The Akebono Scholarship 18th Central and East Europe Program funds young people aged 15 to 30 from 14 eligible countries who want to study in Japan in order to solve a real problem in their home country. It offers a full scholarship of up to JPY 200,000 per month or a supported scholarship of JPY 20,000 per month, both for 2 years, and applications close on 17 December 2026. At Youth Works Hub, we reviewed the official call of the Akebono Scholarship, Japan Office, and set out every condition, stage and date below.
What Is the Akebono Scholarship Really For?
The foundation states it plainly: the Akebono Scholarship is not a scholarship to come to Japan. It is a scholarship to solve a real problem in your home country, using Japan as the best place to learn how.
Throughout the selection process, you will be asked to clearly articulate three things:
🎯 What problem you are committed to solving
🗾 Why Japan, and not another country, is the right place to learn
🏠 How you plan to apply what you learn after returning home
The foundation is also willing to advise applicants after the selection process on university choices and career planning.
Applications That Will Not Pass
The foundation warns that many applications are rejected for the following reasons. Read these carefully before you apply:
🚫 "I want to learn Japanese" or "I want to spread Japanese language in my country"
🍣 "I love Japan and Japanese culture"
🤖 "Japan is a technologically advanced country"
❓ Applications that do not explain why Japan, and not another country, is necessary for your goals
Applications That Will Pass
Successful applications share three features:
🔎 You have identified a specific, concrete problem in your home country that you are committed to solving
🏆 You can clearly explain why Japan is the best place in the world to study that specific subject
🛤️ You have a concrete vision for your career after returning home, even as a hypothesis
Some research fields may be better studied in countries other than Japan, so the foundation asks you to carefully consider whether studying in Japan is truly necessary for your goals before applying.
Full Scholarship: Up to JPY 200,000 per Month
💴 Monthly stipend: maximum JPY 200,000 per month
🏡 What it covers: rent, living expenses, travel expenses required for coming to Japan, and other expenses recognized as necessary for your learning environment
🧾 Expense report: you must submit a detailed expense report to receive the mentioned amount
⛔ Combining funding: this scholarship cannot be combined with other scholarships
🤝 Career support: offered both before and after your arrival in Japan
📆 Stipend period: 2 years, subject to change depending on the program's start and end dates
🥇 Places: a maximum of 2 full scholarship recipients will be selected
Supported Scholarship: JPY 20,000 per Month
💵 Monthly stipend: JPY 20,000 per month
📑 Expense report: you must submit a detailed expense report to receive the mentioned amount
➕ Combining funding: this scholarship can be combined with other scholarships
📈 Career support: offered both before and after your arrival in Japan
🛬 Stipend period: 2 years, with the eligible period beginning upon your arrival in Japan
🔟 Places: a maximum of 10 supported scholarship recipients will be selected
Who Can Apply?
You are eligible only if you meet all of the following requirements:
🌱 You have a strong desire to learn and can commit to living and studying in Japan as a scholarship recipient
🗣️ You have sufficient Japanese language ability to live comfortably in Japan before arriving
🛂 You hold the nationality of one of the eligible countries and currently reside in that country, or abroad for study or other reasons
🎂 You are 15 to 30 years old as of 1 May 2027
Which Nationalities Are Eligible?
The 18th Program is open to nationals of these 14 countries:
🇭🇺 Hungary
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
🇷🇴 Romania
🇷🇸 Serbia
🇽🇰 Kosovo
🇲🇰 North Macedonia
🇦🇱 Albania
🇲🇪 Montenegro
🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina
🇲🇩 Moldova
🇭🇷 Croatia
🇬🇪 Georgia
🇦🇲 Armenia
🇺🇦 Ukraine
The Three-Stage Selection Calendar
All times are in Japan Standard Time (JST).
📝 First Selection, Document Screening: application deadline 8:00 AM, 17 December 2026 (Thursday)
📣 First Selection results: 6:00 PM, 14 January 2027 (Thursday)
🎬 Second Selection, Video Screening: submission deadline 8:00 AM, 4 February 2027 (Thursday)
📬 Second Selection results: 6:00 PM, 18 February 2027 (Thursday)
💻 Third Selection, Online Interview: interviews conducted from March to April 2027
🏁 Third Selection results: 31 May 2027 (Monday)
First Selection: What the Document Screening Evaluates
The first stage looks at the clarity and logic of your True North, and at whether studying in Japan is genuinely necessary for your goals. Your application is written in English and built around three themes. Because the panel is judging specificity and logic, our guide on how to write a scholarship motivation letter can help you structure your answers.
Theme 1: What is the problem you are willing to dedicate your life to solving? (Your "True North")
Evaluation criteria:
🧩 Is this a real, specific problem, not a general or abstract one?
🌍 Is this a problem that exists in your home country or region?
🙋 Why are you, specifically, the right person to address it?
Theme 2: How do you envision working in the future to solve this problem?
Evaluation criteria:
🏢 What specific job, role or organization do you envision for yourself after returning home?
