Rotary Yoneyama Memorial Scholarship (Japan, Overseas Applicants)

The Rotary Yoneyama Memorial Scholarship is Japan’s largest private scholarship for international students, and its overseas application route lets you apply before ever setting foot in Japan. It pays a generous monthly stipend of JPY 100,000 to 145,000 depending on level, plus an arrival airfare reimbursement, while you complete a degree at a Japanese university.

What makes Yoneyama special is the Rotary community itself: every scholar is paired with a counselor and a local Rotary club, turning the scholarship into a genuine cultural bridge rather than just funding. The overseas application window is fixed each year from October 1 to October 31, and candidates apply roughly 18 months before enrollment.

• Non-Japanese citizen residing outside Japan who is scheduled to enroll in a regular degree programme (bachelor's, master's or doctoral) at a Japanese university or graduate school.
• Applies to enrollment in April or in the fall (September/October) of the following year; research students and language-school students are not eligible.
• You must apply to your chosen Japanese university or graduate school yourself before applying for this scholarship, and submit a copy of that admission application.
• Basic Japanese ability of around JLPT N4 level is expected (requirements can vary by Rotary district).
• Graduate applicants need a recommendation letter from a supervisor or professor at the target graduate school.
• Recipients join a local sponsor Rotary club (sewa club), attend monthly meetings, give talks and submit activity reports in Japanese.
• The scholarship generally cannot be combined with another scholarship of a similar nature.

• Monthly stipend of JPY 100,000 for undergraduates or JPY 140,000 for master's and doctoral students, paid for the scholarship period set by the Foundation (two years for graduate students).
• Economy airfare to Japan reimbursed up to JPY 250,000 after arrival.
• Personal mentoring through a local Rotary club, which is unusual among Japanese scholarships and gives real community support.
• One of Japan's largest privately funded scholarship programmes, with a nationwide alumni network.
• A Certificate of Acceptance from the Foundation that serves as financial proof for the student visa process.
• Note: tuition and entrance fees are not covered, though the stipend can be combined with university tuition waivers.

• Application for Scholarship form (downloaded from the Foundation website).
• Research plan at the Japanese university (graduate applicants).
• Essay on the set topic: why you chose to study in Japan and your plans after studying in Japan.
• Recommendation letter (from your target graduate school supervisor for graduate applicants).
• Copy of your application for admission to the Japanese university or graduate school.
• Japanese language proficiency evidence (JLPT result if available).
• Passport or identity document and academic transcripts as instructed in the guidelines.

• Choose and apply to a Japanese university or graduate school for April or fall enrollment of the following year; keep proof of your admission application.
• Download and read the current Application Guide for Overseas Candidates from the Foundation website; the guide for 2027 enrollment is published before the window opens.
• Register on the Foundation's online application system and upload all documents during the annual window, which runs from October 1 to October 31 (13:00 Japan time).
• Selection is by document screening by the Rotary district of your target university, with interviews where needed.
• Results are notified by email around mid-March, and certificates of eligibility are issued to successful applicants by the end of March.
• You must arrive in Japan before your designated month of admission or the award is automatically cancelled.