. Students cannot contact the Tobitate secretariat directly; inquiries go through the institution.⁴²⁸ High school students must likewise apply through their school.¹⁴

Selection has two stages: a written screening, then an in-person interview. Applicants are assessed on the “person” (人物) and the “plan” (計画), with more weight on the person.⁴ The person is assessed mainly by human resources staff of supporting companies, and the plan mainly by academics.⁴

The published plan criteria ask for a clear purpose and targets, a plan suited to that purpose and course, a concrete way to measure and use the outcomes, and a vision for the future.⁴ Content and concreteness count for more than whether the host is confirmed at application.⁴ First-window university interviews are planned for 15 and 16 May 2027 in Tokyo, in person at your own travel cost (as of October 2026).⁴

Obligations During and After the Programme

Selection brings duties that run past your return. Pre-departure and post-return training are mandatory, and students join the dispatched-student network for “ambassador” activities abroad and “evangelist” activities after return.⁴ University students must attend the post-return training (2 days, in person, planned) by March 2029 and submit a study report within 1 month of it.⁴

Payments depend on monthly enrolment checks by your home institution, and selection can be cancelled and money reclaimed in the cases set out in the guidelines.⁴

JASSO Overseas Study Scholarships: Exchange Grants, Degree Grants and Loans

Kyotei Haken: Grants for Exchange Under University Agreements

Kyotei Haken funds exchange of 8 days to 1 year under agreements between your Japanese university and a partner. JASSO’s page (updated 22 June 2026) gives monthly rates of ¥120,000 (region A), ¥110,000 (B), ¥90,000 (C) and ¥80,000 (D) (as of October 2026).⁵ A travel grant (Toko Shienkin 渡航支援金) of ¥160,000 is paid to students meeting a household income standard, or ¥10,000 to those meeting a programme-length standard; the thresholds and the country list for each region are not set out on that page, so ask your university.⁵

There is no published national GPA or income cut-off for selection. Your university must recognise you as unable to take part on your own funds for economic reasons and as academically excellent, and each university sets its own criteria.⁵ You must also hold Japanese nationality or permanent residence, be able to obtain a visa, return and graduate from your Japanese university, and in principle go to a destination below MOFA safety Level 2.⁵

Students cannot apply to JASSO individually: the university selects students and applies on their behalf.⁵

Undergraduate and Graduate Degree Grants (Gakui Shutoku-gata)

The undergraduate degree grant (Gakubu Gakui Shutoku-gata 学部学位取得型) funds a full bachelor’s degree abroad for up to 4 years. The 2027 call lists ¥139,000 (region H, which includes Taiwan and much of Asia and Latin America) to ¥352,000 (Canada, the US, the UK and Singapore) a month, as 2026 actuals that may change with the FY2027 budget (as of October 2026).⁷

Eligibility for the undergraduate grant is tightly defined. Applicants must live in Japan at application, be within 3 years of high school graduation, never have enrolled in higher education, hold a GPA of 3.7 on a 5-point scale, and have household supporters whose total income before deductions (Gokei Shotoku Kingaku 合計所得金額) is ¥20 million or less.⁷ English requirements are TOEFL iBT 4.0 on the new scale (80 on older tests) or IELTS 6.0 (as of October 2026).⁷

The 2027 undergraduate round closed on 1 October 2026 (as of October 2026); calls are published around late July to August and close in early October each year.²⁹⁷

The graduate degree grant (Daigakuin Gakui Shutoku-gata 大学院学位取得型) pays ¥177,000 to ¥388,000 a month for 2 years (master’s) or 3 years (doctoral) by region.⁸ A special quota of about 10 places for top-level science doctoral programmes pays up to about ¥10 million a year; these are 2026 actuals subject to the FY2027 budget (as of October 2026).⁸ JASSO’s March 2026 release reported 175 selected in the 2026 round, including 10 under the special quota.¹⁵

Neither degree grant includes a tuition line. Both pay a monthly stipend and a ¥10,000 travel payment only, so tuition must come from savings, loans or another award (as of October 2026).⁷⁸

