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Did you know that all of Waseda University's unique Internal Scholarship that do not require repayment? There are approximately 150 types, and many can be applied for after enrollment. Private Scholarship also offer grant-type scholarships, many of which can be used in conjunction with Internal Scholarship. The "Spring Scholarship Registration (Undergraduate)" required for Scholarship applications begins in February 2024. This time, we spoke with Waseda students from School of International Liberal Studies, as well as students from the School School of Fundamental Science and Engineering, graduate students, and international students who decided to apply to reduce the financial burden on their families. We also spoke with staff from Scholarships and Financial Assistance Section about key application points. Please use this information to learn about the application process and what campus life is like after receiving Scholarship.

The career path opened by Scholarship am taking on the challenge of studying, working student club, and doing what I want to do without hesitation.

Yuha Ikeuchi, 2nd year School of International Liberal Studies

Currently studying abroad at Northeastern University in the United States

Scholarship currently being received

--Please tell us why you applied Scholarship.

Just when I was taking the entrance exams in my third year of high school, my father got injured and had to quit his job. I had originally wanted to go to Waseda University, but as I was from a rural area, there was a time when I worried that attending a private university would be a financial burden on my family. However, after doing some research, I realized that Waseda has a great range of non-repayable grant-type Internal Scholarship and that if I was eligible, it might even be cheaper than going to a national university. From there, I persuaded my parents that I would get Scholarship and go to university without any burden, and I applied to Waseda.

--Was the application process difficult?

I didn't find it particularly difficult. If I had to pick one thing, I would have to ask my parents, who live far away, to send me their income certificates and tax withholding slips. It takes time to gather these documents, and you cannot proceed based on your own convenience. I think it's important to prepare well in advance. Other procedures that you can complete on your own are detailed in a booklet called "Scholarship Information Challenge'' published by Scholarships and Financial Assistance Section, so it wasn't difficult as long as you read it carefully and proceed with the process.

--What process did you go through to decide on hiring? Please tell us the process from application.

If you apply for "Spring Scholarship Registration (Undergraduate)" every February and are selected for one of Scholarship, you will receive a notification via Waseda email. The general process was to submit the necessary documents accordingly.

In the case of the Ono Azusa Memorial Scholarship, all I had to do was register for February, check the notification from the university on MyWaseda, and wait for the payment. I thought there would be a more complicated process like sending documents and having an interview, but it turned out to be a very simple process.

Regarding the Hidetaka Kusumoto Scholarship, I received a message from School of International Liberal Studies office saying, "You are eligible for the Kusumoto Scholarship," and submitted the required documents. The content of the document was to write about what you are focusing on in your student life, such as "What do you want to work hard on in the future? What things have you devoted yourself to so far?" In total, I receive a total of 800,000 yen per year in Scholarship that do not require full repayment, including two on-campus Scholarship.

――Please tell us your impressions after receiving the scholarship and a message for other students.

Of course, I was relieved that I didn't have to burden my parents with tuition fees, but other than that, I am also extremely grateful to be able to lead a blessed student life. Since entering the university, I have been able to actively participate in Extracurricular activity, such as joining a jazz dance student club that I had always wanted to try, and belonging to a student organization that focuses on food and the environment. If I hadn't received Scholarship, I might have been busy working part-time and not been able to devote myself to classes and student club activities as much as I wanted.

Currently, I am studying abroad at Northeastern University in Boston, receiving Scholarship from Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) 's Study Abroad Support System. It was because I received Scholarship that I was able to pursue the challenges I wanted to take on without hesitation, gain a variety of experiences, and build diverse relationships with others. Please give Scholarship a try, which will give you a chance to expand your world!

Left photo: Jazz dance student club Oasis” (official student club) welcome performance
Photo on the right: Food education activities held at elementary schools as part of the activities of SoleiL, a student group that thinks about food and the environment.

About Scholarship registration (undergraduate students)

At Waseda University, all applicants for Scholarship must complete "Scholarship registration" (= online application and submission of required documents) within a specified period. From among the students registered Scholarship Scholarship the students most suited to each organization's purpose and application qualifications will be selected and recommended. However, if there is a sudden change in the household finances, such as death of a financial supporter, loss of job, damage due to a disaster, etc., registration may be approved on a case-by-case basis, so please consult with Scholarships and Financial Assistance Section.

The 2024 edition of the “Scholarship Information Challenge” is being distributed at each Faculty office and can be downloaded from Scholarships and Financial Assistance Section website.​

Click here for 2024 Scholarship registration

A wide variety of Scholarship at Waseda University! Introduced with one-point advice from Scholarships and Financial Assistance Section staff

This time, we will introduce Scholarship cases for graduate students and international students in addition to undergraduate students, as well as comments from Keiji Ota, an employee of Scholarships and Financial Assistance Section Student Affairs Division. Please feel free to use it as a reference.

[Undergraduate Student] The application process for the non-repayable Internal Scholarship was easy.

Hiroyasu Fujishima, 4th year, School of Fundamental Science and Engineering

Receiving Scholarship
[On-campus] Kimie Teruda Graduate School Entrance Support Scholarship
[Off-campus] Mitsubishi UFJ Trust Scholarship Foundation
[Off-campus] Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) Benefit type Scholarship

After entering the university, I read the "Scholarship Information Challenge'' and learned that Waseda University has a wealth of on-campus Scholarship. I registered for Scholarship because my parents' income met the Scholarship threshold. In the first year, I had a hard time preparing documents related to my parents' occupations and income, but other than that, the other tasks I was doing on my own weren't particularly difficult. Even after applying, I had the impression that everything from being accepted to receiving Scholarship went very smoothly. Thanks to Scholarship, I was able to attend a preparatory school to obtain the patent attorney qualification that I was interested in. I would definitely recommend Scholarship as they allow you to take on challenges to improve your skills.

[Graduate students] Scholarship are valuable support for achieving your future goals.

Bui Thi Hoang Yen, 2nd year master's program, Graduate Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering

Scholarship currently being received
[Internal] Graduate Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering Master's Program Scholarship
[On campus] Masateru Kimura Scholarship
[On campus] Tuition fee reduction/exemption Scholarship for privately financed international students
[Off-campus] Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Memorial Foundation

Applying for Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering Master's Program Scholarship was easier than I expected. After receiving instructions via Waseda email from Academic and Student Affairs Section, I submitted my undergraduate transcripts, the reason for applying for Scholarship, and my commitment to my field of study in English online. After applying, just wait for the results. It was a very smooth and stress-free process. I dream of working as a cancer research scientist in the future, and I was able to create an environment where I could concentrate on my studies by using Scholarship to purchase things necessary for my research.

[International students] Scholarship are also linked to motivation to study

Dan Yixuan, 1st year School of Political Science and Economics

Scholarship currently being received
[On campus] Tuition fee reduction/exemption Scholarship for privately financed international students
[Off-campus] Study incentive fee for privately financed international students

When I was selected to receive Internal Scholarship, not only was I very happy, but so were my parents and friends. Thanks to Scholarship, my financial worries were alleviated, allowing me to concentrate more on my classes. I have become more responsible for my grades, and I have started to proactively search for materials and dig deeper into the content of my classes. I think Scholarship has also motivated me to continue studying. I hope that international students will also be aware of the wide variety of Scholarship systems available at Waseda, and that they will actively take advantage of them to make their time abroad even more meaningful.

[Next Focus Preview] “Student Job Roundtable Special” to be released on Monday, January 15th