Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarships for Young Leaders Program at GRIPS

Japanese Government (MEXT) Masters Degree Deadline: varies (annual) Study in: Japan Course starts October 2027 Brief description: The Young Leaders Program (YLP) at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) is a one-year master’s program taught in English, funded by Japanese Government (MEXT) scholarships. It is for young public administrators and government officials who are expected to become national leaders in their home countries. Candidates are put forward by recommending authorities in participating countries. Host Institution(s): National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) Level/Field(s) of study: Master of Public Policy, through the School of Government or the School of Local Governance Number of Scholarships: About 20 for the School of Government and about 10 for the School of Local Governance Target group: Nationals of countries participating in the program. The 2027 guidelines don’t name the countries, so check with the Japanese embassy in your country. The latest full list we found, in the GRIPS scholarship guide for 2025, has 28 countries for the School of Government: Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Czech Republic, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Republic of Korea, Kyrgyz Republic, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Republic of Türkiye, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Viet Nam. Scholarship value/inclusions: Scholars receive 242,000 yen a month, an amount that may change each fiscal year. Entrance examination, matriculation and tuition fees are waived. MEXT provides an economy ticket to Japan, and a return ticket if you apply for it and go home by the end of the scholarship. You pay for domestic travel, airport taxes, travel insurance and baggage. The scholarship lasts one year, from October 2027 to September 2028. Eligibility: For the 2027 round, applicants must: • in principle, be under 40 on 1 October 2027 (born on or after 2 October 1987); • hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, with excellent academic results; • have at least three years of full-time work in public administration by 1 October 2027, with five or more preferred; • provide an English test score. Priority goes to TOEFL iBT 79 or IELTS Academic 6.0 or higher, and waivers exist for degrees taught in English; • submit a health certificate and obtain a Student visa before traveling; • in principle, return home by the end of the scholarship and resume their work. Application instructions: You apply through the recommending authority in your country, not directly to GRIPS. The Japanese embassy can tell you who that is, and the Philippines lists its authorities here. You may apply to GRIPS only once in an academic year. The deadline depends on each recommending authority. In Malaysia, for example, the 2027 call closed on 18 September 2026. It is important to read the Application Guidelines (links below) for detailed information on how to apply for this scholarship. Website: Official Scholarship Website: https://www.grips.ac.jp/en/education/inter_programs/leader/ 2027 Application Guidelines: School of Government (PDF) | School of Local Governance (PDF) Related Scholarships: List of Japan Scholarships The post Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarships for Young Leaders Program at GRIPS first appeared on Scholars4DeV.