Opportunities to work and study in Japan

I recently attended a 'Japan Information and Careers Day' at the Japanese Embassy in London and learnt more about different opportunities for current students to work and/or study in Japan.......                             
  Japanese Government (MEXT Scholarship)

Two types available:

1)      Japanese studies scholarship

2)      Postgraduate Research scholarship which is open to any discipline.  Can study for up to 18 months and no language ability is needed. 

Applications are available from April of each year.  Need to demonstrate a strong reason for wanting to do research in Japan.   Need to be under 35 years old at the time of applying.  Need to be a graduate or due to graduate by the September of the previous year.  Receive a monthly stipend that covers expenses, a 6 month intensive language course, return airfare to and from Japan, help with finding accommodation and a visa which allows for part-time work.  Application period is from April – Early June. Usually receive between 50-100 applications each year for between 4-6 places.

http://www.uk.emb-japan.go.jp/en/study/mext_postgrad.html

Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)

·         Support research initiatives

·         Foster the next generation of researchers

·         Develop international collaborations

https://www.jsps.go.jp/english/

Organise two way exchanges of researchers on 1-3 year projects.  www.jsps.org/funding/zunoujunkan.html

JSPS one-to-one programme

www.jsps.org/funding/research.html

Open Partnership Scheme

www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-bilat/main.html

There are also a variety of fellowship programmes to Japan available too.  

Purpose of JSPS London is to strengthen Japan-UK academic links. They host a UK based researchers association in London and have a UK-JSPS Alumni association.

JARC-Net is a Japan affiliated research community network https://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-affiliated/index.html

Daiwa, Anglo-Japanese Foundation

Daiwa scholarships have been set up to support closer links between the UK and Japan. http://www.dajf.org.uk/

19 month programme for those aged between 21-35.  First 12 months are spent learning Japanese in Tokyo. (6 scholars travel together).  Followed by a 1 month homestay and a 6 months work placement.  Scholars have to consider what type of work placement they would like before they go.  They have to find their own accommodation.  Receive around 200 applications each year and often more men than women apply.  The deadline is the 4^th of December and applications are available online.  The recruitment process is as follows:

1)      25/26 are invited for first round interviews

2)      15 are invited for the second stage which includes a language aptitude test and lunch

3)      10 get through to the next stage and are interviewed by the trustees

4)      6 are selected

The scholarship covers flights to and from the UK and a maintenance budget to help cover accommodation.

UEA graduate, Eluned (Creative writing 2012) is a recent Daiwa scholar and is just about to return to the UK and publish a novel.

JET Programme                                                        

For the 2014 departures they received 1,000 applications from around the UK.  From the 1,000 the JET programme need to select 148 Assistant Language Teachers and 6 Coordinators of International Relations (Japanese speakers).  The Foreign & Commonwealth Office is the most common destination for future careers of JET alumni.  8 UEA students applied for JET for 2014 and 1 has been successful.

http://www.jet-uk.org/index.php 

Deadline to apply is Friday 28th November 2014