The Bridging Scholarship program will award 30+ scholarships to American students participating in study-abroad programs in Japan during the 2013-2014 academic year or the Fall 2013 semester. Undergraduate students majoring in any field of study and attending any recognized exchange or independent program in Japan are eligible to apply for these scholarships. Japanese language study is not a prerequisite. Applicants must be U.S. citizens who are enrolled as undergraduates in a college or university in the United States before and during the time they are studying abroad.

Recipients of Bridging Scholarships will receive stipends ranging from $2,500 to $4,000, depending on the length of their study program in Japan. The scholarships are funded by donations from U.S. corporations and foundations to the US-Japan Bridging Foundation, and administered by the American Association of Teachers of Japanese. Since 1999, the Bridging Scholarship program has awarded more than 1,250 scholarships to students studying abroad in Japan.

The deadline for applications for the Fall 2013 semester or the 2013-2014 academic year is Monday, Apr. 8, 2013. Applicants will be notified of the results by Thursday, May 30. Selection will be based on academic potential and financial need. (Students studying in Japan during only the Spring 2014 semester should wait until fall of 2013 to apply.)

In addition, Morgan Stanley Japan will award two $7,500 scholarships to undergraduate students who will be studying abroad in Japan during the 2013-2014 academic year. Applicants must submit an essay on one of several designated public-policy topics together with an application for the Bridging Scholarship program.

Information on the Bridging and Morgan Stanley scholarships and online application forms are available at ATJ’s Web site.

Printed application brochures are also available upon request, or they can be downloaded from the Website.

Students who are interested in applying and/or looking for assistance with their applications may contact Michele Galati in the Career and Scholarship Center (Building 1A, Room105) at michele.galati@csi.cuny.edu or 718.982.2301. 

The Center for International Service also offers various programs for study abroad in Japan. The application deadline for Fall 13 programs in Japan is Friday, March 1. For more information, contact Satoko Fukai in the Center for International Service (Building 2A, Room 106) at satoko.fukai@csi.cuny.edu or 718.982.2100.