The Honjo International Scholarship Foundation has opened its 2027 application cycle, offering funded Master's and PhD places in Japan to non-Japanese students, including those from Pakistan, in any field of research. Applicants do not need university pre-selection and can apply directly to the Foundation online, whether they are already enrolled in a Japanese graduate program or have been accepted into one with a planned start in 2027. Around ten scholarships will be awarded in this cycle. To qualify, applicants must hold non-Japanese citizenship and either be enrolled in, or set to begin, a Japanese graduate degree. Age limits apply: PhD applicants must be able to start their doctoral program by age 35, and Master's applicants by age 30, with no exceptions. The enrollment period remaining until graduation must be longer than twelve months. Because interviews for shortlisted candidates are conducted in Japanese, a basic conversational level of the language is required. The scholarship provides a monthly allowance for the minimum period needed to complete the degree: 230,000 yen for one- or two-year programs, 210,000 yen for three-year programs, and 180,000 yen for four- or five-year programs. The allowance does not cover tuition fees or the cost of initial travel to Japan. Applications opened on September 1, 2026, and close on October 31, 2026. Candidates submit an online form along with a research plan and a short research video; the system then issues an application number and a PDF of the completed form, which applicants are advised to keep. A supervisor's recommendation letter must also reach the Foundation by the deadline. After the submission window closes, document screening results are expected by January 31, 2027, with interviews in February 2027 and final results announced by March 31, 2027.