🖼️ Even as a hypothesis, is there a concrete picture of how you will apply what you learn?
🔗 Is there a logical connection between your future career and the problem you identified in Theme 1?
Theme 3: Why and what do you plan to study in Japan to address this issue?
Evaluation criteria:
🗺️ Why is Japan, and not another country (for example Europe, the US or elsewhere), the right place to study this?
🔬 What specific field, university, research lab or professor do you plan to study with?
💡 How will what you learn in Japan help you solve the problem you described?
Improving Japanese language proficiency is not a valid reason for this scholarship. It is a scholarship to conduct research and study in Japanese, not to learn Japanese.
Your application does not need to follow this exact format. The foundation asks you to use it only as a reference for the level of specificity it is looking for.
Exemption From the First Screening
Applicants with any of the following may be exempt from the first screening:
✍️ A written recommendation from a Japanese individual regarding Japanese language proficiency
📜 JLPT N1 or N2 certification
🏅 Acceptance of another competitive scholarship such as MEXT
Supporting documents or certificates must be uploaded with your application.
Second Selection: The Video Screening
This stage evaluates your motivation, personality and the concreteness of your plan. Applicants who pass the first selection will be asked to submit a short video.
The video theme is: "What do you want to do with your life, and what would you like to study in Japan to achieve that?"
Be sure to include:
📚 Why you need to study that specific subject in Japan, not elsewhere
🔁 How you plan to use what you have learned after returning to your home country
Details on video length and submission method will be shared only with applicants who pass the first screening. The foundation repeats here that studying in Japan with the primary purpose of improving Japanese language skills is not an eligible reason for this scholarship.
Third Selection: The Online Interview
This stage evaluates the feasibility of your career plan after returning home. Applicants who pass the second selection will be invited to an online interview with the foundation's staff, conducted as a question-and-answer session. The time and format of the interview will be communicated individually to applicants who pass the second selection.
What Happens After the Selection Process?
Applicants who have passed all three selections and demonstrated Japanese language proficiency will meet directly with the foundation to discuss the study program and arrival schedule in Japan.
Following this meeting, and taking into consideration visa acquisition, program adjustments and scheduling, the final scholarship amount and educational program will be determined.
How to Apply
🖊️ Submit your application in English via the online application form
👤 The application must be submitted by the applicant themselves
🔐 A Google login is required to use the form
📎 If you are claiming an exemption from the first screening, upload the supporting documents or certificates with your application
Find more funded study opportunities among the latest scholarships on Youth Works Hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Akebono Scholarship a general scholarship for anyone who wants to come to Japan?
No. The foundation says it is not a scholarship to come to Japan but a scholarship to solve a real problem in your home country. You must show what problem you are committed to solving and why Japan is the right place to learn how.
How much does the Akebono Scholarship pay?
The full scholarship pays a maximum of JPY 200,000 per month and the supported scholarship pays JPY 20,000 per month. For both types, you must submit a detailed expense report to receive the mentioned amount.
How many scholarships are available in the 18th Program?
A maximum of 2 full scholarship recipients and a maximum of 10 supported scholarship recipients will be selected. Both types have a stipend period of 2 years.
Can I combine the Akebono Scholarship with other funding?
The full scholarship cannot be combined with other scholarships. The supported scholarship can be combined with other scholarships.
What is the age limit for the Akebono Scholarship?
Applicants must be 15 to 30 years old as of 1 May 2027. The age is calculated on that date and not on the application deadline.
Which countries can apply to the 18th Central and East Europe Program?
Nationals of Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Croatia, Georgia, Armenia and Ukraine can apply. You may reside in that country or abroad for study or other reasons.
Do I need to speak Japanese before I apply?
Yes. You need sufficient Japanese language ability to live comfortably in Japan before arriving. The scholarship is for conducting research and study in Japanese, so learning the language is not a valid reason to apply.
In which language do I write my application?
The application for the first selection is submitted in English through the online form. Google login is required, and the applicant must submit the form personally.
Can I skip the document screening?
Applicants with a written recommendation from a Japanese individual regarding Japanese language proficiency, JLPT N1 or N2 certification, or acceptance of another competitive scholarship such as MEXT may be exempt from the first screening. Supporting documents or certificates must be uploaded with the application.
Does the 17 December deadline have a specific time?
Yes. The application deadline is 8:00 AM Japan Standard Time on 17 December 2026, so check what that means in your own time zone before submitting.
When will I get the final result?
The third selection results are announced on 31 May 2027. After that, successful applicants meet the foundation to discuss the study program and arrival schedule, and the final scholarship amount and educational program are determined.
Deadline
⏳ 17 December 2026
Links
📝 Application form: https://forms.gle/oSw6qd1KnjoqUP7S8
🌐 Official program page: https://akebono-foundation.org/Program/18th-program/
📧 Inquiries: info@akebono-foundation.org
📮 Postal address: Akebono Scholarship, Japan Office, 1-8-2 Shintomi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0041, Japan
