Tokyo City University Scholarship 2026 in Japan (Master’s & PhD Funding)

Imagine this: a full Master's and PhD in Japan, your tuition and entrance fees completely waived, a million yen a year in your pocket, and your dormitory rent paid for — from a scholarship backed by the Gotoh Educational Corporation of the Tokyu Group, one of Japan's major corporate groups. That is exactly what the Tokyo City University (TCU) Scholarship 2026 offers, and it is one of the most generous private-university scholarships in Japan. The catch? The standards are sky-high and the deadlines for this round have already passed — so treat this guide as your playbook for the next call.

In short: The Gotoh Educational Corporation Tokyu Group Scholarship at Tokyo City University offers privately financed international students ¥1,000,000 per year, full exemption from entrance and tuition fees, and full dormitory rent support for a Master's followed by a doctoral course, up to 5 years. The 2026 round closed on 25 September 2026 (23:59 JST), so the article is framed as preparation for the next application cycle.

Quick Overview

• Host Country: Japan
• Host Institution: Tokyo City University (TCU), Tokyo — a private Japanese university
• Degree Level: Master's course, with the intention to continue to a doctoral course
• Program Duration: Up to 5 years (the standard enrollment period for the Master's and doctoral courses)
• Funding Type: Fully funded (stipend + fee waivers + accommodation support)
• Deadline: 2026 round — prior consultation 11 September 2026, 23:59 JST; formal application 25 September 2026, 23:59 JST (both passed). Next cycle not yet announced.

Benefits of the Tokyo City University Scholarship

The funding package is unusually complete for a private university — it is designed so that a scholarship holder can genuinely establish a comfortable study environment in Tokyo.

• ¥1,000,000 annual scholarship — paid after you enter Japan, to partially cover the expenses of setting up your study and living environment.
• Full entrance fee exemption — the entrance (admission) fee you would normally pay when enrolling is waived entirely.
• Full tuition fee exemption — tuition fees for the scholarship period are waived. (The application fee for admission is still required — only the entrance and tuition fees are covered.)
• Full accommodation support — the initial and monthly rent of a TCU-designated dormitory is paid for you. Utility costs, cleaning costs when you leave the dormitory, and repair costs if the room is damaged are your own responsibility.
• Long support horizon — the scholarship runs for up to 5 years, covering the standard Master's and doctoral enrollment period, so you are funded through both degrees.

Eligibility Criteria for the Tokyo City University Scholarship

The eligibility bar is deliberately elite. The official call lists these conditions:

• 16 years of education — you must have completed a total of 16 years of formal education in your home country (consult TCU directly if your system works differently).
• Recent graduation — you must be within two years of obtaining your bachelor's degree.
• Top 10% at a top 10% university — your academic results must place you within the top ten percent at a university that itself ranks within the top ten percent of universities in your country.
• President's recommendation — a letter of recommendation from the president of your previously attended university is required (consult TCU if obtaining one is genuinely impossible).
• Master's then doctoral plan — you must be entering a Master's course at TCU with the intention to continue to a doctoral course. This is not a Master's-only scholarship.
• No other scholarships — you must not be receiving any other scholarships at the time of application.
• Outstanding academics and character — the goal is to educate future leaders who will act as a bridge between TCU and their home countries and universities, so both academic excellence and personal qualities count.
• Supervisor approval — your scholarship application can proceed only after a TCU faculty supervisor agrees to supervise your research. The university helps match you during the consultation stage.
• English proficiency — documentary evidence of English proficiency at CEFR B2 level or higher is required for the formal application.
• Japanese proficiency for one major — the Cooperative Nuclear Energy Major (Master's program) requires Japanese at CEFR B2 or higher, since courses are not all conducted in English.
• TB screening for some nationalities — applicants holding the nationality of the Philippines, Nepal, Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar, or China must undergo tuberculosis screening and submit the required certificate before entering Japan, per Japanese government regulations.

Eligible graduate schools are the Graduate School of Integrative Science and Engineering and the Graduate School of Environmental and Information Studies.

How to Apply for the Tokyo City University Scholarship

The application runs in two mandatory stages, and you must complete Stage 1 before you are allowed into Stage 2. (Deadlines below are from the 2026 round — expect a similar structure next cycle.)

