About this opportunity
The Honjo International Scholarship Foundation funds foreign students who are already studying, or plan to study, in a Japanese graduate school for a master's or doctoral degree. The award is paid monthly for the minimum period required to complete the degree, and the foundation page prints the rates as "¥230,000 per month for 1 ~ 2 years degree", "¥210,000 per month for 3 years degree" and "¥180,000 per month for beyond 3 years of degree".
Around ten students are chosen each year through document screening followed by interviews, which the foundation plans to hold in Tokyo or run by video call. The 2027 schedule opens the application period at 11am on September 1, 2026 and closes it on October 31, 2026, with the screening result posted on January 31, 2027, interviews on February 9, 2027 and the final result announced on March 31, 2027.
For African applicants the important line is the foundation's own: "All nationalities and research fields are welcome. " The page adds that "Applicants may directly apply to the foundation without pre-selection by the university", so there is no gatekeeper to find first, and applications can be submitted from abroad once the applicant has been accepted by a Japanese graduate school.
The form itself is a little different from a standard scholarship application. It asks for a two minute video in which the applicant talks about their research, alongside the research plan template and the 2027 application guideline the foundation publishes beside the online system.
What you receive
- A monthly scholarship paid throughout the minimum period required to acquire the degree
- "¥230,000 per month for 1 ~ 2 years degree"
- "¥210,000 per month for 3 years degree"
- "¥180,000 per month for beyond 3 years of degree"
- Around ten awards given each year
- Interviews held in Tokyo or conducted by video call
Who can apply
- Foreign students who study, or plan to study, in a Japanese graduate school for a master's or doctoral degree
- All nationalities and research fields are welcome
- Applicants may apply directly to the foundation without pre-selection by the university
- Applications can be submitted from abroad once the applicant is accepted by a Japanese graduate school
- A two minute video on the applicant's research is required by the online form
Documents to prepare
- The foundation's research plan template
- The 2027 application guideline
- A two minute video in which the applicant talks about their research
How to apply
- Read the 2027 application guideline published beside the online system
- Prepare the research plan on the foundation's template
- Record the two minute video talking about your research
- Submit through the foundation's online application system before 31 October 2026
Selection process
- Document screening, with the result posted on 31 January 2027
- Interviews on 9 February 2027, planned in Tokyo or conducted by video call
- Final result announced on 31 March 2027
Sources and verification
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Questions applicants ask
Do I need a Japanese university to nominate me?
No. The foundation page states that "Applicants may directly apply to the foundation without pre-selection by the university".
How much is the award?
It is paid monthly for the minimum period of the degree, printed on the page as "¥230,000 per month for 1 ~ 2 years degree", "¥210,000 per month for 3 years degree" and "¥180,000 per month for beyond 3 years of degree".
Can I apply from outside Japan?
Yes, applications can be submitted from abroad once the applicant has been accepted by a Japanese graduate school.
Important disclaimer
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