The Fully Funded Honjo International Scholarship in Japan is open to all nationals. These scholarships are provided by Honjo International Scholarship Foundation Japan to Pursue A Master’s Degree or PhD Degree from Japanese Top Universities. The Japanese Graduate Scholarship is available for the academic session of 2025-2026.

Almost all academic fields and majors are available to study in Master’s or Doctoral Degrees. There is no application fee to apply for scholarships for foreign students studying in Japanese graduate schools.

Honjo International Scholarship Foundation provides scholarships to students studying in any academic field from any country and region all around the world who have the potential to become outstanding leaders contributing to the peaceful development of the global society.

• ¥230,000 per month for 1 to 2 years degree
• ¥210,000 per month for 3 years degree
• ¥180,000 per month for 4 to 5 years of degree.

• The student who does not possess Japanese citizenship
• The student must be enrolled as of September or October 2025 or currently applying for the academic course starting from September or October 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 September or October 2025. Those who are going to enter graduate schools in Spring 2025 should apply for the 2025 program, which starts accepting applications from September 1 to October 31, 2025 (scheduled).
• 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.
• The enrolment duration until graduation must be longer than 12 months.
• To be eligible, the student applying for the PhD program must start the PhD course by the age of 35. The student applying for the master’s program must start the master's course by the age of 30 (No exception).
• The student must have a strong will to serve in their home country as a future career plan.
• The student must have a deep understanding of international friendship and goodwill, attend the events organized by the foundation, and take part in the network as an alumni member.
• The student must be able to carry on an everyday conversation in Japanese. Interviews will be conducted in Japanese (No exception).

Documents Required

Academic Transcripts: (In Japanese or English; please attach a translation in case of
other languages.)

• Academic transcript of undergraduate course (Required). If you transferred into the university from the College of Technology (kōsen school system), a transcript of it is also required.
• Academic transcript of graduate school (If you don’t have it yet, it is unnecessary.
  to submit.)

Research Proposal: Use the given template (Click Here) and write in the Japanese language.
What we want applicants to describe:

• What are you going to research?
• What and how are you going to contribute to your home country based on what you have learned or studied in Japan?
• What have you achieved regarding research, academic, and social activity?

A recommendation letter from the supervisor: Please get the recommendation letter describing the applicant’s academic performance, evaluation of personal characteristics, future potential, etc. The student can also get a recommendation letter from the previous supervisor in his / her country if the recommender is more familiar with his / her academic background. The number of sheets and formats is not designated, but please attach a translation if it is written in a language other than English or Japanese.

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 the graduate school.

• If the admission letter or the letter of acceptance is not available by April 30, 2025, please fill in the probable date that is available in the “web application system.” And send it to the HISF office via email as soon as it is available. Note that after April 30, 2025, the web application system cannot be logged in.
• Open all the envelopes of documents to upload as PDF files through the “scholarship web application system,” even if they are directed as “Confidential” or “Invalid if opened.”
• A recommendation letter that is sent by email or post mail by a recommender is acceptable. In that case, upload a PDF file that says, “A letter is sent directly.” The email address to which the letter is sent is [email protected].
• Photocopied documents can also be used to be uploaded.