Im 17 and a Junior in the U.S. I know I have one year remaining, but I really would love to have the experience of going to school in Japan. Does anyone know of any good exchange programs? Or where to get started? Also, is there anyway to get some sort of a grant or scholarship for this? My family doesnt have much money but I do have killer grades. My GPA is a 3.8 and I am rank 13 of 400 in my high school. Thanks.
Studying Abroad - 3 Answers
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1 :
Take a look at http://www.jasso.go.jp/study_j/index_e.html Sayonara
2 :
It depends on which part of Japan you want to study in. You can check out some websites of schools in see if they have an exchange program. As for the grant, it is very difficult to get one. Very few schools offer scholarships and if they do, the slots are limited. You might want to apply for government scholarships (check out JASSO). But you will still need a lot of money to finance your accommodation and other living expenses (which are not covered by most government scholarships).
3 :
Going on exchange is a wonderful experience - how wonderful that you are considering it. The safest way to go on exchange is with an exchange organization. YFU (Youth For Understanding), AFS, and Rotary are frequently called "the big 3" when it comes to exchanges - long histories and good reputations, although a few others are making their way up that list. Please forgive my bias towards YFU - it's the one that I have direct experience with (I am a 5-time host mom and volunteer). I am gaining indirect experience by corresponding with former students. When I have asked exchange students why they chose YFU, I get the following answers: (1) YFU gave them more bang for their buck and/or (2) someone they knew and trusted recommended YFU. 95% of the fees collected by YFU go for direct program costs (airline tickets, support in hosting country, etc.). YFU has been around for almost 60 years and has learned how to make exchanges successful. If you choose another organization, please make sure that it is listed with the Council for Standards on International Educational Travel (csiet.org). They routinely audit programs for quality. While it is possible that a good organization is not listed with them, it is less likely and I would advise doing more research on anyone that is not listed with them. YFU has summer (6wks in June-August), semester (Aug-Jan OR Mar-Aug), and year (Mar-Jan) programs to Japan. There are competitive scholarships that you can try for (your academic prowess certainly can't hurt!). In a typical year, about 500 American students go overseas with YFU; 300 will have a partial or full scholarship; 150 of these will be Japan. Check out http://yfuusa.org/media/Education/ExperienceJapanFlyer.pdf . Check out the websites below and good luck to you no matter what you choose!
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