🇯🇵 Scholarship in Japan 🎓 The University of Tokyo GSFS Asian Development Bank - Japan Scholarship Program (ADB-JSP) for Master's Students 🌏

The Asian Development Bank - Japan Scholarship Program (ADB-JSP) lets citizens of ADB member countries pursue a Master's degree at the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences (GSFS) of The University of Tokyo, with enrollment in the Autumn Semester of 2027. The application deadline for most departments is 10 December 2026. At Youth Works Hub, we set out below the departments, the two application routes and every step between applying and arriving in Japan.

The ADB-JSP at GSFS in Brief

🏫 University: The University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences (GSFS)

📍 Location: Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan

🏦 Funding: Funded by the Government of Japan and administered by the Asian Development Bank

🎯 Level: Master's Program only

🏢 Host units: Nine departments and one graduate program

🍂 Intake: Autumn Semester of 2027, beginning on 1 October

⏰ Application deadline: 10 December 2026, with a separate November route for the Department of Integrated Biosciences

What the Asian Development Bank - Japan Scholarship Program Is

The ADB-JSP is a scholarship program funded by the Government of Japan and administered by the Asian Development Bank. Its aim is to give citizens of ADB member countries the opportunity to pursue graduate-level studies.

Applications do not go straight to the ADB-JSP. The program accepts applications from its designated institutions only, so candidates at GSFS go through the University, which carries out a preliminary screening and then nominates scholarship candidates.

Three More GSFS Departments Accredited From 2026

From the 2026 academic year, three additional GSFS departments were newly accredited as educational institutions under the ADB-JSP. GSFS now accepts ADB-JSP scholars in nine departments and one program.

Departments, Programs and the Degree You Receive

🧪 Department of Materials Science: Master's degree in Science

⚡ Department of Advanced Energy: Master's degree in Science

🧬 Department of Integrated Biosciences: Master's degree in Life Sciences

🏞️ Department of Natural Environmental Studies: Master's degree in Environmental Studies

🌊 Department of Ocean Technology, Policy, and Environment: Master's degree in Environmental Studies

♻️ Department of Environment Systems: Master's degree in Environmental Studies

🏘️ Department of Human and Engineered Environmental Studies: Master's degree in Environmental Studies

🎭 Department of Socio-Cultural Environment Studies: Master's degree in Environmental Studies

🌐 Department of International Studies: Master's degree in International Studies

🌱 Graduate Program in Sustainability Science: Master's degree in Sustainability Science

Who Can Apply

You can apply if you meet the eligibility requirements specified by the ADB-JSP and wish to enroll in the Master's Program of one of the departments or the graduate program listed above. GSFS applies these limits in particular:

🎂 Age: GSFS is not allowed to recommend any candidate over 35 years old to ADB

📘 Study level: Only Master's course applicants are eligible, so doctoral applicants cannot use this route

💼 Professional experience: It must come after you graduated from your undergraduate program and must relate to the field you studied in that program

🚫 Paid research assistant work during your undergraduate course: It does not count as professional experience for the ADB-JSP

🏠 Dependents: The scholarship covers the scholar only

From Application to Enrollment: The Six Steps

🔍 Step 1: Check whether you meet the eligibility requirements specified by the ADB-JSP.

🤝 Step 2: Check whether your preferred department or program has a faculty member you wish to have as your academic supervisor. The application guidelines explain how to find a prospective supervisor and apply for admission, and these procedures must be completed by the specified deadline.

📨 Step 3: The results of the University's preliminary screening are expected in mid-February. Only applicants who pass this screening and meet the ADB-JSP eligibility requirements are told how to apply for the scholarship.

🗳️ Step 4: In mid-March, the University nominates scholarship candidates to the ADB-JSP. The ADB-JSP carries out its own screening, and the results are expected to reach the University around May.

📋 Step 5: Applicants confirmed to receive the scholarship begin the procedures for enrollment in the Autumn Semester.

🛂 Step 6: Obtain a visa and enter Japan by the end of September. Enrollment is available only for the Autumn Semester, which begins on 1 October.

Route One: Applying to the Department of Integrated Biosciences

Applicants to the Department of Integrated Biosciences take Entrance Examination Schedule B, whose application period is in November. Information on this examination is published on the department's admission information page.

If you pass Schedule B and wish to be nominated for the ADB-JSP scholarship, contact the International Liaison Office promptly after you receive your admission notification in early February.

Passing Schedule B gives you a different position from other applicants: you may enroll regardless of whether you are awarded the ADB-JSP scholarship.

