Singaporean Scholar, Shuen, Awarded the Rotary Yoneyama Memorial Scholarship while Studying International Liberal Studies at Waseda University, Japan

Hello, I’m Shuen from Singapore. I’m now working in Tokyo after completing my Bachelor’s in International Liberal Studies at Waseda University. I specialized in sociolinguistics, as I’ve always been fascinated by the way language influences how we see and understand the world.

Rotary Yoneyama Memorial Scholarship Details

I received the Rotary Yoneyama Memorial Scholarship in my 3^rd and 4^th year at Waseda, which provides a stipend of 100,000 JPY/month. (140,000 JPY/month for Graduate students)

Were You Offered any Other Scholarships?

I was also under the Waseda University Partial Tuition-Waiver Scholarship for Privately Financed International Students in my 1^st and 2^nd This scholarship covered a 50% fee remission for my tuition for those 2 years.

This scholarship was automatically awarded to students with good academic records and a household income that did not fulfill a certain criterion – no additional application was involved.

Educational Background

Prior to Waseda University, I completed my high school education in Singapore and completed the Cambridge A Levels. Results-wise, I received an A for my Japanese, Mathematics, Chemistry, and Economics subjects, and a B for the General Paper subject. While not a requirement, I believe it helped that I already had a grasp of the Japanese language and took it as an examinable subject, showing my interest in the language and country.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to Waseda University?

How Did You Find Information About Scholarships and Waseda University?

I mainly applied to Japanese schools that had an English course, mainly by finding information online. Waseda University also came to my school in Singapore for recruitment, and I was thus able to find out more there.

Information about scholarships was available on the university homepage.

Did You Take Any Standardized Tests? If So, How Did You Prepare for Them?

I only submitted my Cambridge A Levels scores.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to the Rotary Yoneyama Scholarship?

(The following is from my application in 2018, so there may be some differences now.) For the Rotary Yoneyama Scholarship, I was required to submit the following in Japanese:

• A letter of recommendation from a professor
• A study/research plan explaining your current studies and future plans at the university
• A short essay based on a set topic
• Academic grades, including GPA

Upon passing the first round of applications, I was then called into a group interview with several other candidates from my university

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

One thing would be my interest in cross-cultural communication, and my experience in student organizations that allowed me to interact frequently with other international students and members. The institution places heavy focus on communication and being culturally open, and appealing to my strengths in these areas during the interview helped my application stand out.

What Advice Would You Give Those Looking to Apply for a Similar Scholarship?

Understanding the objectives of the scholarship and what the institution providing the scholarship is looking for in their candidates.

In the case of the Rotary Yoneyama Memorial Scholarship, there are some requirements upon receiving the scholarship (such as joining your local Rotary club meetings 1-2 times a month, and interacting with your assigned mentor through regular events, etc.), so make sure you understand these requirements well prior to applying.