Graduate applicants face age, grade and language limits. You must be under 35 (master’s) or under 40 (doctoral) on 1 April 2027, with a GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale and TOEFL iBT 5.0 (new scale), 95 (older tests) or IELTS 6.5 (as of October 2026).⁸ You must also hold unconditional admission by the start.⁸

Graduate applications usually go through the Japanese university you attend or graduated from. Individual application is allowed only if you hold, or are studying for, a foreign degree, or your university does not coordinate; for the 2027 round, documents were due by 8 October 2026 (as of October 2026).³⁰⁸ Both degree grants require recipients to report their activities in an annual survey during support and for 5 years after it ends.⁷⁸

JASSO Overseas Loans After the FY2024 Changes

The Type 2 overseas loan funds a degree at a foreign university or graduate school. Undergraduates choose ¥20,000 to ¥120,000 a month in ¥10,000 steps, and graduate students choose ¥50,000, ¥80,000, ¥100,000, ¥130,000 or ¥150,000 (as of October 2026).¹² An optional entry lump sum of ¥100,000 to ¥500,000 is paid with the first monthly payment.¹²

Interest does not accrue while you are enrolled, but the loan is not interest-free. The rate is set in the month the loan ends, under a fixed or review method chosen at application, and is capped at 3.0% a year for the monthly loan; the optional entry lump sum carries a higher rate (normally 0.2 points more) that can exceed 3.0%.¹²⁹ For loans ending in September 2026 the monthly-loan rate was 3.000% (fixed method) or 2.400% (review method), and the lump-sum rate 3.322% or 2.600% (as of October 2026).³¹

The loan requires both an institutional and a personal guarantee, and repayment starts in the 7th month after the loan ends.¹²

There are two intakes. The advance intake (Yoyaku Saiyo 予約採用) is for people graduating from a Japanese high school, or from a Japanese or foreign university, in March 2027 or within 2 years of graduation, applying from August 2026 through their Japanese school, with candidates notified in late January 2027.³²³³³⁴ The in-enrolment intake (Zaigaku Saiyo 在学採用) is for students already enrolled abroad with 3 or more months remaining, with monthly applications from May to December (as of October 2026).³⁵⁶³⁶

Household income criteria apply, and the loan is not available for destinations at MOFA safety Level 3 or above (as of October 2026).¹²³²³³

The Type 1 graduate loan (第一種奨学金（海外大学院学位取得型対象）) is interest-free but only for graduate degree grant recipients. It pays ¥50,000 or ¥88,000 a month for master’s study and ¥80,000 or ¥122,000 for doctoral study, for the period of the grant (as of October 2026).²²²²³

Short exchanges are now funded through the Ryugakuji Tokubetsu Zogaku (留学時特別増額貸与奨学金). This is a lump sum of ¥100,000 to ¥500,000 for existing domestic JASSO loan recipients studying abroad for 3 months or more under an exchange, credit-transfer or graduate research arrangement.¹¹ It is available only to households that applied for and were refused the JFC education loan, and you apply through your Japanese school by 1 month before departure (as of October 2026).¹¹

The Japan Finance Corporation Education Loan (Kuni no Kyoiku Loan)

The JFC education loan (Kuni no Kyoiku Loan 国の教育ローン) is borrowed by the parent or guardian who mainly supports the student. The normal limit is ¥3.5 million per child, raised to ¥4.5 million in several cases, including study at a foreign educational institution with a course length of 3 months or more (as of October 2026).¹³

The rate is 4.05% fixed as of 1 July 2026, with repayment over up to 20 years. A rate 0.4 percentage points lower applies to some households, such as single-parent households, and interest-only payments during enrolment are possible.¹³¹⁶

Household income caps for salaried households are ¥7.9 million (1 child), ¥8.9 million (2) and ¥9.9 million (3). For study abroad, the cap is relaxed to ¥9.9 million for 1 or 2 children (as of October 2026).¹³³⁷

You can apply at any time, ideally 2 to 3 months before the money is needed.³⁷ The JFC pages reviewed do not state a nationality or residence rule for the borrower, so confirm it with JFC.

