The Asia Pacific University MEXT Scholarship is a fully funded award tied to Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) in Japan and backed by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, usually shortened to MEXT. It supports students who are admitted to APU's own degree programs at Bachelor's, Master's or PhD level. You can read the full scholarship details on our scholarship page, and this guide walks through what the award pays for, how the application works and where students tend to slip up.
One thing to understand from the start: this is a university-linked scholarship. You are not applying to MEXT in the abstract and then picking a university later. You apply to APU for admission and scholarship together, and your chances depend heavily on whether APU wants you as a student in a specific program.
APU, Beppu and the programs this award attaches to
APU is in Beppu, in Oita Prefecture, Japan. The university is built around a multicultural student body, and that is the main reason to look at it. If you want a Japanese degree in a mixed international setting rather than a campus where you are one of a handful of foreigners, APU fits that brief.
The scholarship covers study within APU's academic divisions:
- College of Asia Pacific Studies
- College of International Management
- College of Sustainability and Tourism
- Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies
- Graduate School of Management, which runs the MBA
Notice what is missing. There is no engineering, medicine or pure science listed here. The fields are social sciences, management, tourism and sustainability. If your plan is computer science or MBBS, this is the wrong scholarship, however attractive "fully funded Japan" sounds. If you are a BBA graduate eyeing an MBA, or someone interested in regional studies, development or tourism, it deserves a serious look.
Degrees are taught in English and Japanese, and which one applies depends on the program. That choice affects your language test requirements, so settle it early.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Funding | Fully funded |
| Levels | Bachelor's, Master's, PhD |
| Provider | MEXT, Japan / Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University |
| Host city | Beppu, Oita, Japan |
| Deadline | Varies, confirm on the official site |
| Intakes | September or April |
| Official site | apu.ac.jp |
What MEXT funding pays for at APU
The package is described as full financial support for tuition and living expenses. Broken down, it includes:
- Full tuition fee coverage through the MEXT scholarship arrangement
- A monthly living stipend set by MEXT guidelines
- Support for travel between your home country and Japan, according to program terms
- Access to university housing, including the AP House dormitories
- Academic and career support services
No stipend figure is published in the scholarship details, and I am not going to guess one. The amount follows MEXT guidelines, so check the current rate on the official site before you build a budget. The same goes for travel: "per program terms" means you should read the exact conditions in the award letter or guidelines rather than assume a return ticket is included.
Housing is "access to" AP House, not a promise of free accommodation. Find out whether rent comes out of your stipend. For most students this is the single biggest monthly cost, so it matters.
The five conditions you have to meet
The eligibility rules are short, and some are general, which means the detail sits in APU's admissions guidelines and the MEXT criteria. You need to:
- Meet the academic entry qualifications for undergraduate or graduate admission at APU.
- Meet the eligibility criteria set by MEXT.
- Fulfil the language proficiency requirements for your chosen program.
- Submit every document APU and the scholarship guidelines require.
- Not hold a conflicting scholarship at the same time during the award period.
The published details do not state which nationalities are eligible, and it does not mention Pakistan by name. Before you put time into an application, check eligibility for your nationality in the current MEXT and APU guidelines. Do the same for any age limits or academic score thresholds, since none are given here and MEXT criteria can include conditions you would not expect.
The last condition catches people. If you already hold another scholarship, or you are applying to several at once, read the rules on concurrent funding. Accepting two awards that conflict can cost you this one.
Paperwork for an APU admission and scholarship file
You submit admission and scholarship documents together. The list is:
- Application form for admission and scholarship
- Official academic transcripts
- Graduation certificates or degrees
- Proof of language proficiency, in English or Japanese depending on the program
- Letters of recommendation
- Statement of purpose or research plan
For Pakistani applicants, "official" transcripts and degrees usually means attested copies, and attestation takes longer than people expect. Our IBCC and MOFA attestation guide explains the process. Start it before you write a single word of your statement.
Graduate applicants should treat the research plan as the core of the file. A vague plan that could be submitted to any university reads badly. Tie it to something APU actually teaches, for example a topic that sits within Asia Pacific studies or the MBA's management focus.
Applying through the APU portal
- Read the program pages and eligibility guidelines on the official APU website.
- Prepare your documents, including transcripts and any test scores your program needs.
- Submit the admission and scholarship application through APU's designated application portal.
- Wait for screening and evaluation by the university and the scholarship committee.
- If you receive an offer of admission and scholarship, complete the enrollment procedures.
Step two hides a question you should answer early: does your program require specific standardized test scores? Programs differ here, so check your program page rather than assuming only an English test is needed.
Timing around the September and April intakes
APU enrolls students in September or April. The application period and the date screening results come out both vary, so you need the APU admissions calendar for the exact dates in your cycle. No fixed deadline is published in the material this guide is based on, and you should be suspicious of any website that quotes one with total confidence.
Work backwards from the intake you want. Attestation, a language test and recommendation letters can each take weeks, and they rarely move faster because a deadline is close.
Where applicants go wrong with this scholarship
The most common mistake is treating this as a general MEXT application. APU-linked MEXT support is connected to admission to APU programs, and you should review the MEXT conditions set for university recommended candidates. That route has its own rules, so read them rather than relying on what you know about other MEXT tracks.
The second mistake is applying to a program that does not suit your background just because the funding looks good. Your statement and recommendations have to make sense for the program. A committee can tell when an engineer has bolted a tourism paragraph onto a generic essay.
Third, people leave recommendation letters too late. Teachers and supervisors in Pakistan are busy, and a rushed letter is a weak letter. Ask early and give your referees the program name and a short note on what you plan to study.
Finally, if anything about application tracks is unclear, contact the APU admissions office directly. That is a better use of your time than reading forum posts from three cycles ago. For a broader checklist of what most international scholarships ask for, see our scholarship documents checklist, and if Japan is your main target, browse all Japan scholarships so you are not relying on one application.
Frequently asked questions
Which degree levels does the APU MEXT Scholarship support?
Bachelor's, Master's and PhD programs across APU's colleges and graduate schools, including the Graduate School of Management MBA.
Does the scholarship cover tuition fees?
Yes. Tuition is covered through the MEXT arrangement, alongside a monthly stipend and other benefits set by MEXT guidelines.
Do I need to know Japanese?
Not necessarily. Programs are taught in English and Japanese, and the language proof you submit depends on the program you choose. Check your program's requirement before booking a test.
Where do I submit the application?
Through the official APU admissions system. Admission and scholarship are applied for together.
Can Pakistani students apply?
The available information does not list eligible nationalities. Check eligibility for your nationality in the current MEXT and APU guidelines before applying.
For current dates and the latest guidelines, go to the official APU website, and keep the full scholarship page handy while you prepare.