Honjo International Scholarship Foundation

What Honjo International Scholarship Foundation does

Honjo International Scholarship Foundation (本庄国際奨学財団, legally 公益財団法人本庄国際奨学財団) is a Japanese nonprofit public-interest foundation established in 1997 and headquartered in Tokyo's Shibuya ward. It operates a specified public-service promotion corporation certified by the Japanese government, which enables favorable tax treatment for donors and underwrites its endowment-funded operating model. The foundation's mission is to support students who can become future leaders in international society, regardless of nationality or field of study.

The foundation administers six core programs: (1) a foreign-student scholarship for international graduate students in Japan; (2) a domestic scholarship for Japanese graduate students; (3) a high-school and kosen (technical college) scholarship for Japanese students; (4) a scholarship for Japanese students pursuing graduate degrees abroad, paid in USD/GBP/EUR monthly stipends scaled by program length; (5) a Food and Health Research Fellowship disbursing approximately JPY 10 million annually across roughly five researchers (JPY 3M for human-subject research, JPY 1M for alternative methods); and (6) a Medical Doctor Overseas Study Grant announced for the 2027 fiscal year. The foundation also operates Shunpusou (春風荘), a renovated 100+ year-old traditional house in Tokyo's Kita-ku repurposed as an 8-room student dormitory to reduce scholars' housing burden and promote cross-cultural exchange. Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer via online applications, supplemented by channel-partner programs at USC Marshall (IBEAR MBA), University of Hawaii, Columbia School of Social Work, JMSA, and JAA New York.

The foundation is funded through donations and the management of an invested endowment; no revenue, donation, or investment-income figures are publicly disclosed in the available materials. Its go-to-market relies on its official website (hisf.or.jp), Facebook, annual bulletins, workshops, and an alumni exchange portal. The foundation has been continuously operating for over 27 years, celebrated its 20th anniversary with an international symposium in 2017, and shows no signs of operating discontinuity.

Name

Honjo International Scholarship Foundation

Legal name

公益財団法人本庄国際奨学財団

Website

https://hisf.or.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Honjo International Scholarship Foundation is a Japanese nonprofit foundation established in 1997 that provides scholarships to students across multiple programs — including international students in Japan, Japanese graduate students, and Japanese students abroad — plus food/health research grants and a student dormitory.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Scholarship and Educational Grant Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219), Educational Support Services (611710), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Foundation/NGO & Philanthropic Scholarships (EDAIAOAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Degree-Level Scholarships (Undergrad/Masters/PhD/Postdoc) (EDAIAOAE), Research Grants, Fellowships & Stipends (International) (EDAIAOAJ), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Country/Region-Specific Scholarships (Inbound/Outbound) (EDAIAOAC)

Keywords

• Scholarship programs
• Student financial aid
• Research grants
• Nonprofit foundation
• International student support

Headquarters

HQ city

Akasaka

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Foundation Income: As a public welfare foundation (公益財団), the organization operates through donations and manages invested funds to provide scholarships and research grants. The foundation is certified as a specified public-service promotion corporation, allowing donors favorable tax treatment.
2. Food and Health Research Fellowship: Research grants funded by the foundation: JPY 3,000,000 for research using human subjects, JPY 1,000,000 for alternative methods. Total budget of approximately JPY 10 million distributed among about 5 researchers annually.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Honjo International Scholarship Foundation provides scholarships to students from any country and academic field, including international students in Japan, Japanese graduate students, high school/kosen students, and Japanese students studying abroad. It also funds a food and health research fellowship, a medical doctor overseas study grant, and operates a traditional Japanese-style student dormitory (Harakaze-so) in Tokyo.

Product overview

Honjo International Scholarship Foundation operates as a scholarship and research grant organization offering multiple distinct programs. The core offerings include four scholarship programs for different student categories: Foreign Student Scholarship for international students studying in Japan, Japanese Domestic Graduate Student Scholarship, High School/Kosen Student Scholarship, and Japanese International Student Scholarship for those studying abroad. The foundation also provides the Food and Health Research Fellowship for researchers studying food's effects on health maintenance, and the Medical Doctor Overseas Study Grant. A student dormitory called '春風荘' (Harukaze-so) offers traditional Japanese-style accommodation in Tokyo. The organization publishes an annual bulletin and maintains partnerships with overseas universities for scholarship programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 春風荘 (Shunpusou): Traditional folk house student dormitory operated by the foundation since April 2018, located in Kita-ku, Tokyo. Accommodates 8 students with traditional Japanese living experience.