Bilateral and Foreign Government Fellowships: Fulbright, Chevening and DAAD

Fulbright (United States): Japan-US Educational Commission

Fulbright Japan awards about 30 to 40 grants a year in categories including Graduate Study, Doctoral Dissertation Research, Research, Journalist and Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (as of October 2026).¹⁷ Applications for the 2027-2028 competition closed on 1 July 2026.¹⁷

Only Japanese citizens may apply, and dual Japan-US citizens and US permanent residents are not eligible. Applicants must reside in Japan as of the stated date (1 July 2026 for this cycle), and the Japanese page adds that people born in the US who have not renounced US nationality cannot apply.¹⁷¹⁸

The graduate study category has about 20 places. The grant covers travel, a stipend, allowances and, since 2025, full first-year tuition, plus Fulbright group insurance.³⁸¹⁸ A second-year renewal is capped at US$25,000 in total, and applicants need a bachelor’s degree by 31 March 2027, TOEFL iBT 80 or IELTS 6.0 (as of October 2026).³⁸¹⁸

All Fulbright grantees travel on a J-1 visa and must return to Japan for an aggregate of two years before they can obtain an immigrant visa, US permanent residence, or H or L visas.¹⁷ This is the two-year home residency requirement in INA section 212(e), which covers exchange visitors funded in whole or in part by the US government or their own government.³⁹ It affects post-study work plans, covered in post-graduation work rights for Japanese graduates.

Chevening (United Kingdom)

Chevening funds a one-year master’s in the UK for citizens of eligible countries, with no upper age limit. Applicants need an undergraduate degree, at least two years’ work experience (equivalent to 2,800 hours), applications to three eligible UK courses and an unconditional offer by the deadline.¹⁹ They must commit to returning to their home country for at least two years after the scholarship ends.¹⁹

British and dual British citizens and UK residents are excluded, and non-Japanese residents of Japan apply under their own country of citizenship.¹⁹

The 2027/28 cycle opened in August 2026 and closed in early October 2026, with an unconditional offer deadline of 8 July 2027 (as of October 2026).⁴⁰⁴¹⁴² The Japan-specific closing date, number of Japan awards and award coverage were not stated on the pages reviewed.⁴⁰⁴¹

DAAD (Germany) and Other Foreign Government Awards

DAAD Tokyo lists several grants open to applicants from Japan, including master’s study, doctoral study, arts and research stays (as of October 2026).²⁰ The master’s and doctoral deadline for the 2027/28 round is 21 October 2026.²⁰

The master’s scholarship pays €992 a month, plus insurance, a travel allowance and an annual study allowance of €460; DAAD states that it does not cover tuition fees.²¹ Your last degree must be no more than 6 years old, and you must not have lived in Germany for more than 15 months at the deadline (as of October 2026).²¹

DAAD Tokyo’s Japanese translation of the doctoral call gives €1,400 a month, and notes that the German or English call prevails, so confirm the figure in the original call.⁴³ For other countries, check that country’s embassy in Japan.

Private Foundation Scholarships (Ito, Nakajima, Yanai Tadashi)

Private foundations are not official sources, and the table below reproduces only each foundation’s own published guidelines. It is not a ranking or a recommendation, and every term is as of October 2026.²⁴⁴⁴²⁶

Foundation (per its published guidelines)	Level and field	Nationality / residence	Published support	Recent window
Ito Foundation for International Education Exchange (伊藤国際教育交流財団)²⁴⁴⁵⁴⁶	Master’s abroad	Japanese nationals, or foreign nationals schooled in Japan at primary to secondary level; living in and departing from Japan	Living allowance equal to US$1,500 to US$2,100 a month (paid in yen), tuition at cost up to ¥3.9M a year, return airfare; normally up to 2 years; about 10 places	29 June to 26 August 2026 (closed)
Nakajima Foundation (中島記念国際交流財団)⁴⁴²⁵	Master’s or doctoral in information, life or management science	Japanese nationals and permanent residents; living in Japan; age 30 or under on 1 April 2027	¥400,000 a month, ¥500,000 preparation, tuition up to ¥3M a year for the first 2 years; about 10 places	1 to 20 August 2026 (closed); next call expected around early June 2027
Yanai Tadashi Foundation (柳井正財団)²⁶	Undergraduate at designated US and UK universities	Japanese nationality throughout enrolment	Up to US$115,000 a year (UK £70,000) plus US$15,000 (UK £11,000) living support; about 20 a year per track	Admitted-student track opens around December 2026

