University Study Guide
Understand the difference between JASSO grants and loans, who can apply (household income and assets, status of residence, the high school equivalency exam), and when to apply, so you can check when and where you should apply.
The most widely used scholarships for university study are those of the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO, 日本学生支援機構). There are non-repayable grants (給付型) and loans (貸与型) that you repay after graduating. The grant is part of the national Higher Education Support Program (高等教育の修学支援新制度), which began in April 2020. It combines a monthly grant paid by JASSO with a reduction or exemption of tuition and entrance fees (授業料・入学金の減免) carried out by the university. Only universities certified by the government (確認大学等) are covered. The fee reduction is applied for at the university after you enroll, separately from the JASSO application.
The key conditions for the grant are household income and assets. Your support category (支援区分) is set from the resident tax (住民税) information of you and your household's main earners (生計維持者, usually your parents). Categories 1 to 3 cover households exempt from resident tax and those close to it; Category 4 is limited to multi-child households and to students entering science, engineering or agriculture departments at private universities. As a guide, for students entering university in FY2027 (令和9年度) through advance application, a salaried four-person household where only one parent earns can have an annual income of up to about 2.71 million yen for Category 1, about 3.78 million yen for Category 3 and about 6.35 million yen for Category 4 (judged on 2025 income; these are rough guides that vary with family circumstances). Combined assets of you and the main earners must be under 50 million yen (land and buildings are not counted). Grades alone do not decide eligibility: even with a high school grade average below 3.5, you can qualify if a report or interview confirms your motivation to study.
| School | Commuting from home | Living away from home |
|---|---|---|
| National or public university | 29,200 yen | 66,700 yen |
| Private university | 38,300 yen | 75,800 yen |
Support for multi-child households (多子世帯) was expanded from FY2025. If the main earner supports three or more children as dependents, including you, and assets are under 300 million yen, tuition and entrance fees are reduced up to the cap with no income limit. For universities, the caps are about 280,000 yen for the entrance fee and about 540,000 yen a year for tuition at national or public universities, and about 260,000 yen and about 700,000 yen a year at private universities. The monthly grant depends on income, and households with income above the Category 4 level, or with assets of 50 million yen or more but under 300 million yen, receive the fee reduction only (a grant of 0 yen). The number of children and income are checked using the most recent resident tax information.
Loans come in two types: the interest-free Type 1 (第一種) and the interest-bearing Type 2 (第二種), and you can borrow both together. Type 2 is interest-free while you are enrolled, and the rate after graduation is capped at 3.0% a year. When you apply, you choose either a fixed rate that stays the same until you finish repaying, or a rate that is reviewed about every five years. For university, the Type 2 monthly amount is chosen from 20,000 to 120,000 yen in steps of 10,000 yen. If you receive both the grant and a Type 1 loan, the Type 1 monthly amount is reduced and may become 0 yen.
You can apply before entering university through advance application (予約採用) or after entering through in-school application (在学採用). Advance applications are made through your high school from around April of your third year (the period differs by school). People who have passed (or expect to pass) the High School Equivalency Exam (高卒認定試験) apply directly to JASSO. For entry in FY2027, the deadlines are May 31, 2026 (round 1), June 30 (round 2), July 31 (round 3) and October 2 to 16 (reserve round, for those who could not apply in rounds 1 to 3 for unavoidable reasons such as a change of plans or illness); requests for application materials closed on October 8. In-school applications are made through your university, at times the university announces. Only those who apply within three months of enrolling are eligible for an entrance fee reduction.
Foreign nationals can apply for the grant if they are special permanent residents, hold the status of Permanent Resident (永住者), Spouse or Child of Japanese National (日本人の配偶者等) or Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident (永住者の配偶者等), or are a Long-Term Resident (定住者) who intends to live in Japan permanently. People with Dependent (家族滞在) status are also eligible if they meet all of these: they entered Japan by the end of the school year in which they turned 12 (or graduated from a Japanese elementary school), graduated from a Japanese junior high school, graduated or will graduate from a Japanese high school (including passing the equivalency exam), and intend to work and settle in Japan after university. The Student (留学) status is not included. Permanent Residents and similar statuses can also apply for loans, but for Long-Term Resident and Dependent status it depends on conditions. For High School Equivalency Exam passers, the grant requires passing within five years of the start of the fiscal year in which you turned 16 (with an exception if you kept taking the exam every year) and applying within two years of the end of the fiscal year in which you passed. For details, check JASSO's scholarship pages.
