The Asia Pacific University MEXT Scholarship 2027 is a fully funded route into Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) in Beppu, Oita, Japan. The money comes from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), and the application runs through the university itself rather than a separate government process. That second point is what most applicants miss, so it shapes a lot of the advice below. You can read the full scholarship details on our scholarship page before or after this guide.
This is a good fit for a Pakistani student who wants a degree taught in an international setting and whose interests sit close to APU's subject areas: Asia Pacific studies, international management, or sustainability and tourism. If you want engineering, medicine or a pure science degree, this is the wrong door. APU's faculties are built around social sciences and business, and the scholarship follows the programs.
The scholarship in one table
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Funding | Fully funded (tuition, monthly living stipend, arrival airfare) |
| Study levels | Undergraduate, Master's, PhD |
| Fields | Asia Pacific Studies, International Management, Sustainability and Tourism |
| Host university | Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Beppu, Oita |
| Provider | MEXT and Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University |
| Country | Japan |
| Deadline | Varies by enrollment period. Confirm on the official site |
| Official site | APU admissions portal |
What MEXT funding at APU pays for
The package has three parts. MEXT covers your full tuition fee, pays a monthly living stipend, and pays for your arrival airfare to Japan. That combination is why it is called fully funded: you are not expected to bring tuition money of your own.
What the source does not give is the size of the stipend. Do not plan your budget on a figure you read on a forum. Check the current amount with APU once you are in the process, and keep some savings for your first weeks, because the first stipend payment rarely lines up neatly with the day you land. Airfare is listed as arrival only, so assume the return trip home is your own cost unless APU tells you otherwise.
Which programs you can study under the scholarship
APU's undergraduate side has three colleges:
- The College of Asia Pacific Studies
- The College of International Management
- The College of Sustainability and Tourism
Graduate study is split between the Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies and the Graduate School of Management, which together host the Master's and PhD programs. So the options are narrower than at a large comprehensive university, but they are coherent. A student coming from a BBA, economics, international relations, development studies or a tourism background will find a natural next step here.
Pick the program first and the scholarship second. The admissions portal treats them together, and a weak match between your previous degree and your chosen APU program is harder to fix than a weak document.
The international student test you have to pass first
APU's eligibility for this route rests on one definition: are you an international student? You qualify if you do not hold Japanese citizenship and you hold, or expect to obtain, a student visa for Japan. A Pakistani citizen with no Japanese nationality who plans to study on a student visa fits that definition.
The full list of requirements is short:
- You must not hold Japanese citizenship.
- You must hold or expect to obtain student visa status for Japan.
- You must meet the academic entry requirements of the undergraduate or graduate program you choose.
The third point carries most of the weight. APU sets academic requirements per program, so there is no single grade cut-off to quote. Read the admission guidelines for your exact program and level. If you hold dual nationality, or you have lived in Japan before, check the applicant category on the admissions page carefully, because APU separates domestic and international applicants and you want to be sure which one you are before you start filling anything in.
Language proof is where applications slow down
The document list asks for proof of language proficiency, and APU's own guidance is to check the specific requirement for your chosen faculty. The source does not name a test or a minimum score, and it would be a mistake to assume one. Different programs can ask for different things.
Practically, this is the item to sort out earliest. Test dates in Pakistan fill up, results take time to arrive, and if your chosen program needs a test you have not yet booked, that alone can push you into a later enrollment period.
Papers to gather before you open the portal
APU lists four documents:
- Application form
- Academic transcripts
- Graduation certificates
- Proof of language proficiency
It looks like a light list, and it is, but Pakistani applicants should still get transcripts and degrees in order well ahead of time. If your university is slow to issue final transcripts or your degree certificate is still pending, start chasing those first. Whether APU wants attested copies is not stated in the source, so check the admission guidelines. If attestation does turn out to be needed, our IBCC and MOFA attestation guide explains the process, and the documents checklist for international scholarships is a useful general reference.
Applying through the APU admissions portal
- Check the applicant category on the official admissions page to confirm you count as an international student.
- Select your undergraduate or graduate program.
- Prepare your documents, including transcripts and certificates.
- Submit the application through the official APU admissions portal.
Everything goes through APU. There is no separate embassy step described in the source for this route, so do not go looking for one before you have read APU's own instructions. If a third party asks you to pay them to submit an APU MEXT application for you, treat that as a red flag. The portal is open to applicants directly.
Why there is no fixed deadline to plan around
The opening date and the deadline both vary. APU runs more than one enrollment period, and deadlines are set per period. That means you cannot copy a date from last year and assume it still holds.
A sensible approach is to decide which enrollment period you are aiming for, then read the admission guidelines for that intake as soon as they are published. Work backwards from the deadline: language test result, transcripts, certificates, then the form. Leaving it to the last few weeks is the most common way strong candidates miss out.
Where applicants go wrong
The first mistake is treating this as a general MEXT application. It is tied to APU and its programs. If your plan is to study at a different Japanese university, this route does not help you.
The second is choosing a program only because it is attached to funding. APU's fields are specific. A personal statement or study plan that does not connect your background to Asia Pacific studies, management, or sustainability and tourism will read as weak, whatever your grades.
The third is ignoring the visa side. Eligibility depends on holding or expecting to obtain a Japanese student visa, so your paperwork after admission matters as much as the application itself. Our guide to common student visa rejection reasons is worth reading once you have an offer.
Finally, do not skip the applicant category check. It takes a few minutes and settles whether the international route applies to you at all.
If you are comparing options across Japan, see all Japan scholarships in one place.
Frequently asked questions
Can Pakistani students apply for the APU MEXT Scholarship?
Yes, in principle. The route is open to applicants who do not hold Japanese citizenship and who hold or plan to obtain a Japanese student visa. You still need to meet the academic entry requirements of your chosen program.
Is it really fully funded?
It is listed as fully funded, covering full tuition, a monthly living stipend and arrival airfare to Japan. The stipend amount is not stated in the source, so confirm it with APU before you finalise your budget.
Which degree levels are available?
Undergraduate, Master's and PhD. Undergraduate study is in the colleges of Asia Pacific Studies, International Management, and Sustainability and Tourism. Graduate study is in the Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies and the Graduate School of Management.
Do I need IELTS or another language test?
You need proof of language proficiency, but the exact requirement depends on your faculty. Check your program's admission guidelines rather than relying on a general rule.
When is the deadline for the 2027 intake?
Deadlines vary by enrollment period. Check the current dates on the official admissions portal and plan backwards from them.
Where do I submit the application?
Through the official Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University admissions website. There is no separate application to send elsewhere for this route.
For current dates and requirements, go to the APU admissions portal, and keep the full scholarship page bookmarked as you prepare.