Syrian Scholars Initiative

SSI 2022

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE SYRIAN SCHOLARS INITIATIVE (May 31, 2022)

After five years of administering the Syrian Scholars Initiative, the Japan ICU Foundation has decided to make a change. Starting this year, JICUF will help fund and administer Pathways Japan’s Japanese Language School Pathways Program (JLSP). The JLSP is a two-year program where participants will study the Japanese language intensively. Pathways Japan and its predecessor the Japan Association for Refugees have been running the program since 2017, and have supported 24 students to date. Most of the graduates have been accepted by universities, and a few have found employment in Japan.

The original plan of the Syrian Scholars Initiative was to recruit a total of six students between 2018 and 2021, but it was extended for a year and seven students have been admitted to International Christian University (ICU) to date. Many lessons have been learned during this time, and we have come to the conclusion that all students would benefit greatly from receiving rigorous language training before entering a higher education institution. 

Even though some institutions like ICU have intensive Japanese language programs incorporated into their curricula, mastering the language is a significant challenge for most students. Moreover, without Japanese language proficiency, students are severely disadvantaged when trying to find employment and setting up the foundation for stable, successful lives in Japan. For this reason, JICUF will encourage Syrian students to apply to the JLSP to study Japanese intensively and take the time to acclimate to life in Japan.

Beyond supporting the JLSP, JICUF plans to establish a new scholarship at higher education institutions so that the graduates of the JLSP can receive support while they pursue their degrees. 

Application for the JLSP will open in the fall. We will post details in the next few months, and host online information sessions in the near future. 

What is ICU?

ICU is a private, four-year liberal arts college in Tokyo. Founded on the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ICU aims to cultivate “responsible global citizens” who will contribute to world peace and to help people from diverse backgrounds live together harmoniously. ICU has been a pioneer in liberal arts education in Japan since its founding in 1953, pursuing, as its name suggests, international, Christian and academic missions.

Although founded on Christian principles, ICU does not proselytize. The majority of students are not Christian. All undergraduate students are required to take “Introduction to Christianity,” but otherwise participation in Christian programs is completely optional. This scholarship is not limited to Christian students – we accept applications from students of all faiths and religions.

Application Timeline

2021-22 SSI timeline (1)

Application Information

31 Majors Offered at ICU

Above are the majors offered for undergraduate studies at ICU. For details about each major, click on the above image.

Where is ICU?

Upcoming Information Session

We will host online information sessions in late summer.

If you have any questions, please contact information@jicuf.org.

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Please Support SSI

Since civil war erupted in Syria in 2011, it has quickly become the top source country of refugees with 6.7 million registered refugees as of December 2018. With the backdrop of this global refugee crisis, JICUF, in partnership with ICU and Japan Association for Refugees (JAR), established the Syrian Scholars Initiative (SSI). SSI aims to support Syrian refugee youths currently residing in Turkey for their entire undergraduate education at ICU. SSI will cover tuition, housing and living expenses. We aim to provide comprehensive support for the students, including academic, legal and psychological support. Our first two scholars matriculated at ICU in September 2018, and two more in September 2019.

However, providing scholarships for subsequent cohorts depends largely on our ability to raise additional funds. We ask for your support to help provide higher education opportunities to additional youths whose lives have been affected by war. 

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