Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) funds undergraduates majoring in Japanese language or culture to spend up to one year at a designated Japanese university. Teaching is in Japanese, in courses focused either on Japan and its culture or on language proficiency.
In Switzerland the Embassy of Japan in Bern runs the first round and swissuniversities lists the call. The year ends with a certificate, not a degree; grantees then go back to finish their home degree.
Benefits & funding
- ¥117,000 a month after arrival, plus ¥2,000 or ¥3,000 in designated regions; the amount may change each fiscal year.
- Entrance-exam, matriculation and tuition fees waived.
- Economy return airfare, if you arrive within the fixed period.
- Housing is at your own cost.
- You must return and resume your home degree afterwards (unless on a double or joint degree in Japan), or may have to repay the full scholarship.
Eligibility
- Swiss nationality; Japanese nationals cannot apply (dual nationals must give up Japanese nationality by arrival).
- Born between 2 April 1996 and 1 April 2008 (in principle).
- Undergraduate majoring in Japanese language and/or culture at UZH’s Japanology department (Asien-Orient Institute) or the Université de Genève’s Unité de Japonais, not graduating before September 2027.
- At least one year of Japanese studies at university by 1 September 2026.
- Japanese good enough to be taught in Japanese at a Japanese university.
- Past MEXT grantees, and anyone applying to another MEXT scholarship starting in 2026, are excluded.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
“Swiss students enrolled in the following courses are eligible: … Asien-Orient Institute, Abteilung Japanologie, Universität Zürich … Unité de Japonais, Université de Genève” Eligibility
Eligible nationalities
Switzerland
Education required
Bachelor Enrolled
Age requirement
18–29 yrs
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Application process
- 1Choose up to three universities from MEXT’s Course Guide of Japanese Studies Program for the placement form.
- 2Send the forms, transcripts, enrolment certificate, a recommendation from your university head or academic advisor and a doctor’s health certificate to the Embassy of Japan in Bern by 9 February 2026.
- 3The embassy reviews documents, sets a written Japanese exam and interviews.
- 4MEXT runs a second screening and assigns the university.
Program timeline
Recruitment
December 2025 – February 2026
Application deadline (Embassy, Bern)
9 February 2026
University placement fixed, or the applicant is rejected
By 14 August 2026
October 2026
Scholarship year starts (September if the course starts 1 September)