Overview

The Toshizo Watanabe Endowed Scholarship Fund provides financial assistance to Japanese and American undergraduate and graduate students pursuing study abroad program or international study in either the United States or Japan. A generous endowment gift of $10 million from Mr. Toshizo (Tom) Watanabe to the U.S.-Japan Council makes it possible to award scholarships to students for whom international study would not be possible without financial support.

Beginning in 2016, this scholarship program has allowed Japanese students to study in the United States, and since 2019, has allowed American students to study in Japan. The scholarship will support the cost of attendance to the institution or study abroad program of the applicant’s choice and grants awards to recipients in amounts determined by financial need and other qualifications.


Applications

The Toshizo Watanabe Scholarship Study Abroad Scholarship Program application for 2024-2025 cycle is closed.


Please see the following documents containing important information:

Eligibility (to study abroad in Japan)

  • U.S. citizen or permanent resident
  • Currently in good academic standing at an accredited college or university in the United States.
  • Undergraduate and graduate students (international study by the means of study abroad program or independently enrolling as a degree-seeking students)
  • Will be enrolled in an exchange program or credit-bearing course of study at a university or approved academic center in Japan in the upcoming academic year. Applicants who have not confirmed a school or are already enrolled in a Japanese school as a degree-seeking student are eligible. Cannot be used for language schools.
  • Demonstrates financial need for international study (i.e., would not be able to pursue international study without financial assistance or support)
  • Priority given to undergraduates. Graduate students and international degree-seeking students may also apply.

Preference Will Be Given to Applicants Who Meet the Following Criteria (Note: Not Required)

  • Applicants who have been raised by a single parent or an orphan.
  • First in family to attend or graduate from college (i.e., first-generation)
  • Applicants without international study experience or experience living abroad.

Click here for eligibility requirements to study abroad in the United States.

For any questions, please email [email protected]. Phone inquiries are not accepted.

Virtual Information Sessions for Potential Applicants & Administrators

For American administrators:  
November 15
2:00pm (ET)
Register for the session here.

For Japanese administrators:

November 14 10:00pm (ET) / November 15
12:00pm (JT)
Register for the session here.

For American applicants:
November 21
8:00pm (ET)
Register for the session here.

For Japanese applicants:
November 21 10:00pm (ET) / November 22
12:00pm (JT)
Register for the session here.

Meet the 2024-2025 Watanabe Scholars

Ⓐ indicates a previous recipient of the scholarship
** indicates a TOMODACHI alumnus or previous recipient
^ indicates a graduate student

Home Institution: The institutions where students are enrolled
Host Institution: The universities where students are currently completing their study abroad or research

Haruka Abe

Gota Akagiri

Bao Calvin Cao

Jillian Fitzgerald

Kazunori Fukuhara

Yuki Fukasawa

Geremy Giles

Akari Hayashi Ⓐ **

Chikako Inoue

Chii Kojima

Chihiro Komiya

Nikki Khong

Jaylin Liggins

Reycajen Magbulos

Kairi Mano

Elliot Mast

Rina Matsuo

Cassidy Mullineaux

Miku Nagai

Haruna Nakamura

Hitomi Nakamura

Taniya Newson

Jonah Nguyen-Conyers

Kenshin Noguchi

Monako Nozue

Mei Oguma

Katherine Padilla

Rion Saito

Miyako Semba-Norwalk

Minami Shiiba

Midori Shimabayashi

Rinna Shingaki

Risako Sho

Emu Suzuki

Marine Takeuchi

Aeris Thompson

Yoko Tsukamoto

Alexis Wallace

Asumi Yamamoto