NATIONAL GRADUATE INSTITUTE FOR POLICY STUDIES (GRIPS)
GRIPS Fully Funded Scholarships (National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies)
full · masters, phd
- ~JPY 642,960 / year (est.)Tuition fully covered
- Monthly stipendLiving support
- Round-trip airfareTravel to Japan
- 5+ sponsor programsMEXT, ADB-JSP, JJ/WBGSP, JICA, IMF
- Master's and PhDDegree levels
- JapanWhere you study
At a glance
full
Funding
€40k
Max amount
Jan 15, 2027
Deadline
International students (sponsor-specific country lists apply)
Country
National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS)
Provider
GRIPS, the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Tokyo, offers fully funded scholarships for international students entering its English-taught master's and PhD programs in public policy, economics, science and technology policy, and disaster management. Funding is channelled through the Japanese Government MEXT Scholarship and partner schemes including the Asian Development Bank-Japan Scholarship Program (ADB-JSP), the Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP), JICA, and the Japan-IMF Scholarship. Awards cover annual tuition of about JPY 642,960, a monthly living stipend, round-trip international airfare, and health insurance. GRIPS offers a 1-year Master of Public Policy (MP1), a 2-year version (MP2), 5-year PhD tracks such as the GRIPS Global Governance Program (G-cube) and Policy Analysis, and 3-year PhD programs in Science, Technology and Innovation Policy and Disaster Management. Master's and five-year PhD applicants need a bachelor's degree; three-year PhD applicants need a master's. Deadlines vary by program and sponsor, so confirm the exact current-cycle figures, tuition and closing dates on the official GRIPS website before you apply.
What's covered
- Tuition coverage — Full coverage of annual tuition fees of about JPY 642,960 (est.) for the duration of the selected master's or PhD program.
- Monthly living stipend — A monthly stipend toward accommodation and personal living costs; the exact amount depends on the sponsoring program (MEXT, ADB-JSP, JJ/WBGSP, JICA or Japan-IMF).
- International travel — Round-trip economy airfare between the recipient's home country and Japan at the start and end of the program.
- Health insurance — Comprehensive medical insurance coverage in Japan for the duration of studies.
- Program-specific allowances — Some sponsors add settling-in, research or family allowances; for ADB-JSP and JJ/WBGSP these can add several thousand US dollars (~$3,000 est.) per year on top of the stipend.
How to apply
Applications are submitted to GRIPS online with documents sent by post; sponsor-linked schemes may require an additional application channel.
- Choose your program and sponsor — Select the master's or PhD program (MP1, MP2, G-cube, PA, STI or Disaster Management) and identify the scholarship sponsor attached to it.
- Download the application guide — Download the current application guide from the official GRIPS website and read the requirements for your program and sponsor.
- Complete online registration — Fill in and submit the online registration form for admission and scholarship consideration.
- Send supporting documents — Mail the required supporting documents to GRIPS by post by the stated deadline; ensure all certified copies are included.
- Apply to the sponsor where required — For schemes such as JICA, also apply through the local JICA office or relevant channel in addition to GRIPS.
Eligibility
Master's and five-year PhDA bachelor's degree or equivalent is required for master's programs and for the five-year PhD tracks (G-cube, Policy Analysis).
Three-year PhDA master's degree or equivalent is required for the three-year PhD programs (Science, Technology and Innovation Policy; Disaster Management).
International statusOpen to international (non-Japanese) students; some sponsors restrict eligibility to developing or regional member countries.
LanguagePrograms are taught in English, so applicants must meet the English proficiency requirements for admission.
Sponsor conditionsMEXT, ADB-JSP, JJ/WBGSP, JICA and Japan-IMF each set their own nationality, age, employment and work-experience rules; some require current public-sector or development-related work experience.
Some scholarships such as JICA require a parallel application to a local JICA office in addition to the GRIPS application; always check the requirements of the specific sponsor tied to your chosen program.
Eligible countries
International students (sponsor-specific country lists apply)
Deadlines
2026/2027 main intake~January 2027 (est.)
Sponsor-specific roundsVaries by program (est.)
Selection
GRIPS and the sponsoring organisation review applications on academic record, the quality of the study plan or research proposal, relevant professional or public-sector experience, and fit with the chosen program. Each sponsor (MEXT, ADB-JSP, JJ/WBGSP, JICA, Japan-IMF) applies its own additional ranking and may conduct interviews. Final scholarship awards are confirmed after admission to GRIPS.
Verified sources
- Financial Aid - GRIPSgrips.ac.jpofficial
- Admissions - GRIPSgrips.ac.jpofficial
About the provider
The National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) is a national graduate school in Tokyo, Japan, focused on public policy, governance, economics and innovation. It educates public officials and researchers from Japan and abroad through English-taught master's and doctoral programs.
Frequently asked questions
Answers below are best-effort estimates from the most recent application cycle. Values marked ~ or (est.) may shift year-to-year — confirm specifics on the official scholarship page.
What is GRIPS?
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GRIPS is the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, a Japanese graduate school in Tokyo specialising in public policy, governance, economics and innovation policy, with English-taught master's and PhD programs.
Which scholarships fund GRIPS students?
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Funding comes through the Japanese Government MEXT Scholarship and partner programs including ADB-JSP, the Joint Japan/World Bank scheme (JJ/WBGSP), JICA and the Japan-IMF Scholarship.
What does the funding cover?
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It covers full tuition of about JPY 642,960 per year (est.), a monthly living stipend, round-trip international airfare and health insurance, with some sponsors adding extra allowances.
Which degree levels are available?
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There are 1-year and 2-year master's programs (MP1, MP2) and PhD programs of 3 or 5 years across policy, innovation and disaster-management fields.
What qualifications do I need?
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Master's and five-year PhD applicants need a bachelor's degree or equivalent; three-year PhD applicants need a master's degree or equivalent.
Are the programs taught in English?
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Yes. GRIPS programs covered by these scholarships are taught in English, and applicants must meet the English proficiency requirements.
Is it open to international students?
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Yes. The scholarships target international students, although some sponsors limit eligibility to specific developing or regional member countries.
Do I need work experience?
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Some sponsors, especially those aimed at public officials (such as JICA, ADB-JSP or Japan-IMF), require relevant public-sector or professional work experience.
How do I apply?
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Download the application guide from the GRIPS website, complete the online registration, and mail your supporting documents; for some sponsors you must also apply through a local office.
When are the deadlines?
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Deadlines vary by program and sponsor and generally fall in the months before the 2026/2027 intake; confirm exact dates on the official GRIPS website.
Can I apply to more than one program?
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You normally apply to the specific program and matching sponsor that fits your background; review the application guide for rules on multiple applications.
Where do I confirm the current figures?
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Always confirm the exact current-cycle tuition, stipend amounts and deadlines on the official GRIPS admissions and financial-aid pages before applying.