Each foundation restricts other funding and applicants already abroad in its own way, so read the full guidelines.²⁴²⁵²⁶

Step-by-Step Application Calendar and Timeline

Most degree funding is decided 12 to 18 months before you start. The table uses the current cycle as an example; dates shift each year (as of October 2026).⁴⁷⁸¹⁷⁴¹

When (for a fall 2027 start)	Programme	What happens
March to July 2026	Fulbright	Registration 1 March to 1 May; application by 1 July¹⁷
June to August 2026	Ito and Nakajima foundations	Calls open and close⁴⁵⁴⁴
August to early October 2026	Chevening	Applications open and close⁴¹
From August 2026	JASSO Type 2 overseas loan (advance intake)	Apply through your Japanese school by its deadline³⁴
September to early October 2026	JASSO undergraduate and graduate degree grants	Entry and documents (1 October and 8 October)⁷⁸
21 October 2026	DAAD master’s and doctoral	Deadline²⁰
Early December 2026 to 25 February 2027	Tobitate university (first window)	Institution files the application⁴
Early December 2026 to 21 January 2027	Tobitate high school (first window)	School files the application¹⁴
January to March 2027	JASSO degree grants	Interviews in January; results early March⁷⁸
May to June 2027	Tobitate university	Interviews 15 and 16 May; results mid-June⁴
2 to 3 months before funds are needed	JFC education loan	Parent applies³⁷
May to December after enrolment	JASSO Type 2 overseas loan (in-enrolment intake)	Monthly application rounds³⁶

Kyotei Haken follows your university’s own calendar once you have been nominated to a partner programme.⁵ The wider admissions timeline (tests, transcripts and visas) is covered in study abroad planning, admissions and visas, and award letters can also help show proof of funds for a student visa.

The decision path below shows which funding families to look at first.

flowchart TD
    A["Planning study abroad from Japan"] --> B{"Staying enrolled at a Japanese school or university?"}
    B -->|"Yes: exchange or short-term"| C{"Japanese national or permanent resident?"}
    B -->|"No: full foreign degree"| D{"Japanese national or permanent resident?"}
    C -->|"Yes"| E["Tobitate OR JASSO Kyotei Haken (not both)"]
    C -->|"No"| F["Check domestic JASSO loan and JFC loan rules; foreign awards"]
    E --> G["Add domestic JASSO loans and JFC loan if needed"]
    D -->|"Yes"| H["JASSO degree grant, Fulbright (Japanese citizens), foundations"]
    D -->|"No"| I["Check Type 2 overseas loan status list, Chevening or DAAD by own rules"]
    H --> J["Add JASSO Type 2 overseas loan and JFC loan"]
    I --> J

Japanese Citizens vs. Foreign Residents: Critical Distinctions

Nationality and residence status decide eligibility. The matrix below summarises each programme’s published status rules (Y = eligible on status, N = not eligible, Check = confirm in the current guidelines; as of October 2026).⁴⁵⁷⁸⁶⁴⁷²³¹⁷¹⁹⁴⁸

Status	Tobitate	Kyotei Haken	JASSO degree grants	Type 2 overseas loan	Type 1 graduate loan	Fulbright (US)	Chevening	DAAD
Japanese national	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Japan-US dual national	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y (check)	Y
Special Permanent Resident	Check (not named)	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Own citizenship	Y (residence rules)
Permanent Resident (永住者)	Y (granted by application)	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Own citizenship	Y (residence rules)
Spouse or Child of Japanese National / of PR	N	N	N	Y	N	N	Own citizenship	Y (residence rules)
Long-Term Resident (定住者)	N	N	N	Y (intent to settle)	N	N	Own citizenship	Y (residence rules)
Dependent (家族滞在)	N	N	N	Check (Japanese schooling, intent to work in Japan)	N	N	Own citizenship	Y (residence rules)
Student (留学)	N	N	N	N	N	N	Own citizenship	Check