大学（だいがく）の 奨学金（しょうがくきん）は、日本学生支援機構（にほんがくせいしえんきこう、JASSO）の ものが いちばん 多く 使われて います。返さなくて いい「給付型（きゅうふがた）」と、あとで 返す「貸与型（たいよがた）」が あります。
給付型は、家族の 収入（しゅうにゅう）が 少ない 人の ための ものです。毎月 お金が もらえて、大学の 授業料（じゅぎょうりょう）と 入学金（にゅうがくきん）も 安く なります。子どもが 3人 以上 いる 家（多子世帯（たしせたい））は、収入に 関係（かんけい）なく 授業料などが 安く なります。
貸与型には、利子（りし）が ない「第一種（だいいっしゅ）」と、利子が ある「第二種（だいにしゅ）」が あります。第二種も、大学に いる 間は 利子が かかりません。
申し込み（もうしこみ）は、大学に 入る 前（高校（こうこう）3年生の 4月ごろから、高校を 通して）と、大学に 入った あと（大学を 通して）が あります。高卒認定（こうそつにんてい）に 合格した 人は、JASSOに 直接（ちょくせつ） 申し込みます。
外国籍（がいこくせき）の 人は、在留資格（ざいりゅうしかく）が「永住者（えいじゅうしゃ）」「定住者（ていじゅうしゃ）」などの 場合に 申し込めます。「家族滞在（かぞくたいざい）」の 人も、日本の 中学校と 高校を 卒業した などの 条件（じょうけん）が あえば 申し込めます。「留学（りゅうがく）」の 人は 申し込めません。
Which support comes together with the JASSO grant?
The JASSO grant is part of the national Higher Education Support Program and comes together with the tuition and entrance fee reduction carried out by the university.
What is the asset criterion for the grant (combined assets of the student and main earners, not a multi-child household)?
Combined assets of the student and the main earners must be under 50 million yen. Land and buildings are not counted.
What are the conditions for a 'multi-child household' to receive fee reductions with no income limit?
From FY2025, if the main earner supports three or more children including the student and assets are under 300 million yen, fees are reduced up to the cap with no income limit.
Which statement about interest on the Type 2 loan is correct?
Type 2 is interest-bearing, but no interest is charged while you are enrolled. The rate is capped at 3.0% a year.
Which description of the Type 1 loan is correct?
Type 1 is an interest-free loan that you repay after graduating. The grant is the type you do not repay.
What is 'advance application' (予約採用)?
Advance application is made before entering university, through your high school from around April of the third year. Applying through the university after entering is in-school application.
When applying for the grant through in-school application, who is eligible for the entrance fee reduction?
The entrance fee reduction is only for those who apply within three months of enrolling. If you apply later, the entrance fee is not reduced. It is not true that the entrance fee is never covered.
Which status of residence is NOT listed as eligible for the JASSO grant?
The grant covers special permanent residents, Permanent Residents, Spouses or Children of Japanese Nationals, Spouses or Children of Permanent Residents, Long-Term Residents intending to settle, and Dependents who meet the conditions. The Student status is not included.
Where do people who have passed (or expect to pass) the High School Equivalency Exam submit an advance application?
Equivalency exam passers who are not enrolled in a high school apply directly to JASSO. For entry in FY2027, the reserve round is open until October 16, 2026.
What is the monthly grant for a Category 1 student at a private university living away from home?
Category 1 monthly amounts are 75,800 yen for private universities living away from home, 38,300 yen for private universities from home, 66,700 yen for national or public universities living away from home, and 29,200 yen for national or public universities from home.
Q. If I receive the grant, is the tuition reduction automatic?
A. No. Separately from the grant, you need to apply to the university for the reduction after enrolling. Submit your Scholarship Candidate Decision Notice (採用候補者決定通知) to your university and follow its instructions. The entrance fee reduction is only for those who apply within three months of enrolling. Only universities certified by the national or local government are covered.
Q. I did not make an advance application in high school. Is it too late?
A. You can apply after entering through the university's in-school application. Check the university’s announcements for when applications are accepted. Note that the entrance fee reduction is only for those who apply within three months of enrolling.
Q. Can I receive the grant if I enter university as a working adult?
A. The grant has timing conditions, such as entering university within two years of finishing high school, or within two years of the end of the fiscal year in which you passed the equivalency exam. If you fall outside them, you are generally not eligible. Check loan conditions with the scholarship office of the university you will enter.
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Systems, schedules and amounts change from year to year. Before applying, always check the latest guidance from each organization.
Content checked: 2026-10-16
This page is a translation of the Japanese original. If the translation and the original differ, the Japanese version takes precedence. This translation was made with AI and may contain errors. Report a translation error View the Japanese original