Rotary Scholarship Application Q&A
2025FY【About the Foundation】
Q1：What is Rotary？
A ：Rotary is a global network of 1.2 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problemsolvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change.
Rotarians wish to make a difference at home and around the world; the members canbe found in your community and across the globe.
https://www.rotary.org/en/ (Rotary International)
Q2：What is Rotary Yoneyama Memorial Foundation？
A ：Rotary Yoneyama Memorial Foundation is a Multi-District Activity, supported andpromoted by the Rotary districts in Japan. The scholarship program was established in1952, and it’s directed solely at students coming from other countries to study in Japan.
It is the largest domestic private sector scholarship program for foreign students. The
foundation is supported by donations from Rotarians throughout Japan.
http://www.rotary-yoneyama.or.jp/english/ （Yoneyama Memorial Foundation）【Application Eligibility】
Q1：Who is eligible to apply through Saitama University？
A ：Students enrolled in any faculty/graduate school of SU, in the year of Undergraduate
3rd/4th year, Master’s 1st/2nd year, or Doctoral 2nd/3rd year (1styear Doctoral is ineligible)
as of April 2025 are eligible to apply.
Q2：Can Non-degree students apply as well？
A ：Non-degree students, including graduate research students, STEPS students, andCredit seeking auditors, are ineligible, but those who have been accepted to enroll theMaster’s degree program from October 2024 or April 2025 are eligible to apply. You
must submit the letter of acceptance with your application.
Q3：I will be extending my program for one more year. Am I eligible to apply？
A ：Yes. Students being away from the University (Ex. studied abroad as exchange student,
1drafted into military service, etc.) may state the reason on the 3rd page of the application
form. Please note that the scholarship will be determined when the recipient marked
unsuccessful grades. It is not recommendable for the students who could not graduate
with insufficient credits to apply for this scholarship. *Please consult with the office on
how to state the “Reason of leaving” as well as “Year of returning”.
Q4：I am unable to submit my application directly because I am not in Japan during theapplication period. Am I eligible to apply?
A ：Current SU students are eligible to apply, even if they are still out of Japan at thetime of application. For detail, please refer to “How to Apply” on “Information on
2025FY Application”. However, if the applicant is not present at the time of theFoundation interview, held in Japan on 18 January 2025, he/she may be asked towithdraw from the application. Please note that students who plan to enroll in
October 2024 or April 2025 must be in Japan at the time of application.
Q5：My current visa status is not “Student”. Can’t I apply？
A ：Visa status of “Student” is required, however, other Visa status holders may apply
under the circumstance of changing the visa status to “Student” after being acceptedby the foundation. (The result will be announced by mid-February 2025.)
Q6：I was receiving Rotary Scholarship during my undergraduate. I will be admitting to theMaster’s program from April 2025. Can I apply again？
A ：No. Former recipient may not apply again even when you proceed or transfer to adifferent program, department, or University.
Q7：I am currently receiving another scholarship. Can I apply？
A ：If your current scholarship ends by March 2025, you are eligible to apply.
Q8：I am currently applying and waiting for the result for another scholarship. Can I apply
for Rotary simultaneously？
A ：If you are applying for other scholarships for 2025FY, which is your first choice toreceive, it is not recommendable to apply for Rotary. We highly suggest that you apply
for Rotary by understanding and agreeing with the aim and purpose of the foundation.
Please note that once being accepted, declining Rotary by the reason of receiving otherscholarships is not recommendable.
Q9：I can read and write Japanese, but it is difficult for me to listen and I can only2

speak a little. Can I still apply？
A ：Application form must be handwritten in Japanese and the interview will be conductedentirely in Japanese. Of course, if you can write the application form neatly in Japanese,
there is no restriction of applying. However, mutual communication will be required by
the time of the foundation interview, scheduled in January 2025. Therefore, theuniversity will hold interviews as a pre-screening process to the students who areenrolled in programs that award academic degrees in English. Please note that theuniversity may also ask the applicant to cancel the foundation interview if his/herJapanese proficiency is not up to the level. If you would like to know more about thismatter, please consult with the Office of International Affairs prior to your application.
Q10：Which type of students will be accepted by the foundation？
A ：The foundation is looking for students who willingly be part of their activities incommunity services. Refer to “What the Foundation Expects for Scholarship
Recipients”, and if you think their expectations are too much for you, it may be betterfor you to apply for some other scholarships that do not require any activity
participations.