Tobitate requires Japanese nationality or permanent residence granted by the application date. A pending PR application does not count, and the guidelines do not name Special Permanent Residents explicitly (unlike JASSO’s grant pages), so confirm with your institution.⁴¹⁴

All three JASSO grants define eligible students as Japanese nationals plus people granted permanent residence, Special Permanent Residents included. The undergraduate grant also requires that you live in Japan at application, with your main affiliation in Japan.⁵⁷⁸

The Type 2 overseas loan is broader than the grants. JASSO also admits holders of “Spouse or Child of Japanese National”, “Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident”, Long-Term Residents (Teijusha 定住者) intending to settle permanently, and certain Dependent holders who completed Japanese schooling and intend to settle and work in Japan.⁶⁴⁷ Check the loan guide for your intake, as the advance-intake web pages do not list these statuses.⁶⁴⁷

The Type 1 graduate loan is narrower: foreign nationals qualify only as Special Permanent Residents or Permanent Residents.²³

Foreign-government awards follow their own logic. Fulbright Japan is for Japanese citizens only, and Chevening works by country of citizenship.¹⁷¹⁹ DAAD Tokyo states that, regardless of nationality, awards of 6 months or less need at least 1 year in Japan with a life base there, and longer awards also need a final degree from a Japanese university.⁴⁸

Foreign residents planning long study abroad must also protect their status in Japan. Re-entry permit validity limits and the risk to permanent residence are covered in Japanese citizens vs. foreign residents departure rules.

Tax Treatment of Scholarships and Family Funding

Scholarships Are Generally Tax-Free in Japan (Income Tax Act Article 9)

Article 9(1)(xv) of the Income Tax Act exempts money and goods paid “to be applied to school expenses” (Gakushikin 学資金), except where they are salary or other consideration.⁴⁹

Employer-funded study is the main exception. The same item, read with Basic Circulars 9-14 to 9-16, exempts an employer’s study payment only if it is paid on top of normal salary; a payment made in place of salary, or one for an officer or for a relative of the employer or employee, is taxed as salary.⁴⁹⁵⁰ Whether Japan taxes a student at all while abroad depends on residency, covered in Japan tax residency rules.

Host-Country Tax on Stipends (Framework Only)

Host countries may tax part of a scholarship: in the US, IRS Publication 970 treats a scholarship as tax-free only for a degree candidate and only to the extent it pays qualified education expenses, not amounts for items such as room and board or payment for services.⁵¹

Tax treaties may exempt money sent from home. Article 19 of the 2003 Japan-US Income Tax Convention exempts payments that a student who was a resident of Japan receives for maintenance, education or training, provided they come from outside the US.⁵² Check the host country’s tax authority for your own case.

Parents Paying Tuition: Gift Tax and the End of the Education Fund Exemption

Parents paying education costs as they arise do not trigger gift tax. Inheritance Tax Act Article 21-3(1)(ii) excludes property given between people with a duty of support for living or education costs, within what is normally necessary.⁵³ NTA adds that this covers money used directly for those costs, and that amounts deposited or invested are taxable.⁵⁴

The lump-sum education fund gift exemption (Kyoiku Shikin Ikkatsu Zoyo 教育資金の一括贈与) has ended. It allowed up to ¥15 million for recipients under 30 for contributions from 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2026, was not extended in the FY2026 reform, and is unavailable from 1 April 2026.⁵⁵⁵⁶ Amounts covered by 31 March 2026 continue under the scheme, but tax can arise if the donor dies during the contract or when the contract ends (as of October 2026).⁵⁵

Common Pitfalls & Regulatory Compliance Risks

Double-applying: Tobitate and the JASSO overseas study grants cannot be combined in either direction.⁴⁵⁸
Outdated loan pages: JASSO short-term overseas loans have not been recruited since FY2024.²
Assuming status: a pending PR application does not count for Tobitate, while several non-PR statuses can still borrow the Type 2 overseas loan.⁴⁶
Missing early October: Chevening and the JASSO degree grants close around early October of the year before study (as of October 2026).⁷⁸⁴¹
Treating Type 2 as interest-free: interest starts after the loan ends.⁹
Ignoring post-award duties: Chevening’s two-year return, Fulbright’s 212(e) rule, JASSO’s 5-year reporting and Tobitate’s post-training.⁴⁸¹⁷¹⁹
Relying on the education fund exemption after 31 March 2026, or assuming employer study pay in place of salary is tax-free.⁵⁰⁵⁵

