Easy Application! Enjoy Your Life at Waseda with a Full Scholarship
Did you know that Waseda University’s internal scholarships do not need to be repaid? There are approximately 150 types of scholarships, and many can be applied for after enrollment! The “Spring Scholarship Registration” (for undergraduates) will begin in February 2024. At Waseda all scholarship applicants must submit their registration (including required documents) within a specific time period. If you miss the registration period, you will not be eligible for internal scholarships or financial assistance until the next registration period. The applicants who are most suited to each scholarship organization’s purpose and who meet the application qualifications are then selected from amongst the registered students. By registering their scholarship application online, students do not have to apply individually to a large number of internal or external scholarships; they apply to all at once. After registration, the University matches students with scholarships taking into account their eligibility and suitability. This kind of system is unique to Waseda University.
Waseda Weekly spoke with four scholarship recipients. Ikeuchi Yuha, a second-year student from the School of International Liberal Studies, shared how scholarships make it possible for her to study, join club activities, and try new things without hesitation. Fujishima Hiroyasu, a fourth-year student from the School of Fundamental Science and Engineering, and Bui Thi Hoang Yen, a second-year master student from the Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, both described how easy it was to apply. Dan Yixuan, a first-year international student from the School of Political Science and Economics, shared that receiving a scholarship increased her motivation to study and noted that there are many scholarships available for international students, as well. Scholarship and Financial Assistance Section staff member Keiji Ohta pointed out that financial assistance for international students is almost entirely in the form of grants and students whose guardians live overseas cannot usually apply for assistance that requires repayments, like student loans.
*Regarding the above “Spring Scholarship Registration” (for undergraduates), the explanation is for Japanese students or students with visa statuses such as “permanent resident”, “long-term resident”, “spouse or child of Japanese national” or “spouse or child of permanent resident”. For international students, the way to register differs depending on the school/graduate school you belong to. Please ask your school’s administrative office for more details.
Japanese article:手続き簡単！ 返済不要の100％給付型奨学金で充実のキャンパスライフを
Japan’s 1st Intercollege Ichigo Daifuku Research Club Produces and Sells its Own Product
The Waseda University Ichigo Daifuku Research Clubs’s (hereafter Ichigo Waseda) Secretary General Hitomi Kumagai, a third-year student in the School of Law, wrote this article as part of Waseda Weekly’s recurring corner called “Student Clubs.” Ichigo Waseda began in 2016 to promote the charm of ichigo daifuku (mochi stuffed with red bean paste and a whole strawberry) with the world. Members come from different universities and have a variety of reasons for joining the club: they like ichigo daifuku, strawberries, or sweet things in general; they like cooking; they want to try product development; or because they think the name of the club is interesting. There are even people who don’t like strawberries but still join.
Since 2022, club activities have mainly included experimenting with product development for the club’s original ichigo daifuku and taste-testing different flavors of stuffed mochi. They tried wrapping the red bean paste and strawberry in jelly-like warabi mochi and making their own red bean cream. After much trial and error, the club began selling its own “unwrapped” ichigo daifuku as a limited time offer in partner with Chachakoubou, a Japanese tea café in Nishiwaseda. Due to popular demand, in May of 2023 their product was also available for takeout at Chachakoubou’s second store in Asakusa.
Japanese article:日本初のいちご大福研究インカレサークル 商品開発・販売も実現！
Waseda Male Cheerleaders Represent Japan in Victory at the ICU World Cheerleading Championships
Soichiro Kakimoto, a fourth-year student in the School of Commerce, and Musashi Miura, a third-year student in the School of Fundamental Science and Engineering, were selected to represent Japan at the 2023 ICU World Cheerleading Championships (hereafter ICU Championship) held at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, USA. In a first for a team from Japan, they emerged victorious in the Coed Elite division. Waseda Weekly interviewed Soichiro and Musashi about how they began cheerleading, their memories of the competition, and their future plans.
Soichiro and Musashi both began cheerleading in high school. They attended the same school in Fukuoka which has the only all-male high school cheerleading team in all of Japan. Waseda is also famous for its all-male cheerleading team called the SHOCKERS. Soichiro shared that he chose Waseda because joining the Shockers would give him the opportunity to perform on the biggest stage including at the Waseda Festival. Musashi also thought about joining the Shockers, but the COVID-19 pandemic began while he was still in high school, so in order to have the opportunity to perform he chose to join PHOENIX, a private, adult team.
Both Soichiro and Musashi recalled how the ICU Championship provided them with a chance to practice with and learn from players from around the world. Musashi noted that even when they couldn’t communicate with words, they were able to connect by trying various cheer techniques together. In terms of the future, Soichiro is practicing with the all-men’s cheer team “Cheer Re-Man’s,” which formed in April 2023 and is made up of former SHOCKERS members. He is practicing with the goal of appearing on the TV show “America’s Got Talent.” Musashi, on the other hand, is working hard with the PHOENIX cheer team and plans to participate in this year’s ICU Championship in the Premier Division which demands higher-level techniques.
Japanese article:世界チアリーディング選手権大会優勝！ チア男子たちの挑戦