Route Two: All Other Departments and the Sustainability Science Program

Applicants to departments other than the Department of Integrated Biosciences, or to the Graduate Program in Sustainability Science, apply under the application guidelines for October 2027 enrollment, which were updated as of September 2026. The application deadline is 10 December 2026.

On this route, enrollment depends on the scholarship. The procedures for enrollment in the Autumn Semester begin only if you are confirmed to receive the ADB-JSP scholarship.

Designated Forms You Will Need

📝 Application form

🔬 Study Field and Research Plan

✉️ Recommendation letter form

All three are published by GSFS, together with the Guideline for 2027 October Enrollment, and are listed at the end of this page.

The Entrance Examination Fee for Schedule B

The entrance examination fee for Schedule B is not waived, so applicants must pay it themselves and sit the examination.

If you enroll as an ADB-JSP scholar, you may apply to the ADB-JSP for reimbursement of an amount equivalent to the fee you paid. Among the expenses of taking Schedule B, only the entrance examination fee is eligible for reimbursement after enrollment.

If You Are Interested in a Doctoral Degree Instead

The ADB-JSP is limited to Master's applicants. GSFS recommends that anyone who would like to pursue a Ph.D. apply for a MEXT scholarship of Embassy Recommendation, with the Japanese Embassy in your country as the first contact.

Other Scholarships and Your Financial Preparation

Applicants who pass Schedule B may apply for scholarships other than the ADB-JSP, and GSFS publishes information on the programs that can be applied for through the University after enrollment. GSFS also notes that there are not many scholarship programs available to Master's students.

When applying for a Certificate of Eligibility (COE), applicants must submit documents showing that they have sufficient financial resources to devote themselves to their studies without working part-time in Japan. GSFS therefore asks you to make sufficient financial preparations before deciding to take the entrance examination.

Courses Taught in English

GSFS publishes the list of lectures it offers in English. Departments sometimes allow you to take courses outside your department program that may count as part of the units required for graduation. The section "COURSE REGISTRATION AND OTHER PROCEDURES" on the GSFS course page explains this.

Browse more scholarships on Youth Works Hub if you are comparing funding options for your Master's degree.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I apply for the ADB-JSP at GSFS if I am over 35?

No. GSFS has not been designated by ADB to accept candidates over 35 years old and is not allowed to recommend them to ADB.

Can I use the ADB-JSP for a doctoral course at The University of Tokyo?

No. Only Master's course applicants are eligible for the ADB-JSP. GSFS recommends that prospective Ph.D. students apply for a MEXT scholarship of Embassy Recommendation and contact the Japanese Embassy in their country first.

Does the ADB-JSP scholarship cover my dependents?

No. The ADB-JSP scholarship covers the scholar only, so any dependents are not included.

Should I send my application forms directly to the ADB-JSP?

No. The ADB-JSP accepts applications from its designated institutions only. At GSFS, you apply through the University, which screens applicants and nominates scholarship candidates.

Does paid research assistant work during my undergraduate studies count as professional experience?

No. Professional experience must be work you did after graduating from your undergraduate program, and it must relate to the field you studied in that program.

What is the deadline for the ADB-JSP at GSFS?

The application deadline is 10 December 2026 for departments other than the Department of Integrated Biosciences and for the Graduate Program in Sustainability Science. The Department of Integrated Biosciences uses Entrance Examination Schedule B, whose application period is in November.

Can I enroll at GSFS if I do not receive the ADB-JSP scholarship?

It depends on your route. Applicants who pass Entrance Examination Schedule B may enroll regardless of the scholarship outcome, while applicants on the guideline route begin enrollment procedures only if they are confirmed to receive the ADB-JSP scholarship.

Is the Schedule B entrance examination fee waived for ADB-JSP applicants?

No. Applicants must pay the fee themselves. Those who enroll as ADB-JSP scholars may apply to the ADB-JSP for reimbursement of an amount equivalent to the entrance examination fee, and no other Schedule B expense is reimbursed.

Can I apply for other scholarships as well?

Applicants who pass Schedule B may apply for other scholarship programs available through the University after enrollment. GSFS notes that few such programs are available to Master's students, so sufficient financial preparation is important.

When does the program start and when must I arrive in Japan?

Enrollment is available only for the Autumn Semester, which begins on 1 October. Confirmed scholars must obtain a visa and enter Japan by the end of September.

According to Youth Works Hub's review of the GSFS page, the two routes differ most on one point: whether you can still enroll without the scholarship, so check this before you choose your department.