Online information session on this scholarship program will be held as below. If you are considering applying, please feel free to register and join in. You can register for the session here.
First session: 24th Oct 2025 Fri 6:00-7:30pm
Second session: 25th Nov 2025 Tue 6:00-7:30pm
Please check the presentation slide from here
*For the example of how to fill out the application form, please see here.
About application
Q. I will take the exam this year and plan to enter university (graduate school) next April, but am not currently a university (graduate school) student.
If so, can I apply for the current year’s application?
You can apply.
After passing the selection process, you will be officially hired if you are confirmed at one of the three universities (graduate schools) that you have filled out the application form.
*If you pass the scholarship selection process but have not been accepted to a university (graduate school), you will not be considered as a scholarship recipient.
Q. I am currently living outside of Japan. Can I apply for this scholarship?
Unfortunately, you cannot apply. This scholarship is for those who already reside in Japan. Please note that applicants planning to enroll in a Japanese university the following academic year may apply starting from their second year after obtaining a student visa and residing in Japan.
Q. I am currently an undergraduate student (graduate student). I have already applied for other scholarships and have received assistance for half of my tuition and other expenses. Can I apply to cover the rest of my tuition?
You may apply.
Please fill in the required amount on the application form.
Q. I wish to enter a vocational school.
Unfortunately, the Toshizo Watanabe International Scholarship is for university study. If you need a scholarship for vocational school, please consider applying for the Refugee Vocational Education Program (RVEP) .
Q. I am not a refugee, but I am unable to return to my home country. Can I apply?
You may apply as a person with refugee background.
Please submit documentation explaining why you are unable to return home.
Please submit a statement issued by an NGO or other documentation explaining your inability to return home.
Q. I plan to transfer to another university. Can I still apply?
You can apply. Please indicate your desired transfer university on the application form.
Q. I am currently enrolled in university. Can I apply? If so, how many years of support will I receive?
You can apply. Please note that scholarship supports are provided only for the number of years required from enrollment to graduation. If scholarship supports begin during your enrollment period, the duration will correspond to the number of years remaining until graduation. For example, if supports start in your second year, we will cover the three years from your second to fourth year. Extensions are not possible, even in cases of academic retention.
About documents
Q. Do I need to submit the original documents?
No need to submit the original document. Please convert it to PDF etc. and upload it to the application form.
Q. Are there any rules regarding the issuance date of documents proving language proficiency, graduation certificates, and transcripts?
There is no specific deadline, so please submit any documents you have.
Q. What documents should I submit explaining that my household is in a difficult financial situation?
If you worked in Japan last year, your employer should have issued an income tax deduction (源泉徴収票 げんせんちょうしゅうひょう), ,a copy of which should be submitted. If you do not have one, a copy of Tax Certificatea（課税証明書 かぜいしょうめいしょ）, your pay slip or bank account is acceptable.Please submit documents showing your income for the past year, if possible. If you get any support from families outside Japan, please submit the proof such as copy of bank account. You will not be asked to submit proof of income for family members who are outside of Japan.
Please note that having higher income from part-time work in the previous year to cover tuition and living expenses will not be disadvantageous in the review process. Please indicate on the application form that you are supporting yourself through your part-time work.
Q. What kind of person should write a letter of recommendation? Can I have a teacher or other person from my home country write them?
Ask a third party other than a family member who knows you well. The content should convey your personality, your academic and subsequent career plans, how and in what way you will work hard in the future, and other motivational information.
It is possible to have someone out of the country write it for you, but the language must be English or Japanese only.
For a recommendation letter, it is desirable that the following points are described in detail:
・The applicant’s academic performance
・Character
・Background as a refugee (why returning to their home country is difficult)
・Current financial situation
・Other noteworthy activities or achievements
Q. Can I submit the letter of recommendation after the document submission deadline?
It is not possible. Please submit your request in time to meet the document submission deadline.
Q. The applicant is still in the process of applying for refugee status and has not yet received refugee status from the foreign government/UNHCR.
Applicants may apply even while applying for refugee status. However, you must have obtained the necessary status of residence at the time of admission to the university.
Q. Regarding documents to explain refugee backgrounds, it is difficult to provide documentation reflecting the current situations in countries like Myanmar or Ukraine. What kind of documents should be submitted?
Please submit documentation explaining why you are unable to return home.
-Statement issued by an NGO
-Explanation by others such as school teacher
-Prepare your own materials explaining the circumstances if there are no explanatory materials provided by a third party
The format is flexible. You may include photographs if you wish. Third-party signatures are not required.
The impact of events like war varies depending on the region within the same country and the individual’s circumstances. Please prepare your documents to convey your specific region and experiences.
Q. I was born and raised in Japan, so my native language is Japanese. Therefore, I have never taken JLPT. What should I do for the “Japanese Language Test Result” section?
If you have a high school diploma in Japan, you may leave the Japanese language test result blank.