1. Complete the prior consultation. Before any formal application, submit the Prior Consultation Form (Forms B and D) explaining your academic interests and intended field of study at TCU. In the 2026 round this closed on 11 September 2026 at 23:59 JST. 2. Get matched with a supervisor. TCU reviews your consultation form and helps identify a suitable faculty supervisor. Acceptance into the scholarship process can be affected if a preferred laboratory has reached capacity, so early consultation genuinely matters. 3. Obtain supervisor approval. Your scholarship application proceeds only once a supervisor agrees to take you on. Do not skip this — it is a hard gate. 4. Prepare the formal application documents. Assemble Form A, Form C, official academic transcript(s), the president's recommendation letter, and your English proficiency evidence. 5. Submit the formal application by mail. Send the full package to the International Office, Tokyo City University, Attn: Tokyu Group Scholarship Coordinator, 1-28-1 Tamazutsumi, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 158-8557, Japan. In the 2026 round the formal application deadline was 25 September 2026 at 23:59 JST. 6. Apply separately for graduate school admission. Scholarship consideration is distinct from admission. You must also apply for admission to the TCU Graduate Schools through the normal entrance process; the enrollment application for the relevant intake is announced to scholarship candidates separately.

Required Documents

Based on the official call as published by TCU's partners, the formal application package includes:

• Scholarship application forms — Form A and Form C (the formal application), plus Forms B and D from the prior consultation stage.
• Official academic transcript(s) — from your previous university studies.
• Letter of recommendation — from the president of your previously attended university.
• English proficiency evidence — documentary proof of CEFR B2 level or higher.
• Passport copy — your valid passport.
• Curriculum vitae — outlining your academic background and achievements.
• Research interest or study plan — describing what you intend to research at TCU.
• Recent passport-size photograph.

Tokyo City University Scholarship Deadline

The 2026 round of the Gotoh Educational Corporation Tokyu Group Scholarship has closed: the prior consultation deadline was 11 September 2026 at 23:59 JST, and the formal application deadline was 25 September 2026 at 23:59 JST. Both dates are now past, and the scholarship intake was for enrollment beginning in September 2027.

The next cycle had not been announced at the time of writing. Given the annual pattern — consultation opening in mid-summer, closing in early September — expect the next call to open around July 2027 for the following intake. If you are eligible, start now: the president's recommendation letter and supervisor matching both take weeks, and the candidates who win this scholarship are the ones who began long before the deadline.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Tokyo City University Scholarship really fully funded?

Yes, in the sense that matters most: ¥1,000,000 per year, full exemption from entrance and tuition fees, and full dormitory rent support for up to 5 years. You still pay the admission application fee, utilities, and your own living costs — but the structural costs of studying in Japan are covered.

Can I apply for the doctoral course directly?

No. The scholarship is designed for students entering a Master's course who intend to continue to the doctoral course. Your plan must include both stages from the start.

How strict is the top 10% requirement?

Very. The official criteria require top-ten-percent results at a university ranked in the top ten percent of your country. This is one of the most demanding academic bars among Japanese private-university scholarships, and it reflects the small number of awards — up to three scholarship students per year level.

Is the president's recommendation letter really mandatory?

The official call requires a letter of recommendation from the president of your previously attended university. The call also says to consult TCU if obtaining one is impossible, so there is a narrow escape hatch — but you should assume it is required and start the request early, since university presidents are not known for fast replies.

Can Pakistani students or other nationalities apply?

The scholarship is open to privately financed international students of all nationalities — there is no restricted country list in the official criteria. You do, however, need to meet the academic bar, the recent-graduation rule, and the other conditions above.

What does "privately financed" mean?

It means you are not funded by the Japanese government (MEXT) or another scholarship body. You must also not be receiving any other scholarships at the time of application.

Does the scholarship cover my family's travel or living costs?

No. The support covers the scholarship holder: the annual stipend, fee waivers, and dormitory rent for the student. Travel, living expenses, and any family costs are your responsibility.

Do I need Japanese language skills?

For most courses, documentary evidence of English at CEFR B2 or higher is what the application requires. Japanese at CEFR B2 or higher is specifically required for the Cooperative Nuclear Energy Major (Master's program), where courses are not all in English.

What happens in the prior consultation stage?

You submit Forms B and D describing your academic interests and intended field. TCU reviews them and helps match you with a potential supervisor — and supervisor approval is required before you can proceed to the formal application.

If I missed the 2026 deadlines, what should I do?

Prepare for the next cycle. The 2026 round closed on 25 September 2026. Use the year to line up your president's recommendation, sharpen your research plan, document your top-10% standing, and reach out for the prior consultation as soon as the next call opens — expected around summer 2027.

Final Words

The TCU Gotoh Scholarship is not for everyone — the top-10%-at-a-top-10% rule and the president's letter filter out almost everyone. But if you are that rare recent graduate with elite results and a genuine plan to go from Master's to PhD in Japan, this is one of the most complete funding packages a private Japanese university offers: a million yen a year, no tuition, no rent. The 2026 round has closed, which gives you a full year to build an application that deserves it.