Hokkaido University Scholarships for International Students 2026

Generally, Hokkaido University scholarships are designed for students enrolled in formal on-campus degree/non-degree programs (e.g., MEXT and other competitive scholarships listed for prospective students).

Both, depending on the program. At the undergraduate level, Hokkaido University notes that it offers two English-taught degree programs (MJSP and ISP), and “except for the two undergraduate programs taught in English,” undergraduate classes are “conducted primarily in Japanese,” so advanced Japanese is required for most undergraduate programs.

At the graduate level, Hokkaido University lists multiple English-taught graduate degree options. In recipient stories, Tanya Srivastava (MSc, Environmental Molecular Biology) says, “Yes, my program was conducted in English,” and Genes P. Maylem (PhD) shares that in his graduate program, “classes and research communication are conducted in English.”

It depends on the scholarship. Many students at Hokkaido University apply using external scholarships like MEXT, which has age rules that change by track and intake year. University or private scholarships may focus more on enrollment status, academic merit, and progress rather than age, so always check the specific scholarship’s eligibility conditions.

Many major scholarships used at Hokkaido University (especially MEXT) are not limited to one single subject: students across STEM, humanities, and professional fields can be funded as long as they are admitted and meet the scholarship criteria. Hokkaido University’s undergraduate schools span areas including Engineering, Economics & Business, Humanities and Human Sciences, Medicine, Dental Medicine, Agriculture, Fisheries, and more.

In the recipient stories, you can see the range: Genes P. Maylem is in Biological Chemistry and Engineering (STEM/engineering-life science) and Tanya Srivastava is in Environmental Molecular Biology (STEM/environment).

Medicine note (international students): Hokkaido University includes Medicine among its undergraduate schools, but most undergraduate programs are primarily Japanese-taught (with only two English-taught undergraduate degrees). If you’re aiming for medicine-related study in English, consider graduate-level health/biomedical options (some graduate schools provide courses “in English in principle” for international students).

It depends on the scholarship type. For MEXT (a common route at Hokkaido University), the guidelines state applicants must have the nationality of a country that has diplomatic relations with Japan (and applicants with Japanese nationality at the time of application are not eligible, with limited dual-nationality conditions). Hokkaido University also highlights MEXT as a major option for prospective international students.

In the Hokkaido University recipient set on Global Scholarships, you can see multiple nationalities represented (e.g., Filipino, Indian, Indonesian, Pakistani), which reflects how many scholarships are open broadly, though individual scholarship rules still apply.

It depends on (1) whether your program is English-taught or Japanese-taught, and (2) the admission pathway. For most Japanese-taught undergraduate programs, advanced Japanese is required, while English-taught programs may ask for proof of English. In one Hokkaido University undergraduate admissions guideline, certain applicants “must submit copies of certificate that show their language proficiency,” such as transcripts or score reports.

That said, waivers can happen. Genes P. Maylem says, “English proficiency tests were waived during my application period because my previous degrees were mostly conducted in English.” Having strong scores (IELTS/TOEFL/JLPT) can still strengthen your application, and some scholarships/programs explicitly require them, so treat tests as “program/scholarship-specific,” not universally required.

Hokkaido University admissions standards vary by faculty/program and by the admission route, so there isn’t one universal minimum grade that applies to every applicant. A practical benchmark comes from scholarship requirements: Hokkaido University notes that, for MEXT University Recommendation, applicants must have an academic record score coefficient of “2.3 or higher.”

In recipient examples, strong academics show up clearly: Tanya Srivastava reports a CGPA of 9.10 in her prior degree, and Jillian Abigail Sutrisno shares a 95.4% high school average (and very high marks in Math/Chemistry/Physics), illustrating the kind of profile often seen among scholarship applicants.

A strong academic record plus clear fit with your program/research tends to matter most, especially for competitive funding like MEXT. Tanya Srivastava attributes her success to “my strong academic record, research proposal, and performance in the entrance examination and interview,” and she highlights the value of contacting a prospective professor and having strong recommendations.

For research-focused routes, Genes P. Maylem emphasizes alignment: he “drafted a clear and feasible research proposal tailored to the lab’s strengths,” explaining that the key was ensuring the proposed work “resonated with the lab’s vision and direction.”

Documents vary by level (undergraduate/graduate), program, and admission scheme. One Hokkaido University undergraduate guideline (International Qualification-Based Admission) lists materials such as an application form and photo, educational background form, school recommendation/transcripts (often sealed), and (for some applicants) proof of language proficiency; it also includes items like a self-recommendation letter/statement of purpose and, in some cases, a thesis and summary.

At the graduate level, departments can have their own document sets. For example, the Graduate School’s international applicant instructions list items including basic information, educational background, certificate of graduation, proof of English/Japanese language skills, past research & desired research at Hokkaido University, and signature/consent pages.

Yes. Hokkaido University publishes standard fees, including an “Entrance Examination Fee” (e.g., ¥17,000 for undergraduate applicants and ¥30,000 for many graduate applicants), plus admission and tuition fees depending on the student type.