References & Official Sources

JASSO, “海外留学のための奨学金”, accessed October 2026, https://www.jasso.go.jp/ryugaku/scholarship_a/index.html ↩
JASSO, “海外留学のための貸与奨学金（返済必要）”, accessed October 2026, https://www.jasso.go.jp/shogakukin/about/kaigai/index.html ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶
Japan Finance Corporation, “国の教育ローン”, accessed October 2026, https://www.jfc.go.jp/n/finance/search/ippan.html ↩ ↩²
MEXT and JASSO, “新・日本代表プログラム【大学生等対象】第19期派遣留学生募集要項”, October 2026, https://tobitate-mext.jasso.go.jp/newprogram/assets/pdf/2027_19th_univ_applicant_guidelines.pdf ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹ ↩²² ↩²³ ↩²⁴ ↩²⁵ ↩²⁶ ↩²⁷ ↩²⁸ ↩²⁹ ↩³⁰
JASSO, “海外留学支援制度（協定派遣）”, updated 22 June 2026, https://www.jasso.go.jp/ryugaku/scholarship_a/haken/index.html ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵
JASSO, “海外大学院進学後（在学採用）の申込資格・学力基準・家計基準”, accessed October 2026, https://www.jasso.go.jp/shogakukin/about/kaigai/2shu_kaigai/zaigaku/shikaku_in.html ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷
JASSO, “2027年度海外留学支援制度（学部学位取得型）募集要項”, July 2026, https://www.jasso.go.jp/ryugaku/scholarship_a/gakubu/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2026/07/15/2027g_youkou_kojin.pdf ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷
JASSO, “2027年度海外留学支援制度（大学院学位取得型）募集要項”, August 2026, https://www.jasso.go.jp/ryugaku/scholarship_a/daigakuin/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2026/08/27/2027d_youkou.pdf ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰
JASSO, “第二種奨学金の利子と利率の算定方法”, accessed October 2026, https://www.jasso.go.jp/shogakukin/about/taiyo/taiyo_2shu/riritsu_santei.html ↩ ↩² ↩³
MEXT and JASSO, “トビタテ！留学JAPAN 第2ステージを2028年度まで1年延長！新・日本代表プログラム高校生等対象（第12期）及び大学生等対象（第19期）の募集を開始します”, 1 October 2026, https://tobitate-mext.jasso.go.jp/news/539_00001.html ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵
JASSO, “留学時特別増額貸与奨学金”, accessed October 2026, https://www.jasso.go.jp/shogakukin/about/kaigai/ryuzo_gaiyo.html ↩ ↩² ↩³
JASSO, “第二種奨学金（海外）制度概要”, accessed October 2026, https://www.jasso.go.jp/shogakukin/about/kaigai/2shu_kaigai/about.html ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷
Japan Finance Corporation, “国の教育ローンご利用条件・金利・ご返済方法” (static terms only; simulator not used), accessed October 2026, https://www.jfc.go.jp/n/finance/ippan/sim.html ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵
MEXT and JASSO, “新・日本代表プログラム【高校生等対象】第12期派遣留学生募集要項”, October 2026, https://tobitate-mext.jasso.go.jp/newprogram/assets/pdf/2027_12th_hs_applicant_guidelines.pdf ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵
JASSO, “2026年度海外留学支援制度（大学院学位取得型）選考結果について” (press release), 9 March 2026, https://www.jasso.go.jp/about/press/jp2026030902.html ↩ ↩²
Japan Finance Corporation, “教育資金に関するご融資（国の教育ローン）及び軍人恩給や援護年金などを担保とするご融資” (rates as of 1 July 2026), accessed October 2026, https://www.jfc.go.jp/n/rate/natioinal.html ↩ ↩²
Japan-United States Educational Commission (Fulbright Japan), “Fulbright Grants for Japanese Citizens” (2027-2028 program year), 2026, https://fulbright.jp/eng/scholarship/japanese.html ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰
