Bridging Scholarships for Study in Japan
The Association of Teachers of Japanese Bridging Project offers scholarships to American undergraduate students participating in study-abroad programs in Japan. Funding from private foundations and major U.S. corporations has made it possible for ATJ to award 100 scholarships annually to assist students with the travel and living expenses they will incur while studying abroad in Japan for a semester or an academic year. Contributors to the scholarship fund include Citigroup, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Estee Lauder Group of Companies, The Freeman Foundation, Goldman Sachs, Lockheed Martin, Morgan Stanley, Nishimoto Trading Co., Shinsei Bank, The Starr Foundation, Teradyne, Toyota Motor Sales USA, and Weyerhaeuser.
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 or permanent residents and must be enrolled as undergraduates in a college or university in the United States before and during the time they are studying abroad. (For a list of the most recent recipients of the Bridging Scholarship, scroll down to the bottom of this page.)
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.
Applications for Bridging Scholarships are accepted twice a year.
Please submit three copies of all materials except letters of recommendation and transcripts. Faxed or e-mailed applications will not be accepted. All materials must be received by the end of business of Thursday, October 5. The results of the competition will be announced by the end of November. Selection will be made by a committee and will be based on academic potential and financial need.
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.
For more information, please visit the website: Bridging Scholarship.