Products and services

• Foreign Student Scholarship Program (外国人留学生奨学金) Scholarship program for international students pursuing graduate studies at Japanese universities, providing financial support for tuition and living expenses.
• Japanese Domestic Graduate Student Scholarship (日本人大学院生奨学金) Scholarship program for Japanese citizens pursuing master's or doctoral degrees at domestic Japanese universities.
• High School and Kosen Student Scholarship (高校生・高専生奨学金) Scholarship program for Japanese high school and five-year technical college (Kosen) students facing economic barriers to continuing their education.
• Japanese International Student Scholarship (海外留学日本人大学院生奨学金) Scholarship program for Japanese graduate students studying abroad at overseas universities, offering monthly stipends in USD, GBP, or EUR based on program duration.
• Food and Health Research Fellowship (食と健康研究助成金) Research grant supporting studies on the effects of food or food ingredients on health maintenance through human experimentation or alternative testing methods. Provides JPY 3,000,000 for human subject research and JPY 1,000,000 for non-human subject research, with approximately JPY 10,000,000 distributed among five researchers annually.
• Medical Doctor Overseas Study Grant (医学博士海外留学助成金) Grant program supporting Japanese medical doctors pursuing overseas study, with applications accepted during September each year for the following fiscal year.
• Harakaze-so Student Dormitory (春風荘) Traditional Japanese-style student dormitory located in Tokyo's Kita-ku, Oji-Honcho, converted from a 100+ year old traditional house. Features 8 rooms (4 male on 1st floor, 4 female on 2nd floor), with modern amenities including Wi-Fi, air conditioning, and security monitoring. Monthly rent is JPY 25,000 including utilities, internet, and security monitoring.
• Overseas Partnership Scholarship Programs (海外提携奨学金プログラム) Scholarship programs administered in partnership with overseas universities including USC Marshall School of Business IBEAR MBA Program, University of Hawaii, Japanese Medical Society of America, Japanese American Association in New York, and Columbia University School of Social Work.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Tokyo International Exchange Center (Plaza Heisei)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 August 2017Venue partner for the 20th Anniversary International Symposium. The opening ceremony and panel discussions were held at the Tokyo International Exchange Center Plaza Heisei.
• Grand Prince Hotel Shin-TakanawaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 August 2017Venue for the 20th Anniversary Ceremony held on August 20, 2017.
• University of Southern California, IBEAR MBA Program, Marshall School of BusinesscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Honjo Foundation/Jack G. Lewis Scholarship supports the IBEAR MBA Program. Fund is invested by Honjo Foundation; application accepted by the university.
• University of HawaiicoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUH Misawa-Honjo Scholarship Program. Fund invested by Honjo Foundation; application accepted by the university.
• Japanese Medical Society of America (JMSA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJMSA-Honjo Scholarship Program supporting Japanese medical professionals in the US.
• Japanese American Association in New York (JAA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJAA-Honjo Scholarship Program for Japanese students in the New York area.
• Columbia University School of Social WorkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorColumbia University-Honjo Scholarship Program supporting social work students.
• Itoen (伊藤園)minorOthersCorporate sponsor appearing on the foundation's website as a supporter of activities.
• Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for student support, appearing on the foundation's website.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Fulbright Program Japan: US-government-funded international exchange and scholarship program with a Japan-focused track for foreign and Japanese students. Directly comparable to HISF in applicant base, country focus, and graduate-study funding model.
• Schwarzman Scholars: Premier international master's scholarship program at Tsinghua University, Beijing. Comparable to HISF in mission of developing future international leaders, donor-funded foundation model, and high-prestige applicant positioning.
• Asian Development Bank - Japan Scholarship Program: International scholarship program supporting graduate study in Asia-Pacific, funded by the Japanese government and ADB. Comparable to HISF's foreign-student-in-Japan scholarship in mission, applicant profile, and disbursement model.
• Knight-Hennessy Scholars (Stanford University): Stanford's flagship fully-funded graduate scholarship and leadership development program. Highly comparable to HISF in selecting high-potential graduate applicants for international leadership development, though tied to a single host institution.
• Rotary Foundation Global Scholarship Grants: Long-established international scholarship foundation funding graduate study abroad for high-achieving students. Highly comparable to HISF in mission, foundation structure, alumni network emphasis, and applicant selection model.

Broad incumbents

• Li Ka Shing Foundation: Asia-focused philanthropic foundation supporting education through scholarships and university partnerships. Comparable to HISF in foundation structure, education focus, and cross-border scholarship administration.
• Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program: Large-scale international scholarship program supporting African and other students at partner universities globally. Comparable to HISF's mission of supporting talented students regardless of background, though at materially larger scale and broader geographic scope.
• MEXT (Monbukagakusho) Scholarship: Japanese government scholarship program for international students funded by the Ministry of Education. Directly comparable to HISF's foreign-student-in-Japan program in applicant profile and coverage of tuition plus living stipend, but backed by state funding at vastly larger scale.

Others

• Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO): Government-affiliated Japanese student support organization that administers scholarships and loans to both Japanese and international students. A listed partner on HISF's website, JASSO is a comparable scholarship administrator in Japan, though with much larger scale and government backing.
• Institute of International Education (IIE): Major international education organization administering Fulbright and other scholarship programs globally. Comparable as an ecosystem intermediary in international scholarship administration rather than a direct applicant-facing competitor to HISF.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/groups/125731844112801

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Honjo International Scholarship Foundation