【Application Procedure】
Q1：When do I need to submit the recommendation letter from my supervisor？
A ： Only the ones who have passed the screening will be asked to submit therecommendation letter. There is no need to submit it at the time of application.
Instruction will be given to the nominees after the screening.
Q2：Is it OK to fill out the application documents in pencil？
A ：No. All the documents submitted by the applicants will be uploaded online on thefoundation website, and pencil writing might not appear clearly. Use a black ink or ballpoint pen (erasable pen accepted) to fill out the forms. You may also use a white out
for miswritten letters. Please also refer to the example attached to the website.
Q3：I will be out of Japan during the application period. How can I submit myapplication documents？
A ：Submission by e-mail will be permitted ONLY for SU students being away from Japanfor during the application period. Please refer to “How to Apply” on “Information on
2025FY Application”. Applications can be declined if not correctly submitted, so please
read the instructions carefully.
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Q4：What are the criteria of screening selection within the university？
A ：The committee will evaluate the applicants based on the transcript grades, financial
situations, written essays, etc. Also by following the criteria of the foundation, theuniversity may be selecting nominees from different nationalities, programs, andenrolled grade year if needed. For those who are enrolled in programs that award
academic degrees in English, university will hold interviews as a pre-screening process.
As mentioned above, please note that the priority will be given to the General Applicants
to be selected.
Q5：When and how will the results of selection be announced？
A ：Results will be announced via E-mail in September.
Selected nominees must reply to the mail within 24 hours after the notice ofselection being announced in order to receive further instructions.
Q6：I was away and did not have an access to the internet. It’s already after the due date
to reply, but can I contact the office when I get back to Japan?
A ：No. Failing to reply mails by the due date will be considered as you have declined yourapplication. We may contact you before and after the screening in case of missing
documents or for any other reasons. Please be sure to have an accessible mail accountaway from Japan and check your mail at least once a day during the application period.
Q7：Do all the nominees take the interview by the foundation？
A ：Yes. Everyone who is selected as a nominee will be taking the interview by thefoundation. The scheduled date of the interview is January 18 (Sat), 2025.
Q8：What kind of questions will I be asked at the interview？
A ：Every year, nominees will be asked about the reason why you chose Japan to study
abroad, your research theme (what you are currently studying about), details of what
you wrote in your application essays, your experiences and thoughts about volunteering
activities, and many more about yourself. Nominees will also be asked about what you
know about Rotary International and Rotary Yoneyama Memorial Foundation. We
strongly advise you to learn about the aim of the foundation along with their activities
by studying their website thoroughly, or by asking the current Yoneyama scholarship
recipients about their activities. If you do not have any experience of volunteering, you
may want to join few of them until the interview. Reports of the previous nominees’
interview are available for references.
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Q9 ：Is there any chance I can practice with someone to prepare for the interview?
A：Yes. After being well prepared, nominees are able take a mock interview with Prof.
Nakamoto (International Student Advisor) in December. Please consult with the Officeof International Affairs to make reservations.

【What the Foundation Expects for Scholarship Recipients】Q1：When and how do I receive the scholarship disbursement？
A ：The scholarship will be paid in cash. Each recipient will be assigned to one Rotary club,
serving as his/her host club, and one member from that club will act as a “Counselor”.
Recipients must attend the monthly meeting of their host club (may be held onweekdays), where they receive the disbursement directly from the counselor.
Q2：What other things besides the monthly meetings are expected to attend？
A ：In addition to the monthly meetings, ceremonial gatherings for District 2770 are held
5 times an year. Plus, other club activities, such as cultural events, services, sports,and social activities, many of which are carried out jointly with Rotary clubs areexpected to attend. In some months the activities may take place on every weekend.
Submitting essays twice a year are required as well.
Q3：I am busy with my Doctoral (Master’s) research/experiment studies, and have no time
to attend all those activities. It is OK just to attend the minimum required monthly
meetings?
A ：The most important matter for the recipients of the Rotary scholarship is to willingly
communicate and be part of the Rotary club activities. If this sounds too much for you,it may be better for you to apply for some other scholarships that do not require any
activity participations.

When applying, please understand that this scholarship is supported entirely by thedonations from the Rotarians throughout Japan. Rotary not only awards scholarship
financially, but also turns attention toward international exchange and “heart to heart”
interactions through community service activities. It will be a good chance to experience
5Japanese cultures and manners. Please join the activities of the foundation positively andactively to experience many new things.
For further information on Rotary Scholarship application, please contact the Office ofInternational Affairs.

Office of International Affairs,
Saitama University
ryugaku@gr.saitama-u.ac.jp048-858-3011

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