日本・シリア日本語学校パスウェイズ2025年度募集
Application is open from Friday, 2nd August to Thursday, 22nd August, 2024.
If you are interested in applying, please read this web page carefully and apply.
*The application form will be available from Friday, 2nd August.
What is Japan-Syria Japanese Language School Pathways?
Japan-Syria Japanese Language School Pathways offers an opportunity for Syrian youth in Turkey to study Japanese in private language schools across Japan for two years. From 2017 to 2024, 47 Syrian youth were admitted to Japan through this program with the support from private educational institutions, faith-based organizations, supporting companies, NGOs, individuals and local communities. . Selected students study tuition-free in the two-year program, which is considered the minimum required to reach a level of Japanese necessary to enter university or find employment in Japan.
In April 2025, 8 Syrian students will be admitted to this program.
What the Program Provides
・Japanese language classes prior to travel to Japan
・Airfare to Japan
・Support for visa issuance and residence permit
・Tuition at a Japanese language school for two years
・Subsidy for the first six months
・Introduction of part-time job opportunities and housing
・Educational consultation and/or career consultation every three months to enter university or find employment
*Please note that students are expected to work part-time to cover their rent and living expenses. Pathways Japan and language schools will help you find part-time work.
After completion of the program, students are expected to apply to universities/graduate schools or find employment.
Program Facebook Page
Please follow our page on Facebook for the latest information.
We will organize online Info Sessions on the dates below
28th July Sun 11:00 AM (Turkey time)
11th Aug Sun 11:00AM (Turkey time)
If you are interested in taking part, please register here.
Eligibility
1. Must be a Syrian citizen without any other citizenship/passport
2. Must reside in Turkey and be able to submit one of the documents below:
a) Temporary Protection Card (Kimlic) issued by the Turkish Government
b) Residence permit issued by the Turkish Government
3. Must already possess or commit to applying for a Syrian passport (A passport is necessary to obtain a visa and travel to Japan.)
4. Must be able to submit the academic certificate(s) below:
a) High school baccalaureate certificate and transcript for 3 years
b) (If you are a university student or graduate) University certificate and transcript for registered terms
5. If you are a high school graduate, you must be 26 years old or younger; if you are a university graduate, you must be 33 years old or younger.
6. Must agree to work part-time at an entry-level job to cover your own living expenses
7. Must be determined to master the Japanese language and adapt to a society with a different culture.
8. Those with basic Japanese skills will be prioritized.
Supporting Organizations
Pathways Japan – Implementing Organization
Pathways Japan (PJ) is a Japanese non-governmental and non-profit organization, independent of the Japanese government or UN agencies, supporting people with refugee backgrounds to be admitted to Japan to access higher education and employment. This program, originally called the Japanese Language School Program, and managed by the Japan Association for Refugees (JAR), was handed over to PJ on July 1, 2021.
Japanese Language Schools – Host Educational Institution
In 2025, around four Japanese language schools are planning to admit Syrian youth who are currently in Turkey to study Japanese from April 2025 to March 2027. These schools will provide a full-tuition scholarship. If you would like more information about the host schools, please contact here .
Japan ICU Foundation – Funding and Host Organization
The Japan ICU Foundation (JICUF) is a US non-profit organization based in New York. Since 2016, JICUF has partnered with JAR, and later with PJ, to administer the Syrian Scholars Initiative (SSI), a scholarship program for Syrian students to study at International Christian University (ICU) in Tokyo, Japan. From 2018 to 2022, SSI admitted seven Syrian students and has been offering them a full scholarship for four years. From 2023, JICUF will provide partial funding to administer the language school program.
Application Timeline
| 28th July (Sun) and 11th August (Sun) 2024 11:00-12:30 Turkey time | Online information sessions |
| 2nd August (Fri) – 22nd August (Thu) 2024 | Application Period |
| 9th August (Fri)– 29th August(Thu) 2024 | First interview (online) |
| 5th September (Thu) 2024 | Announcement of first round results |
| 14th (Sat), 15th (Sun) and 21st (Sat) September, 2024 | Trial Japanese language classes (online) |
| 27th (Fri) – 30th (Mon) September2024 | Second interview in Istanbul and Gaziantep |
| 11th (Fri) – 17th (Thu) October 2024 | Third interview (online) with Japanese language schools |
| 18th (Fri) October 2024 | Announcement of final results |
Steps After Selection
| Between 19th October and mid November 2024 | Application for residence status |
| December 2024 – March 2025 | Preparatory Japanese online classes |
| December 2024 | Japanese language study camp (planned) |
| Last week of March 2024 | Travel to Japan |
| Second week of April 2025 | School starts |
How to Apply
Please fill in the Application Form below. (For those who will pass the first interview will be requested to submit additional documents for application.)
Application Form for JSLP 2025
Application Period: 2nd Aug Fri-22nd Aug Thu 2024
For more details, you can refer to Program Guidance 2025 for JSLP.
If you have any questions, please contact us here.
FAQ
Q: What will my legal status be in Japan during the program?
A: You will stay in Japan with a student visa for two years. Please note that you will
not stay in Japan with “refugee” status.
Q: What will my legal status be in Japan after the program?
A: If you are a high school graduate, by entering university, you can extend your student visa for four years. (If you enter a vocational school, you can extend it for two years.) If you find employment after graduating from university/vocational school, you can apply for a work permit. The Japanese government does not issue work permits to foreigners without university or vocational school
certificate (except for some designated skill status defined by the government.)
If you are a university graduate and you find employment after finishing the language school program, you can apply for a work permit. Alternatively, if you enter graduate school, you can extend your student visa for another two years.
Q: What will happen if I am not able to attend university or vocational school, nor find employment?
A: Even if you are accepted to a university or vocational school, you will not be able to attend if you do not also obtain a scholarship or have enough savings to pay for tuition. Therefore it is important to do research on scholarships, prepare to apply, and also save money as much as possible during the two years of language study.
If you are unable to attend a university or graduate school, nor find employment, you must apply for humanitarian status to stay in Japan. PJ can give technical assistance but each student has to be responsible for one’s own own legal status as the decision will be made by the government.
Q: Can I work with a student visa?
A: As a student, you are legally allowed to work part-time up to 28 hours a week while school is in session, and 40 hours during school holidays. It is necessary for you to work to pay your rent and living expenses, but it work is also beneficial to improve your language skills and get accustomed to the local culture and people.
Q: What types of scholarships are there to attend university?
A: The following are some scholarships that you can apply for.
a) Toshizo Watanabe International Scholarship by PJ
In 2021, PJ established a new scholarship program for refugee background people seeking higher education named Toshizo Watanabe International Scholarship (TWIS). Students who have been admitted to the JSLP and have obtained sufficient EJU scores are eligible to apply. The details of TWIS can be found here.
b) UNHCR Refugee Higher Education Program (RHEP)
UNHCR Japan provides a program called Refugee Higher Education Program
(RHEP) for students with refugee background who are living in Japan. After your arrival in Japan, you will be eligible for this full scholarship program.
c) Philoxenia Scholarship offered by JELA
Japan Lutheran Evangelical Association offers the Philoxenia Scholarship for students with refugee background in Japan. Students admitted through JSLSP are eligible. Students must apply separately to universities and be admitted to receive this partial scholarship.
d) Other scholarship opportunities
There are other organizations which provide scholarships to international students in
Japan. For a comprehensive list, please visit the JASSO website.