For most Japanese graduate schools you are expected to find your own supervisor, and some schools will not accept an application until a prospective supervisor has informally agreed to take you. Official guidance from JASSO's Study in Japan site is consistent: when you contact a professor, explain your past research, your future research plan and why you chose them, and back it up with a solid research proposal and, ideally, a recommendation letter from your current advisor. The exception is the MEXT embassy-recommendation scholarship, which has its own contact rules.
Why the supervisor comes first
In many countries you apply to a program and are matched with an advisor later. In Japan the order is often reversed. Study in Japan says that in most cases you have to find your own thesis advisor, and its FAQ adds that some schools require the prospective supervisor's informal agreement (often called naidaku) before you apply. Check each school's admission guide early, because this step can take weeks or months.
Finding the right professor
Study in Japan suggests several ways to identify a good match:
- Ask professors at your current or former university
- Talk to people who have studied in Japan, including Japanese students and alumni
- Contact the graduate school you are interested in
- Read the school's website and faculty pages
Two tools help with the research side. researchmap is a Japanese database where you can look up researchers and their work, and CiNii lets you search Japanese academic papers. Reading a professor's recent publications is the best way to judge whether your interests overlap.
What to prepare before you write
A research proposal
Most graduate schools require a research proposal, and it is also the core of your first contact with a professor. Formats vary, but Study in Japan puts a typical proposal at about 2,000 words and lists five building blocks:
- Purpose of the research
- Background, including what has already been studied
- Significance
- Methods
- References
Reviewers look for motivation to do research, an ability to spot problems, analytical and logical thinking, and knowledge of your field. JASSO has also published a practical Japanese guide to writing research plans and preparing for interviews, which can be read at Study in Japan resource facilities.
Supporting materials
- A short CV or summary of your academic background and research experience
- Your graduation thesis abstract or other research outputs
- Transcripts
- A recommendation letter from your current or former advisor, which Study in Japan specifically recommends sending
- Language test results, if the program asks for them
Writing the first message
Official guidance tells you what to cover, not exactly how to phrase it, so the structure below is our practical suggestion built around those points:
- A clear subject line naming your field and the intake you are targeting.
- Who you are: your university, degree and main research experience, in two or three sentences.
- Why this professor: refer to specific papers or projects and show how they link to your plan.
- Your plan in brief: a short summary, with the full proposal attached.
- What you are asking for: for example, whether they would consider supervising you as a master's applicant or as a research student, and for which intake.
- Attachments: proposal, CV, transcripts and recommendation letter, in common file formats.
Write in Japanese or English depending on the program's teaching language, keep it concise, and check the professor's name and title carefully.
Keep the conversation going
Study in Japan points out that the professor can only get to know you through what you send. Staying in touch, by answering questions promptly, updating your proposal after feedback and keeping them informed about language test results, shows determination and commitment. If a professor declines or does not reply, look for another good match rather than sending repeated reminders.
Special rules for MEXT embassy-recommended applicants
If you are applying for the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship through a Japanese embassy or consulate, the 2027 guidelines set a different procedure for requesting a letter of provisional acceptance after the first screening:
- Contact the university's international student office first, not the professor you hope to work with. MEXT tells those offices in advance to expect these requests.
- Contact no more than two universities at the same time, and hold no more than two provisional acceptance letters.
- If a university turns you down, do not approach another faculty member or graduate school at that university, and do not appeal.
- For the 2027 cycle, contact had to be made by September 1, 2026 (Japan time); requests from September 2 were not allowed.
- Allow about one month for a university to issue a letter, and use only the MEXT-specified format.
- Send copies of your embassy-stamped application documents and the first-screening pass certificate, usually by email.
Follow your embassy's instructions for each cycle, as dates change every year.
Common mistakes
- Sending the same email to dozens of professors. Generic messages are easy to spot and rarely get replies.
- Asking for acceptance without a plan. The proposal is what a professor evaluates.
- Ignoring the school's own rules. Some schools want you to go through an office or apply first, and the MEXT rules above override general advice.
- Leaving it too late. Where informal consent is required, start several months before the application period.
Once a professor agrees and you know your intake, you can plan your arrival, and some students use a furnished monthly rental for the first weeks while they find long-term housing near campus.
Sources
- JASSO (Study in Japan)「Graduate Schools」(checked 2026-10-04)
- JASSO (Study in Japan)「FAQ: For Prospective Students」(checked 2026-10-04)
- 文部科学省 (MEXT)「2027年度大使館推薦による国費外国人留学生（研究留学生）の募集について（募集要項 Application Guidelines for 2027 掲載）」(checked 2026-10-04)
This article was created by OHAYO Stay based on the sources above (edited, reorganized and translated). It is not an official publication. Facts are summarized in our own words; see the linked pages for the official details.
Rules and dates can change. Always confirm with the official source before you apply.