To study in Japan after a B.Tech, you need to get seven things right in the correct order: the intake, the programme, the type of university, the cost, the funding, the visa and the language. It is tempting to start with a university name. We start with the date you can realistically begin.
This is our overview page. Each section links to a deeper guide, and every figure was checked against Japanese government or university pages on 28 September 2026.
Table of contents
- Fact 1: Your intake decides everything else
- Fact 2: English-taught Master’s programmes exist, and you must find them
- Fact 3: National, public and private all belong on the list
- Fact 4: What fees look like
- Fact 5: Scholarships run through gatekeepers
- Fact 6: The visa starts in Japan
- Fact 7: Language needs depend on the programme
- How to plan your study in Japan route
Fact 1: Your intake decides everything else
Japanese graduate schools mainly admit in April and in September or October. For a final-year B.Tech student graduating in May or June 2027, April 2027 entry is closed, because the degree is not complete in time.
That makes October 2027 the first realistic intake, with April 2028 as the fallback. Students who have already graduated can still target April 2027.
Our guide to MS in Japan intake 2027 explains the logic in full. Every other decision to study in Japan is set against this date.
Why windows open so early
Some application windows for autumn 2027 open this year. The University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Science, for example, runs its Special Selection for International Applicants from 15 to 30 October 2026. That single window serves both April 2027 and October 2027 entry and carries MEXT University Recommendation.
Fact 2: English-taught Master’s programmes exist, and you must find them
You can study in Japan in English at Master’s level, but programmes sit inside individual graduate schools and are easy to miss. The government-run Study in Japan school search lets you search Japanese universities, graduate schools and junior colleges that accept international students.
Use it to build a long list. Then confirm every detail on the university’s own admissions page, because entry months, eligibility and deadlines differ by programme.
The supervisor question
Many research-based Master’s programmes expect contact with a prospective supervisor before or during the application. Some programmes decide admission before you travel, which removes that step. Check which kind each programme is before you write to a professor.
Fact 3: National, public and private all belong on the list
A strong plan to study in Japan keeps all three categories open. National universities, public universities run by local governments and private universities all run English-taught graduate programmes.
Each category sets its own admission process and its own fees, so the cost to study in Japan varies across your shortlist. Narrowing to one type too early shrinks your options before you know which programmes fit your research interest.
Fact 4: What fees look like
Fees are published by each university. Kyoto University lists these for graduate students on its tuition and fees page:
| Item | Kyoto University, graduate |
|---|---|
| Admission fee | ¥282,000 |
| Annual tuition | ¥535,800 |
| Examination fee (per its FAQ) | ¥30,000 |
The University of Tokyo lists the same ¥535,800 for Master’s students. That figure is the standard rate many national universities use, and some national universities charge more. Private universities set their own fees. Check the current page for every school on your list, since fees for international students can change.
Living costs come on top. Plan the full amount from your own family funds, because that is what the visa stage looks at.
Fact 5: Scholarships run through gatekeepers
Funding to study in Japan rarely comes from a form you submit yourself. The two main government-linked awards work like this:
- MEXT scholarship. The Master’s stipend is listed at ¥144,000 a month. The India embassy window for 2027 entry closed on 15 May 2026. The live route is University Recommendation, where the university nominates you. Our MEXT University Recommendation guide covers it.
- Monbukagakusho Honors Scholarship. ¥48,000 a month, selected by JASSO and applied for through your school. It is means-tested at ¥90,000 a month in allowances from home and carries a language condition. See our JASSO scholarship guide.
At Kyoto University, most other awards open only after you enrol. Treat any scholarship as a bonus on a plan that is already funded.
Fact 6: The visa starts in Japan
The student visa process begins with a Certificate of Eligibility, applied for in Japan, usually by your university on your behalf. Only after it is issued do you apply for the visa itself in India. Our guide to the Certificate of Eligibility for Japan sets out each stage.
Proof of funds
This is where many plans to study in Japan are tested. No Japanese government body publishes a single proof-of-funds figure. What matters is showing that tuition and living costs are covered by a credible source. Our Japan student visa proof of funds guide explains what the evidence needs to show.
Fact 7: Language needs depend on the programme
An English-taught programme sets its own English requirement, so check each admissions page for the tests and scores it accepts. Japanese helps with daily life when you study in Japan, and some scholarships ask for it. The JASSO Honors award, for example, accepts JLPT N2, an EJU Japanese score of 200, or CEFR B2 in English.
Starting basic Japanese during your final year helps from the day you land.
How to plan your study in Japan route
Here is the order we use with every student who wants to study in Japan:
- Fix the intake: October 2027 for final-year B.Tech students.
- Build a long list of English-taught programmes across national, public and private universities.
- Check each programme’s entry month, eligibility and supervisor rules.
- Map application windows backwards from the intake.
- Price the full cost from each university’s own fee page.
- Identify which scholarships your shortlist can nominate you for.
- Prepare funding evidence for the Certificate of Eligibility.
For the full step-by-step process, read our guide on how to study in Japan from India.
Sachin Gupta runs our Japan desk himself and takes every student conversation personally. Through WebMob he works inside Japan’s technology sector, and he has been to Japan nine times since 2023. Fifteen years leading counselling at Top Uni Admit. Around 175 students placed a year.
As Sachin puts it: “Worth asking any consultant who runs their Japan desk, and whether that person has ever worked in Japan.”
Book a call to set your study in Japan plan against the October 2027 intake.
Sachin Gupta founded Top Uni Admit and runs its Japan desk. He handles every student conversation and every institutional contact for Japan personally. Top Uni Admit has advised Indian students on overseas study for fifteen years across Australia, Canada, the UK, the USA, Germany and France.