Rotary Yoneyama Memorial Scholarship, Japan

The Rotary Yoneyama Memorial Scholarship is awarded by the Rotary Yoneyama Memorial Foundation in Japan and supports overseas students enrolling at Japanese universities and graduate schools. It funds bachelor's, master's and doctoral study and is fully funded through a monthly stipend, with an extra payment toward travel to Japan.

It is open to international students from outside Japan who have passed the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test at N3. Undergraduates receive 100,000 yen a month, master's and doctoral students 140,000 yen, and research students are not eligible. Payment begins in April 2027 or October 2027 depending on enrolment. Read the sections below for eligibility, documents and how to apply.

• Monthly stipend of 100,000 yen for undergraduates
• Monthly stipend of 140,000 yen for master's students
• Monthly stipend of 140,000 yen for doctoral students
• Supplemental payment of up to 250,000 yen toward travel expenses to Japan, claimed after arrival with receipts and supporting documents showing the actual costs
• For April enrolment, scholarship payment begins in April 2027
• For fall enrolment, scholarship payment begins in October (or September) 2027
• Research students are not eligible for this scholarship

The scholarship covers undergraduate study and master's and doctoral courses at Japanese universities and graduate schools. Research students are not eligible.

Applicants must submit a Research Plan at Japanese University as part of the application, and the award is open across fields at the Japanese university or graduate school the applicant is admitted to.

It is open to overseas candidates, meaning students applying from outside Japan who are scheduled to enrol in a Japanese university or graduate school.

• You must be an overseas student scheduled to enrol in a Japanese university or graduate school
• At the time of application you must have passed the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) at N3 or above
• You must find and apply for your Japanese university or graduate school yourself before applying for the scholarship
• You must submit a copy of your application for admission to the university or graduate school
• If you are enrolling in a graduate school, you must submit a recommendation letter from a supervisor or professor at the graduate school you are targeting
• You must enter the exact name of the Japanese university or graduate school you are applying for in the application form
• If you plan to go on to a university outside Japan or to a language school, you are not eligible to apply
• Research students are not eligible
• Successful applicants must arrive in Japan before the designated month of admission; if you have not entered Japan by the month the scholarship commences, eligibility is automatically lost
• If you are rejected for admission by the issuing university or graduate school, you lose eligibility for the scholarship at that point

1. Read the Application Guide for the Rotary Yoneyama Scholarship for Overseas Candidate thoroughly and carefully before you prepare anything.
2. Find and apply for your Japanese university or graduate school on your own. This must be done before you apply for the scholarship.
3. Download the required documents from the foundation's website: the Application Guide, the Application for Scholarship, the Research Plan at Japanese University, the Essay, and the Recommendation Letter.
4. Write the essay on the set topic: "Why I chose to study in Japan. My future plan after studying in Japan."
5. Prepare your Research Plan at Japanese University.
6. If you are enrolling in a graduate school, obtain a recommendation letter from a supervisor or professor at the graduate school you are targeting.
7. Prepare a copy of your application for admission to the university or graduate school.
8. Register on the foundation's website and enter your information in the dedicated forms, then upload your application documentation.
9. Enter the exact name of the Japanese university or graduate school you are applying for. Do not submit any documents that are not required in the guidelines.
10. Submit your application between 13:00 JST on 1 October 2026 and 13:00 JST on 31 October 2026.
11. Wait for the selection result, which will be notified to applicants by email by the middle of March 2027.
12. If successful, receive your certificate of eligibility by the end of March 2027 and arrive in Japan before the designated month of admission.
13. After arriving in Japan, promptly submit receipts and other supporting documents for your travel expenses to the Secretariat.