Choose scholarship to view Beinecke Chateaubriand Humanities Chateaubriand Science Churchill Cooke DAAD Graduate Eloranta Fulbright-Hays Fulbright Gates Kawamura Killam Marshall Mitchell Pasteur Rhodes Truman Udall [Scholarship Home]

Introduction

The Kawamura Visiting Fellowship program is a summer program for outstanding students from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The program invites up to four students (from approximately 100 applicants) with keen interests in Japan and diverse academic and extra-curricular backgrounds to visit Nagoya, Tokyo, and other parts of Japan for approximately 7 weeks. Students meet with numerous Japanese officials and executives. The program promotes better mutual understanding between the cultures by allowing the Fellows to experience as many aspects of Japanese society as possible, to share family life with Japanese hosts, and to present their analytical observations about Japan and the program. All costs related to the program, including round-trip airfare to Nagoya, plus a stipend for personal expenses will be paid by the program partners. Applications must be made through MIT.

You should review this site and the official Kawamura Visiting Fellowship Program web site, and then consult the MIT contact, Kimberly Benard , for more information.

[ top ]

Quick Facts

Kawamura Visiting Fellowship
Interest	Japanese culture, people and their way of life
Type	Summer Fellowship
Place of Study	Japan
Award amount	All expense paid travel fellowship (approximately 5 weeks)
MIT Deadline	January 5
National Deadline	February 5

[ top ]

Eligibility

To be eligible you must:

• Be an MIT student of any year, nationality and academic field (preference is given to undergraduate juniors and seniors and to applicants who have never been to Japan).
  
• Be able to obtain entry visas within a reasonable period of time.
  
• Proficiency in the Japanese language is not required.

If you are not selected as a Fellow, you may reapply in another year.

[ top ]

Selection Criteria

Applicants are chosen on the basis of:

• Demonstrated academic excellence or intellectual strength
  
• Extra-curricular achievement
  
• Genuine interest in Japan
  
• Personal capacity to maintain a positive approach to new experiences
  
• Openness to interaction with the Japanese people and experiencing actively a different life style
  
• Ability to conduct one’s self properly in any occasion set up for the Program
  
• Well-roundedness
  
• Fitting in well with other Fellows chosen for that year

[ top ]

Application (see official site for details and forms)

Complete applications include the following 6 items.

• Personal Information Sheet profile
  
• Digital photograph
  
• Résumé
  
• Two academic references for contact
  
• Essay (approximately 750 to 1000 words)
  
• Transcript of academic records from every college and university attended

See official web site for specific details and instructions on how the application should be submitted.

[ top ]

Timeline

MIT Process
	Review the official Kawamura Visiting Fellowship Program web site. Attend the Kawamura Scholarship information program (Fall, IAP). Get copy of Program materials at information session or from web site. Consult with Kimberly Benard, who can advise you about the viability of your candidacy and the best ways to prepare an application.
IAP	Attend information session. Complete all application material.
February 5	Deadline to submit on-line application. (There is no MIT screening of applications.)

 

National Process
February	All applications are reviewed and candidates are contacted about their status.
Late February	Approximately 20 applicants will be interviewed by Fellowship sponsors and past Fellows
March	Final selection of the 4 Kawamura Visiting Fellows and alternate(s) are made.
May	Annual Fellowship dinner is held for selected and past Fellows.
July-August	Fellowship winners visit Japan for 7 weeks.

[ top ]

Winners

Austin Oehlerking 2008

Christina Sher 2008

[ top ]

Contact Information

MIT Representative	General Information
Kimberly Benard Study Abroad and Distinguished Fellowships Office MIT Room 12-189 617-253-4378	Kawamura Visiting Fellowship Boston Program Coordinator Reina Mizuno 2 Soldiers Field Park #406 Boston, MA 02163 E-mail: reina@kawamurafellowship.org Web Site: kawamurafellowship.org