Fulbright Japan, “2027年度募集概要” (給付内容, 応募資格, 帰国後2年間の自国滞在義務), 2026, https://fulbright.jp/scholarship/application/index.html ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴
Chevening, “Chevening eligibility criteria”, accessed October 2026, https://www.chevening.org/resource-hub/guidance/eligibility/ ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷
DAAD Tokyo, “日本から応募可能な奨学金”, updated 1 September 2026, https://www.daad.jp/ja/find-funding/scholarships-for-students-and-graduates-from-japan/ ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴
DAAD, “Study Scholarships: Master Studies for All Academic Disciplines” (scholarship database, origin Japan, 2027/28), accessed October 2026, https://www2.daad.de/deutschland/stipendium/datenbank/en/21148-scholarship-database/?status=3&origin=31&subjectGrps=&daad=1&intention=&q=&page=1&detail=50026200 ↩ ↩² ↩³
JASSO, “第一種奨学金（海外大学院学位取得型対象）制度概要”, accessed October 2026, https://www.jasso.go.jp/shogakukin/about/kaigai/1shu_gakui/about.html ↩ ↩²
JASSO, “第一種奨学金（海外大学院学位取得型対象）の申込資格・学力基準・家計基準”, accessed October 2026, https://www.jasso.go.jp/shogakukin/about/kaigai/1shu_gakui/zaigaku.html ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴
Ito Foundation for International Education Exchange (non-official; own terms), “2.応募資格：日本人”, accessed October 2026, https://www.itofound.or.jp/日本人奨学金制度/2-応募資格日本人 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴
Nakajima Foundation (non-official; own terms), “令和9年度海外留学奨学生募集要項”, 2026, https://www.nakajimafound.or.jp/DL/schol.pdf ↩ ↩² ↩³
Yanai Tadashi Foundation (non-official; own terms), “応募要項”, accessed October 2026, https://www.yanaitadashi-foundation.or.jp/application/ ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴
MEXT and JASSO, “トビタテ！留学JAPAN” official site (Stage 2 extension notice, 2026年10月1日追記), 2026, https://tobitate-mext.jasso.go.jp/ ↩ ↩²
MEXT and JASSO, “第19期（大学生等対象）募集準備情報”, 1 October 2026, https://tobitate-mext.jasso.go.jp/news/550.html ↩
JASSO, “2027年度海外留学支援制度（学部学位取得型）” (schedule and prefectural slot), 2026, https://www.jasso.go.jp/ryugaku/scholarship_a/gakubu/2027.html ↩
JASSO, “2027年度海外留学支援制度（大学院学位取得型）” (application routes and schedule), 2026, https://www.jasso.go.jp/ryugaku/scholarship_a/daigakuin/2027.html ↩
JASSO, “貸与利率の推移”, accessed October 2026, https://www.jasso.go.jp/shogakukin/about/taiyo/taiyo_2shu/riritsu/2007ikou.html ↩
JASSO, “海外大学進学前（予約採用）の申込資格・学力基準・家計基準”, accessed October 2026, https://www.jasso.go.jp/shogakukin/about/kaigai/2shu_kaigai/yoyaku/shikaku_daigaku.html ↩ ↩²
JASSO, “海外大学院進学前（予約採用）の申込資格・学力基準・家計基準”, accessed October 2026, https://www.jasso.go.jp/shogakukin/about/kaigai/2shu_kaigai/yoyaku/shikaku_in.html ↩ ↩²
JASSO, “国内の大学等を通して第二種奨学金（海外）予約採用に申し込む”, accessed October 2026, https://www.jasso.go.jp/shogakukin/moshikomi/kaigai_yoyaku/2shu_kaigai/gakko.html ↩ ↩²
JASSO, “海外大学進学後（在学採用）の申込資格・学力基準・家計基準”, accessed October 2026, https://www.jasso.go.jp/shogakukin/about/kaigai/2shu_kaigai/zaigaku/shikaku_daigaku.html ↩
JASSO, “第二種奨学金（海外）【大学】の概要” (leaflet; in-enrolment intake May to December), June 2026, https://www.jasso.go.jp/shogakukin/about/kaigai/2shu_kaigai/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2026/06/11/gaiyou_daigaku.pdf ↩ ↩²