Q. I attend school in Japanese. Is an English qualification necessary?
For applicants who have been attending school in Japanese, submitting an English qualification is not required to assess whether they possess the language proficiency necessary to enter university and continue their studies. If you have one, please list it on your application form and submit it.If you plan to apply to a university English program , you will need to take the English proficiency test required for university entrance exams (such as TOEFL or IELTS).
Q. I am considering applying to a university where I can enroll and earn credits in English. Would I still need to have JLPT N4/5?
You may apply without JLPT 5-4 certification itself, but equivalent Japanese language skills are required. (As for documents to be submitted, proof of study at a Japanese language institute or explanatory documents from a Japanese language teacher may be substituted.)
If your Japanese language skills are not even at the N4 level, even if you earn a degree in English, you will not have the prospect of finding a job and building a life in Japan, so we require the Japanese language skills necessary to find a job after graduation in order for you to make the most of the scholarship in the future. If you haven’t reaches N5/N4 level yet, please improve your Japanese level to master the basics before applying to TWIS.
Q. I have studied Japanese, but I do not have any Japanese language qualifications. What kind of documents should I submit?
If you do not have the results of JLPT, JPT, etc., proof of study at a Japanese language education institution or documentation of explanation by a Japanese language teacher may be substituted. Please include information such as how long you have been studying and with which materials.
Q. Can I submit a Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) certificate instead of the Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU)?／
Can I submit the Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU) instead of a Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) certificate?
If the university department you plan to apply to requires the EJU, submit the EJU. If it requires the JLPT, submit the JLPT. For proof of Japanese proficiency for those already enrolled or applying through the English track, the JLPT, EJU, or other documents are acceptable.
Q. Final academic certificate and transcript is written in my mother language. How should I submit?
Please submit the original document written in your native language as a PDF, accompanied by either a Japanese or English translation. Submission of the original paper document is not required.The applicant can translate them by themselves. But, please be noted if we found intentional mistranslation, it will influence to our evaluation.
Q. If I dropped out of university or am currently enrolled, what should I submit as “Final academic certificate and transcript” ?
If you have attended university, please submit their high school graduation certificate, high school transcript, and university transcript.
Q. The results of the language proficiency test will be available after the scholarship application deadline. Is it possible to submit them late?
Submissions after the deadline are possible, but must be submitted no later than the interview date (February 1, 2026).
Language proficiency will be considered during the document screening process. Therefore, please include details demonstrating your language abilities, such as your learning history, in your application during this screening stage.
*For the example of how to fill out the application form, please see here.
About university
Q. I took the entrance exam this year and will be enrolling in a college or university next year. Which university would be eligible for the scholarship? Is this scholarship linked to a university?
The Rizo Watanabe International Scholarship is not a university-linked scholarship. You must apply to the university (graduate school) and take the entrance examination by yourself. For more information on the application process, please visit the website of the university of your choice.
To be selected as a scholarship recipient, you must be planning to enroll or be enrolled in a university (graduate school) in the following academic year.
About support
Q. The deadline for payment of the enrollment and tuition fees for the 2026 academic year is February or March 2026. When will the payments be made?
Once you have been officially accepted as a scholarship recipient, we will make the payment even during the fiscal year 2025. If you need to make a transfer of funds before your acceptance is confirmed, you will be required to make the transfer yourself.
Q. The payment deadline for tuition and admission fees is before March 2026. Can I still receive support?
This scholarship supports expenses related to academic studies beginning in April 2026 or later. Tuition fees for the 2025 academic year are not covered.
If the payment deadline for tuition or admission fees for April 2026 or later falls before March 2025, payment will be made after the scholarship recipient is selected (After February 2026 or later). If the payment deadline occurs before the scholarship selection results are announced, the applicant must pay upfront. If selected as a scholarship recipient, the scholarship office will reimburse the applicant. If not selected, reimbursement will not be possible. Please take this into consideration when planning your finances.
About interview screening
Q. Will the interview test be conducted in person?
Interviews will be conducted in person at a venue in Tokyo.
For those who live outside of the Tokyo metropolitan area, transportation will be covered by our organization.
Q. Will the interview be conducted in Japanese or English?
You can choose to conduct the interview in either Japanese or English. If conducted in English, we will ask several questions in Japanese to assess your Japanese communication skills and if conducted in Japanese, some English questions.
Others
Q. If I am not accepted this year, can I still apply next year?
You may apply again next year.
Q. What responsibilities and activities are expected of scholarship recipients?
Scholarship recipients are obligated to fulfill the following requirements:
・Attend the award ceremony (April 18, 2026)
・Submit monthly reports
・Participate in monitoring interviews (twice a year)
・Cooperate with awareness-raising activities concerning higher education for refugees and their admission in Japan (including lectures at universities/schools, interviews, media coverage, etc.). However, the scope of personal information disclosed may be determined at the recipient’s preference.