日本・ウクライナ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-Ukraine Japanese Language School Pathways (JULP)?
Japan Ukraine Language School Pathways (JULP) is a program for admitting students who have fled Ukraine due to the Russian aggression, to language schools in Japan. From 2022 to 2025, 132 Ukrainian students and their family members were admitted to Japan through this program with the support from private language schools, 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 2026, 8 Ukrainian students can be admitted to this program.
Program Overview
Recruited students will be placed in one of the Japanese language schools across Japan.
The program will provide the following:
・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 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 or find employment.
We will organize online Info Sessions on the date below
5th Aug Tue 12:00 -13:30 PM (Ukrainian time)
If you are interested in taking part, please register here.
Eligibility
- Must be Ukrainian nationals
- Must reside in Ukraine and seek evacuation to Japan or fled to other countries after 24th February 2022 (Those already in Japan are not eligible to apply).
- Must be single or can travel alone without accompanying families (The Japanese government does not issue visas for accompanying family members for language students.)
- Must have completed the secondary education (equivalent of high school education in Japan) or be expected to complete the secondary education by March 2026
- 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.
- Must have studied/be studying Japanese
- Must agree to work part-time at an entry-level job to cover your own living expenses
- Must not have a financial obligation to support family members (Students should expect part-time work to cover only their own living expenses, and not to support their families.)
- Must be able to submit the following documents:
a) Document describing your refugee background (e.g. letter explaining the difficulty of staying in or returning to your home country, issued by an NGO or an expert. If this cannot be obtained, the candidate can write his/her own statement.)
b) International Passport copy (If you do not currently have a valid international passport, you may apply without one, but you must obtain one by January 2026)
c) High school graduate certificate or equivalent document
d) High school transcript for grades 10-12 or equivalent document
e) (If you are a university student or graduate) University certificate and transcript for registered terms
f) Recommendation letter (*This letter should not be written by family members, relatives or friends.)
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
| 5 (Tue) Aug 2025 12:00pm – 13:30pm (Ukrainian time) | Online Info Session |
| 23 (Wed) July – 15 (Fri) Aug 2025 | Application Period |
| 1 (Fri) August– 11 (Thu) Sep 2025 | Document screening |
| 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 | Interview (online) by Pathways Japan (second screening) |
| 10 (Fri) Oct 2025 (Planned) | Announcement of second screening result |
| 24 (Fri) Oct – 6 (Thu) Nov 2025 | Interview (online) by Japanese language schools (third screening) |
| 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 |
| 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.
Application Form for JULP 2026
Application Period: 23rd Jul Wed-15th Aug Fri 2025
Before you make your application, please refer to Programme Guidance 2026 for JULP.
If you have any questions, please contact us here.