Japan Finance Corporation, “国の教育ローンまるわかりガイド” (as of 1 January 2026), 2026, https://www.jfc.go.jp/n/finance/ippan/pdf/kyouiku_maruwakari.pdf ↩ ↩² ↩³
Fulbright Japan, “大学院留学プログラム”, 2026, https://fulbright.jp/scholarship/programs/education.html ↩ ↩²
United States Code, 8 U.S.C. 1182(e) (INA section 212(e)), via Cornell LII, accessed October 2026, https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/8/1182 ↩
Chevening (UK FCDO), “Japan (Chevening Scholarship)”, accessed October 2026, https://www.chevening.org/scholarship/japan/ ↩ ↩²
Chevening, “Application timeline” (2027/28), accessed October 2026, https://www.chevening.org/scholarships/application-timeline/ ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵
GOV.UK, “Applications open for 2027 to 2028 Chevening Scholarships to study in the UK” (India), 4 August 2026, https://www.gov.uk/government/news/applications-open-for-2027-to-2028-chevening-scholarships-to-study-in-the-uk ↩
DAAD Tokyo, “博士留学奨学金 2027/28 募集要項（日本語訳）”, June 2026, https://www.daad.jp/files/2026/06/260618_博士留学奨学金P2027_10_sw.pdf ↩
Nakajima Foundation (non-official; own terms), “公募について”, accessed October 2026, https://www.nakajimafound.or.jp/koubo.html ↩ ↩² ↩³
Ito Foundation (non-official; own terms), “3.募集について：日本人”, accessed October 2026, https://www.itofound.or.jp/日本人奨学金制度/3-募集について日本人 ↩ ↩²
Ito Foundation (non-official; own terms), “募集に関する詳細、奨学金内容” (amount table linked from the foundation’s 1.日本人奨学金概要 page), accessed October 2026, https://drive.google.com/open?id=16_wJ0gf-3YXCzhD_duJEeI1aFLm-fmYJJDH1cE6C6QA ↩
JASSO, “2027年度貸与奨学金案内（海外大学進学予定者用）”, July 2026, https://www.jasso.go.jp/shogakukin/moshikomi/kaigai_yoyaku/2shu_kaigai/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2026/07/23/r9annai_daigaku.pdf ↩ ↩² ↩³
DAAD Tokyo, “よくある質問（FAQ）” (eligibility regardless of nationality), accessed October 2026, https://www.daad.jp/ja/study-in-germany/faq/ ↩ ↩²
e-Gov (Digital Agency), Income Tax Act (所得税法, Act No. 33 of 1965), Article 9(1)(xv), accessed October 2026, https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/340AC0000000033 ↩ ↩²
National Tax Agency, 所得税基本通達 9-14 to 9-16 (学資金), accessed October 2026, https://www.nta.go.jp/law/tsutatsu/kihon/shotoku/02/04.htm ↩ ↩²
Internal Revenue Service, Publication 970 (2025), “Tax Benefits for Education”, chapter 1, https://www.irs.gov/publications/p970 ↩
US Treasury, “Convention between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Japan for the Avoidance of Double Taxation…” (signed 6 November 2003), Article 19, https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/131/Treaty-Japan-11-6-2003.pdf ↩
e-Gov (Digital Agency), Inheritance Tax Act (相続税法, Act No. 73 of 1950), Article 21-3(1)(ii), accessed October 2026, https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/325AC0000000073 ↩
National Tax Agency, Tax Answer No.4405 “贈与税がかからない場合” (as of 1 April 2026), https://www.nta.go.jp/taxes/shiraberu/taxanswer/zoyo/4405.htm ↩
National Tax Agency, Tax Answer No.4510 “直系尊属から教育資金の一括贈与を受けた場合の非課税” (as of 1 April 2026), https://www.nta.go.jp/taxes/shiraberu/taxanswer/zoyo/4510.htm ↩ ↩² ↩³
MEXT, “教育資金の一括贈与に係る贈与税非課税措置”, accessed October 2026, https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/kaikei/zeisei/1332772.htm ↩