Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation - Daiwa Scholarships

Benefit

You will receive a living allowance of about £1,450 per month (about 1,700 EUR) for a programme lasting approximately 20 months. The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation will also cover your tuition and examination fees, your flights to and from Japan, the cost of hotel accommodation in Tokyo whilst you are looking for a flat, and private health insurance. The Foundation’s office in Tokyo will provide you with on-the-ground support.

You will start at the end of July or beginning of August with a one-month intensive Japanese course in the UK. In September, you will move to Tokyo to study Japanese intensively for around 12 months. The aim is to achieve Level N2 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), the second-highest level. You will then spend a month living with a Japanese host family outside Tokyo. The programme concludes with a work placement lasting several months that is tailored to your career goals, for example at a museum, a law firm, a university, a research centre or an architectural practice. You are not permitted to undertake any paid work during the duration of the scholarship.

Eligibility

• Nationality: You are a British citizen.
• Degree: By the time you leave, you hold a degree from any UK university in any subject except Japanese, or you can show excellence in your field.
• Japanese: You do not need to know any Japanese. If your Japanese language skills are already above JLPT level N3 (lower intermediate), you are not eligible to apply.
• Career goals: You have clear career plans and would like to help strengthen relations between the UK and Japan.
• Leadership: You show great leadership potential.
• Languages: A knack for learning languages improves your chances, but it’s not a prerequisite.

How to apply

Apply online by 3 December 2026 for the 2027 programme. Your three reference letters are due by the same date. Shortlisted candidates have a first interview in London in February 2027. They then take an online language aptitude test and a final interview with the trustees on 15 or 16 March 2027.

How realistic are your chances?

Every year, up to 8 scholarship holders are selected.

If the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation scholarship is not the right fit for you, our guide Scholarships in the United Kingdom lists further funding options across the UK.