Bridging Scholarships in Japan
The Bridging Project offers scholarships to American undergraduate students participating in study-abroad programs in Japan. Funding from private foundations and major U.S. corporations, through donations to the nonprofit US-Japan Bridging Foundation, makes it possible to award about 100 scholarships each year to assist students with the travel and living expenses they will incur while studying abroad in Japan for a semester or an academic year. Applications are accepted twice a year for Bridging Scholarships.
FALL SCHOLARSHIPS
The next competition for Bridging Scholarships will be for students who will study in Japan beginning in Fall 2016. The deadline for applications is April 8, 2016. For directions on applying, please see "Instructions for Applicants" - http://www.aatj.org/studyabroad/japan-bridging-scholarships#instructions
SPONSORS OF THE BRIDGING SCHOLARSHIPS
Contributors to date for the scholarships include The Freeman Foundation (lead donor); Aflac Japan, AIG Holdings KK, Amway Japan G.K., Ronald and Maria Anderson, Anonymous, Bloomberg L.P., Paul Clawson, Webster Coates, Neal and Heather Cox, Estee Lauder K.K., Exxon Mobil G.K., Robert and Mary Feldman, Yoshiaki Fujiki, the Robert Grondine Memorial Scholarship Fund, Ellen Hammond and Yasuo Ohdera, Harry and Yumiko Hill, Ichigo Asset Management, the Japan Foundation, Alice Karsevar, Stephanie Klapper, Lockheed Martin Global, Inc., Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas), Morgan Stanley Japan, Jason Mortimer, Anne Nishimura Morse, Richard Mosher, Daniel Nelson, Oak Lawn Marketing, ORIX USA Corporation, T.J. Pempel, Thierry and Yasko Porté, Chris Quackenbush, Bradley Ramos, the Roche Family Foundation, Megan Schuffreider, David Sneider, George and Brad Takei, Temple University-Japan Campus, Toyota Motor North America, the U.S.-Japan Council-TOMODACHI Initiative, and Meryl Waldo.
Qualifications to Apply
Undergraduate students majoring in any field of study are eligible to apply for these scholarships. Japanese language study is not a prerequisite. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and must be enrolled as undergraduates in a college or university in the United States before and during the time they are studying abroad. Their study in Japan must last for at least 3 months and must earn credit that will transfer to their home campus in the US.
Bridging Scholarship recipients receive a stipend of $2,500 (for students on semester-long programs) or $4,000 (for students on academic year programs). Students studying in Japan on summer programs are not eligible to apply.
Each scholarship recipient will be expected to send a brief report about his or her study in Japan to the ATJ office within 60 days of returning from abroad. These reports will be valuable both for students who plan to study abroad in Japan and for teachers and advisors who are helping students to select suitable programs of study.
Instructions for Applicants
Applications for study in Japan beginning in the Fall should be submitted to AATJ by the deadline of April.
Please submit the following to the AATJ office:
- An application form can be downloaded from this website. A printed application can be requested from the AATJ office by phone, fax, or e-mail.
- A short essay (up to 500 words) introducing yourself, explaining your interest in study in Japan, and outlining what you hope to achieve by participating in a study abroad program (three copies).
- An official transcript from your college or university.
- A letter of recommendation from someone who knows you and is knowledgeable about your abilities and potential, preferably a professor or instructor in your major field. (This may either be submitted together with the application or mailed separately to the AATJ office; please note that it must be received by the application deadline date in order for your application to be considered.) Faxed or emailed letters will not be accepted.
PLEASE NOTE: An application deadline is NOT a postmark deadline; your application materials should be received by that date.
Bridging Scholarship Application Form
The application is available on the website in two formats:
• Application in Microsoft Word form.
You can download this form to your computer, fill it out on your computer, save it, print it, and mail it.
Type the information in the shaded boxes (boxes will expand as you type); tab between boxes; click your mouse or type an "x" to fill in a Yes/No box.
Download the Microsoft Word Form - http://www.aatj.org/resources/studyabroad/bridging_app2_form.doc
• Application in PDF format. You can download this form to your computer, print it, fill it in and mail it.
Download the PDF scholarship application - http://www.aatj.org/resources/studyabroad/bridging_app2.pdf
For more details please visit: https://www.aatj.org/studyabroad/japan-bridging-scholarships