Otsuka Toshimi Scholarship Foundation is awarding approx 90 scholarships for international students (residing in Japan) in fiscal 2021.

Applicants must be enrolled in an official degree program at a university or graduate school in Japan and pursuing studies in business administration or a field relating to human health such as medicine, pharmacology, biology, nutrition, physical education, or engineering).

The Foundation began with a private donation from Toshimi Otsuka, a member of the family that founded the Otsuka Group. Toshimi Otsuka was born on December 24, 1922, in Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture. Raised by hard-working parents, she enjoyed a happy childhood.

Scholarship Description

• Application Deadline: April 20, 2021
• Course Level: Scholarships are available for pursuing undergraduate programme at a university or graduate school in Japan.
• Study Subject: Scholarships are awarded in the field of business administration or a field relating to human health (such as medicine, pharmacology, biology, nutrition, physical education, or engineering) or business administration (for students from developing countries where business administration is not an established discipline, “international relations” is also acceptable.
• Scholarship Award: Amount of scholarship:
  • The annual sum of ¥2.0 million, ¥1.5 million or ¥1.0 million, determined on the basis of evaluations by our selection committee.
  • The annual sum of ¥500,000 for applicants receiving scholarships or benefits from other sources
    Note: A scholarship recipient’s failure to make satisfactory academic progress or any unethical or immoral behaviour or illegal act by the recipient may result in a reduction or withdrawal of his/her scholarship.
• Number of Scholarships: Approx. 90 scholarships are offered in fiscal 2021.
• Nationality: International students
• Scholarship can be taken in Japan

Eligibility

• Eligible Countries: International students can apply for scholarships.
• Entrance Requirements:(1) Applicants must be self-supporting international students residing in Japan with “college student” status and must be 38 years old or younger as of April 1, 2021.
  (2) Applicants must be enrolled in an official degree program at a university or graduate school in Japan and pursuing studies in a field directly relating to human health (such as medicine, pharmacology, biology, nutrition, physical education, or engineering {*applicants will be disqualified unless the relationship with medicine/pharmacology is clearly stated in the Scholarship Application Form}) or business administration (for students from developing countries where business administration is not an established discipline, “international relations” is also acceptable). (Students in the first and second years of undergraduate degree programs are not eligible to apply.)
  (3) Applicants must be highly motivated, possess an outstanding academic record, and demonstrate personal integrity.
  (4) Applicants must be involved in creative or innovative research.
  (5) Applicants must have an international perspective and demonstrate the ability to lead and serve as a bridge between Japan and other countries.
  (6) Applicants must demonstrate a need for financial aid.
  (7) Applicants must give full support and cooperations to events held by the Foundation and must contribute to building a network between scholarship recipients.
  (8) Applicants must be motivated to study the Japanese language.
  *The Scholarship Application Form may be completed in English, but selection points will be deducted if applicants fail to show any motivation to study Japanese in the Scholarship Application Form and interview.
  (9) Applicants must meet the requirements specified in (1) to (8) above and other requirements stipulated by the Foundation.
  *Those who are unlikely to complete their studies within the standard period for completion are ineligible.

Application Procedure:

How to Apply: All applicants should complete the scholarship application form and mail it to the Foundation, along with the following application materials:

• Scholarship Application Form (Use the form designated by the Foundation, printed on a single side on A4 size paper. Please leave pages unstapled.)
  *All documents other than the letter of recommendation must be handwritten in Japanese or English by the applicant (do not use erasable pen). Applications completed in English must be accompanied by a Japanese translation. For more information, please see our Application FAQs.
  *Renewing applicants must not copy from a Scholarship Application Form submitted for a previous application. You will be disqualified if you copy any material from a previous application. Even if there has been no change in your future aspirations and research subjects, you should rewrite your application in new words.
• Letter of recommendation duly signed by the recommender and placed in a sealed envelope for submission.
  *If a professor is to recommend two or more applicants, please rank the applicants and state the reasons behind, then enclose the statement of reasons in the same envelope with the letter of recommendation.
• Color photograph: 4.5 cm x 3.5 cm photo showing the applicant facing forward from the waist up, taken no longer than six months ago (Paste the photo to the application form.)
• Academic transcript: Most recent transcript, with course titles, credits earned, grades or other evaluations of student performance, and explanations of what the evaluations mean. (Pass/fail records alone are not acceptable.) Send a transcript current as of the most recent year for which level evaluations or grade evaluations were made. A statement of reasons for not having grades in the institution currently attended is not acceptable.
  *At least one year’s worth of academic transcripts are required. If your most recent transcript only covers half a year, submit the one from the previous year as well.
• Certificate of residence: Official copy of full record issued on or after the call for applications is made. Photocopies, abbreviated records, and records that include an Individual Number (as nicknamed “My Number”) are not acceptable.

Application Form

Scholarship Link