Honjo International Scholarship: Generous Funding for Global Graduate Students in Japan

For ambitious international students dreaming of pursuing advanced degrees in Japan, the Honjo International Scholarship Foundation (HISF) stands out as one of the most generous privately funded awards in the country. Established to empower outstanding scholars and nurture cross-cultural understanding, the program provides both substantial funding and an invaluable professional network. Below, we take a deep dive into what the scholarship offers, how to apply, and how past recipients have leveraged the opportunity to launch global careers.

Honjo International Scholarship Foundation: Mission and History

A Legacy of Private Philanthropy

The Honjo International Scholarship Foundation was founded in 1996 by the late Mr. Masanori Honjo, visionary behind ITO EN. He donated ¥200 million in cash and more than one million company shares to launch the fund, aiming to help talented students act as bridges between Japan and the world. Read the founder’s story on the official site.

Beyond Money: Building Global Bridges

HISF deliberately welcomes every discipline—from quantum physics to Asian studies—provided applicants enroll in a Japanese graduate school. Networking events, joint research forums, and volunteer projects unite scholars from over 40 countries each year. Alumni include professors at Kyoto University, policy analysts at the Asian Development Bank, and founders of Tokyo-based start-ups.

Scholarship Package & Financial Benefits

Unlike many awards that only cover tuition, the Honjo Scholarship pays a monthly living allowance. Current benefits for cohorts beginning April 2026 are summarized below.

Study Period	Monthly Stipend
1 – 2 years (Master’s fast-track)	¥210,000
3 years (Standard Master’s)	¥190,000
4 – 5 years (Doctorate)	¥160,000

Because the stipend is denominated in yen, you never lose purchasing power to exchange-rate swings. HISF also reimburses reasonable intercultural-exchange costs such as hosting a food festival or research outreach event. Note, however, that tuition and airfare are not automatically covered; many universities grant 50-100 % tuition waivers once you show proof of this award.

Eligibility & Application Timeline

Who Can Apply?

Applicants must (1) hold non-Japanese citizenship, (2) be enrolled in—or accepted into—a Japanese graduate program as of April 2026, and (3) have at least 12 months of remaining enrollment after funds begin. See the full criteria in the 2026 guidelines (PDF).

Key Dates

The online portal opens September 1 and closes October 31 23:59 JST each year. Upload an application PDF, transcripts, admission letter, a two-page research plan, and a two-minute video. Recommenders submit signed letters via the same system. Interviews for short-listed candidates are held in December or January; results appear in late January on the official scholarship page.

How to Craft a Competitive Application

HISF receives 1,000 + applications and selects roughly 70–80 scholars, so impact-driven storytelling is essential. In your research plan, open with a one-sentence statement of societal benefit. During the required two-minute video, speak slowly, maintain eye contact, and use one clear graphic. Show commitment to Japan by citing concrete activities—publishing in a bilingual journal, volunteering locally, or mentoring future applicants.

Strong recommendation letters set great candidates apart. Give professors a draft proposal at least a month ahead. Finally, attend free webinars run by former scholars (promoted on university sites such as APU Admissions) to avoid common filing mistakes.

Life After the Scholarship — Alumni Impact

Every May, new awardees meet in Tokyo for an induction ceremony, then stay connected through an active Slack workspace and rotating quarterly seminars. HISF also partners with ITO EN, Mitsubishi Research Institute, and several AI start-ups to provide internships that count toward degree credits.

Mozambican Ph.D. candidate Matias Siueia Júnior (Honjo ’23) used the ¥160,000 monthly stipend to deepen field experiments on rice-salinity tolerance and now heads community-driven soil-health projects in Maputo. Indian researcher Vishal Chauhan leveraged the award to present robotics papers across six countries and is piloting an AI-driven extended-reality app at the University of Tokyo. Indonesian marine-biology Ph.D. student Johannes Nicolaus Wibisana chronicles in his blog how Honjo funding let him focus on data-driven coral-reef research instead of part-time jobs, inspiring dozens of new applicants each year. Alumni regularly return as guest speakers, and the foundation even covers domestic travel.

The result is a virtuous cycle: new scholars gain practical advice, alumni discover collaborators, and Japanese institutions benefit from an ever-expanding network of globally minded professionals. Long after the monthly payments stop, the Honjo name on your résumé continues to open doors across academia, industry, and government.