Overview of the Scholarship for Nikkei Communities in Latin America and the Caribbean: Program for Developing Leaders in Nikkei Communities

1. Aim of the Program

The aim of this program is to assist Japanese emigrants in their resettlement efforts and to help them establish their lives overseas by nurturing future leaders among Nikkei communities. To this end, the program gives an opportunity of studying abroad in Japan to Japanese emigrants and their descendants living in Central, South America and the Caribbean. This program is open to those Nikkei who have been admitted to study at a graduate school in Japan, including individuals who wish to do so. This program provides support from the time of application to the completion of the degree program, as well as allowances for accommodation and tuition fees, etc. It has been implemented since FY2000.

Nikkei Leaders Students in Okinawa

new comer 2025

2. Participating Countries (11 countries)

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

3. Expected Number of Participants

Approximately 10 participants.

4. Fields of Study

Areas of research that can benefit the economic and social development of Nikkei
communities and the countries they reside.

5. Applicant Eligibility

To be eligible for this program, applicants must meet all of the following requirements.

  • 1 . Be a Japanese emigrant and descendant (In principle, up to third generation Nikkei)
  • 2 . Age: Under 40 years of age as of April 1 of the academic year in which the degree program at the host university begins. Selection preference will be given to those who have not obtained either a master's degree or a doctoral degree.
  • 3 . Academic Background: Completion of undergraduate-level education (bachelor’s degree holders) including those expecting to graduate by the end of March.
  • 4 . Admission into Graduate School:
    a) Those who have been admitted as full-time graduate students, and as research students or non-degree/part-time students at undergraduate/graduate level (hereinafter non-regular student), as well as those who are enrolled as above;
    b) In addition, among those wishing to enter graduate school, individuals who have received informal consent from Japanese graduate school for admission as fulltime students upon passing the entrance exam, or similarly received such consent as non-regular students.
  • 5 . Japanese Language Proficiency: Having a sufficient level of Japanese language ability for daily living in Japan.
  • 6 . Work/Employment: If the applicant is currently under employment, he/she needs to resign or take leave of absence from work prior to entering university so as to concentrate on his/her studies. During the period in which JICA provides support, with “Student” visa status, the applicant will not be allowed to engage in work, except activities within the scope allowed by the Minister of Justice as “activity other than that permitted under the status of residence previously granted.”
  • 7 . Health: Being in a physically and mentally fit condition

6. Period of Allowance Provision

  • 1 . After arriving in Japan, allowance will be provided up to a year for those who need research period as a non-regular student (research student or non-degree/part-time student, etc.)
  • 2 . After the above-mentioned period, when the student enrolls as a full-time status, additional years of allowance will continue to be provided: 2 more years to those entering a master’s course, 4 more years for doctoral course in medicine and odontology, and 3 more years for other fields of doctoral studies respectively. If Japanese language training is required by university prior to entering master’s and doctoral programs, allowance can be provided up to six months during the language training.
  • 3 . Necessary expenses incurred beyond the period of allowance provision will be borne by the student himself/herself.
  • 4 . Provision of allowance will be suspended from the second year onward if the student is not enrolled in university as a full-time student, although non-regular student is entitled for allowance for his/her first year.
  • 5 . For those who start receiving allowance as a graduate student, provision of allowance lasts for the minimum number of years required for obtaining respective degrees. (For example, 1 year provision for a second-year master student, and 3-year long provision for a second-year medicine/odontology doctoral student.)
  • 6 . Extension of the provision of allowance will not be admitted for those who do not obtain a degree within the designated period of allowance provision.

7.　Seminar for International Students

Since FY2013, a foreign student seminar has been held in March every year for all scholarship recipients of the program, providing an opportunity to strengthen their identities as leaders of Nikkei communities and to deepen bonds with other foreign students. In addition, since FY2016, the seminar has been held in conjunction with the Convention of Nikkei and Japanese Abroad in October, providing an opportunity to gather all the international students at the same time twice a year.

8.　Recruitment scholarship student for FY2026

FY 2026 Application Guide

Application period: From July 1, 2025 (Tuesday) to September 26, 2025 (Friday) * Application documents must arrive by this date.

Note1: For details, please refer to the application guideline and form documents below.

Note2: Annex to the application guidelines, “Online Program Guideline on Japanese Modernization Lecture Series”, “FAQ for Online Program Guideline on Japanese Modernization Lecture Series”, is information about the online courses that you can take after passing the exam and arriving in Japan.

Application documents

*Note
When contacting the university of your choice by e-mail, please be sure to mention that you are applying for the JICA Nikkei Leader Scholarship.

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