JASSO Support Programs and Living Allowances for International Students in Japan

What JASSO does beyond running the EJU

The Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) is best known among ASEAN applicants for administering the EJU entrance exam, but its remit runs wider. JASSO also runs scholarships for students who are not on a MEXT government scholarship, manages dormitories, and provides emergency and follow-up support once you are enrolled in Japan.

The Honors Scholarship for privately financed students

Most ASEAN students in Japan pay their own way rather than holding a MEXT scholarship. For these students, the Monbukagakusho Honors Scholarship for Privately-Financed International Students is JASSO's main support tool. For the 2025-26 academic year it pays JPY 48,000 a month to university and graduate school students, and JPY 30,000 a month to students at Japanese language institutes, paid either for a full 12 months (April to March) or a 6-month term (October to March).

Eligibility combines academic standing, financial need and language ability. You need strong grades and character references, and your private funding (excluding tuition) must not exceed an average of JPY 90,000 a month. If you have a financial supporter based in Japan, their annual income must stay under JPY 5,000,000. On language, you need JLPT N1 or N2, an EJU Japanese score of 200 or above, or an equivalent English score (TOEFL iBT 72+, IELTS 5.5+, or TOEIC 785+), which matters for ASEAN students applying to English-medium programs who have not taken the JLPT.

One route into this scholarship starts before you even enroll. JASSO reserves places for students who score well on the EJU, through a reservation program tied to each EJU session, so a strong EJU result locks in scholarship funding before you have a university offer in hand.

Student Exchange Support Program

If you are coming to Japan on a short-term exchange, from 8 days up to 1 year, under a formal agreement between your home institution and a Japanese school, the Student Exchange Support Program is the relevant JASSO scholarship. Your home university or the receiving Japanese institution nominates you, you do not apply directly. Ask your study abroad office whether your exchange partnership participates, since not every partner agreement includes JASSO funding, and confirm the current monthly rate directly with JASSO or your host institution, since it is reviewed each academic year.

Housing support

JASSO manages its own dormitories rather than only pointing students toward private housing. The Tokyo International Exchange Center in Aomi, Koto-ku, has 793 units (628 single rooms and 165 couple or family units), and the Hyogo International House in Kobe has 195 units (157 single and 38 couple or family). Demand for these dormitories outstrips supply in most intakes, so apply as early as your host university allows and have a private-housing backup plan ready.

Other support worth knowing about

Beyond scholarships and dormitories, JASSO publishes Japanese language and preparatory education resources, subsidizes some schooling expenses, and runs a follow-up network for alumni after graduation. None of this replaces tuition funding from a MEXT scholarship or your own savings, but it narrows the gap for privately financed students who need help with living costs, housing, or an emergency during their studies. Check the Study in Japan support programs page for the current list of active programs, since JASSO adds and retires programs between academic years.