Honjo Foundation Scholarship to Study in Japan 2024-2025

The Honjo Foundation Scholarship to Study in Japan is offered for the fall and spring semesters. The scholarship is offered by the Honjo International Scholarship Foundation and opened to foreign students who will attend graduate school at a Japanese university. The scholarships recipient is under no obligation to repay the amount they receive from the Foundation. The program provides monthly allowance, accommodation, and travel expenses to attend international conferences. The scholarship recipient is not permitted to receive any other scholarship in conjunction with this scholarship.

The program is fully funded and open for candidates willing to study a Master’s or a doctoral degree at higher educational institutions in Japan. Students must have a deep understanding of international friendship and goodwill and must attend the events organized by the foundation and take part in the network as alumni members. Candidates must be able to carry on everyday conversations in Japanese. Interviews will be conducted in Japanese.

The Honjo International Scholarship Foundation has been established to provide scholarships to bright students who are struggling to study under different conditions in developing countries as well as to those Japanese students studying abroad, to help them learn advanced technologies and improve their good intentions will serve as a bridge connecting Japan with the rest of the world in culture and mutual friendships.

Program Details

• Host institutions: Higher Educational Institutions in Japan.
• Fields of study: Available fields at Japanese universities.
• Number of awards: Approximately ten (10).
• Duration: up to 5 years.
• Eligible countries: Open to students of all nationalities.

Honjo Foundation Scholarship Benefits

Selected candidates for this foundation scholarship will receive the following benefits:

1. ¥230,000 per month for 1 or 2 years
2. ¥210,000 per month for 3 years
3. ¥180,000 per month for 4 years or 5 years
4. The travel grant to cover the expenses to attend an international conference will be provided to scholarship recipients.
5. The scholarship recipient is not permitted to receive any other scholarship in conjunction with the scholarship offered by the Foundation, except for the scholarships listed below:
   • Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship
   • Monbukagakusho Honors Scholarship for Privately Financed International Students
   • JSPS International Fellowship
6. The scholarship recipient cannot gain employment other than part-time jobs related to his / her studies such as teaching assistant, research assistant, or related to international exchange affairs such as translators or interpreters while receiving the scholarship.
7. The scholarship recipient is required to participate in the individual interview and the events that the Foundation organizes.
8. The scholarship recipient is required to actively participate in Foundation events after completing graduate school.

Honjo Foundation Scholarship Eligibility

To apply for this Japan scholarship, candidates must meet the following criteria:

• do not possess Japanese citizenship
• are enrolled as of April 2025 or currently applying for the academic course starting from April 2025 at a graduate school in Japan. Those who are already enrolled and those who are not enrolled yet (including people who are currently employed with jobs at the time of applying for the program) are both eligible to apply for this scholarship if you are going to be enrolled in April 2025. Those who are going to enter graduate schools in the fall of 2025
  can apply for this Spring scholarship program.
• are enrolled for a program that will last longer than 12 months.
• students applying for a PhD program must start the PhD course by the age of 35. A student applying for the master’s program must start the master’s course by the age of 30 (No exception).
• have a strong will to serve in his / her home country as a future career plan.
• be able to carry on everyday conversation in Japanese. Interviews will be conducted in Japanese. (no exception)
• Students must have a deep understanding of international friendship, goodwill and must attend the events organized by the foundation and take part in the network as alumni members.
• In principle, the student enrolling in a professional graduate school is not eligible to apply. However, the student who can submit a research plan is eligible to apply.

How to Apply for The Honjo Foundation Scholarship

Eligible applicants who would like to apply for this Asia scholarship should click on the apply button below and follow the instructions to submit their applications. Please submit the required document on the online platform in PDF files.

When you have completed the application procedure, an application number will be issued. Application numbers of successful students will be announced on the foundation’s website. Therefore, candidates are advised to save the number they received.

Digital files required to be uploaded are as follows:

1. A face photo
   • The maximum size is 500KB
   • the file extension should be .jpg or .gif
2. A two-minute-video in which you talk about your research plan (Required)
   • The maximum size is 1GB.
   • The length is up to 2 minutes.
   • The file extension should be .mp4 or .mov
   • The language of the talk should be Japanese or English.
   • Presentation materials may be used in the video. However, the applicant’s face must be visible.
3. A thirty-second-video where the applicant talks about self-promotion (Optional)
   • The maximum size is 1 GB.
   • The length is up to 30 seconds.
   • The file extension should be .mp4 or .mov.
   • The language of the talk should be Japanese or English.
   • The video should be primarily feature the applicants speaking without presentation materials.

Required Documents

1. Academic transcript (In Japanese or English; please attach a translation in case of other languages.)
   • Academic transcript of the undergraduate course (Required). If you transferred into the university from the College of Technology (kōsen school system), the transcript from that school is also required.
   • Academic transcript of the graduate school (If you do not have the transcript, you do not need to submit it.)
2. Research Proposal: Use the designated template and write it in the Japanese language (Please click here to download the template).
   • What you are going to research
   • What and how you are going to contribute to your home country based on what you will learn or study in Japan
   • What you already achieved regarding research, academic, and social activity. Please write the above three points in Japanese to fit on the designated form. However, if you are not confident in your Japanese, you may submit a research plan in English in addition to the Japanese one.
3. A recommendation letter from a supervisor: Please obtain a recommendation letter describing your academic performance, personal characteristics evaluation, future potential, etc. You can also obtain a recommendation letter from your previous supervisor in your country if the recommender is familiar with your academic background.
   • The number of sheets and formats are not designated.
   • The recommender can send the recommendation letter directly to the foundation without sending it to the applicant. The letter should be sent from the recommender’s email account to [email protected] no later than the date of the deadline. The file’s name should include the applicant’s name and the application number that the applicant is given.
   • When the applicant receives the recommendation letter from the recommender, they should upload it to the Online application system. The recommender’s signature or seal is necessary for the recommendation letter.
4. Documents that prove admission, such as an admission letter, a letter of acceptance, etc. Please upload the certificate of enrollment only if the student is already enrolled in graduate school.
   • If the admission or acceptance letter is unavailable by October 31, 2024, please enter the probable date on the “Online application system” and then send it to the Foundation office via email as soon as it is available. Note that after November 1, 2024, you cannot log into the Online application system.
   • Even if the envelopes are directed as “Confidential” or “Invalid if opened,” open all the envelopes and upload the documents as PDF files to the “Online application system.”
   • Photocopied documents can also be used and uploaded.

The deadline to submit applications for Fall 2025 is October 31, 2025. For more details on the Honjo Foundation Scholarship to Study in Japan, please visit the official page. To be the first to see latest opportunities, please follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.