日本・シリア日本語学校パスウェイズ2026年度募集
Application is open from Wednesday, 23rd July to Friday, 15th August, 2025.
If you are interested in applying, please read this web page carefully and apply.
What is Japan-Syria Japanese Language School Pathways?
Japan-Syria Japanese Language School Pathways offers an opportunity for Syrian youth in refugee situations to study Japanese in private language schools across Japan for two years and build a career in Japan. From 2017 to 2025, 52 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. Recruited students can study Japanese with tuition-free for two years, the minimum length required to reach a level to enter university or find employment in Japan.
In April 2026, 8 Syrian students can be admitted to this program.
What the Program Provides
・Pre-departure Japanese language classes before traveling to Japan
・Airfare to Japan
・Support for visa issuance and residence permit
・Tuition at a Japanese language school for two years (worth USD15,000)
・Stipend for the first six months
・Introduction of part-time job opportunities and housing
・Educational and career consultation every three months to prepare for higher education or 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 them find part-time work.
*After completion of the program, students are expected to apply to universities 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
27th July Sun 11:00 AM (Turkiye time)
10th Aug Sun 11:00AM (Turkiye time)
If you are interested in taking part, please register here.
Eligibility
1. Must be a Syrian citizen without any other citizenship/passport
2. Live outside of Syria as a refugee or in a refugee-like situation and possess legal ID document in the country of residence.
3. Must already possess or commit to obtaining a Syrian passport by the due date (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 who already have 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 2026, more than four Japanese language schools are planning to admit Syrian youth with refugee backgrounds to study Japanese from April 2026 to March 2028. These schools will provide a full-tuition scholarship.
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. JICUF currently provides funding to administer Language School Programs for Syrians, Afghans and Ukrainians. It also manages Japan Education Pathways for refugee-background youth living in Japan to access a scholarship to study at universities in Japan.
Application Timeline
| 1st session : 27 (Sun) Jul 2025 2nd session: 10 (Sun) Aug 2025 11:00-12:30 Turkey time | Online information sessions |
| 23 (Wed) July– 15 (Fri) Aug 2025 | Application Period |
| 1 (Fri) Aug– 21 (Thu) Aug 2025 | First interview (online) |
| 12 (Fri) Sep 2025 (Planned) | Announcement of first round results |
| 20 (Sat), 21 (Sun) and 27 (Sat) Sep 2025 | Trial Japanese language classes (online) |
| 17 (Fri) Sep – 1 (Wed) Oct 2025 | Second interview (online) |
| 10 (Fri) Oct 2025 (Planned) | Announcement of second screening result |
| 24 (Fri) Oct – 6 (Thu) Nov 2025 | Third interview (online) with Japanese language schools |
| 7 (Fri) Nov 2025 or later | Announcement of final results |
Steps After Selection
| Between 13 Oct and mid Nov 2025 | Application for a school and residence status in Japan |
| Mid Nov 2025 – Mar 2026 | Preparatory Japanese online classes |
| Dec 2025 | Japanese language study camp in Turkey (planned) |
| Last week of Mar 2026 | Travel to Japan |
| Second week of Apr 2026 | 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 2026
Application Period: 23rd Jul Wed-15th Aug Fri 2025
For more details, you can refer to Program Guidance 2026 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 resident status of student for two years. Please note that you will not travel to 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 or a vocational school, you can extend your student until graduation. If you find employment after graduating from university/vocational school, you can apply for a resident status with work perm. The Japanese government does not issue work permits to foreigners without university or vocational school certificate (except for some designated skills 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 status until graduation.
Q: What will happen if I am not able to attend university or vocational school, nor find employment?
A: If you are unable to enter a university or a school, nor find employment, you can apply for temporary protection status given to Syrians to continue your stay in Japan. PJ can give technical assistance but each student has to be responsible for one’s own legal status as the decision will be made by the government.
Q:Can I work with a student status?
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 will be necessary for you to work to pay your rent and living expenses, but your work will be 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 tuition fee for universities and vocational schools in Japan normally costs USD50,000-150,000 per year, so it will be necessary to prepare and apply for a scholarship to make an access for higher education. Make some savings while being a language student is also important to partially cover the cost for higher education.The following are some scholarships that you can apply for.
a) Toshizo Watanabe International Scholarship by Pathways Japan
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 offfers 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) Refugee Vocational Education Program (RVEP)
UNHCR Japan, JELA and Wesley Foundation offer a scholarship to study at vocational schools in Japan. There are around 2,800 schools in Japan where students can get vocational trainings in various fields including IT, architecture, nursing, etc. Students with high school certificate and sufficient Japanese proficiency can apply for the program.
e) Other scholarship opportunities
There are other organizations which provide scholarships to international students in
Japan. For a comprehensive list, please visit the JASSO website.