Funding for Undergraduate Students

A variety of financial assistance is available for undergraduate students pursuing Japanese studies at UHM. What we have listed may not be comprehensive and students should also inquire at their respective departments. We also share information on award and scholarships opportunities to our listserv/mailing list. Join our mailing list here.

More information on the following scholarships and funds administered through CJS and UHM are available in the UH Mānoa Student Scholarships (STAR) system. One application submission allows the student to apply for all CJS scholarships.

Avis Morigawara Scholarship in Japanese Studies is available for undergraduates enrolled in a program focusing on Japanese Studies at UHM. Funds awarded are to be used with costs associated with attendance (e.g. tuition, books, fees, etc). This scholarship is administered by the CJS Scholarship Committee.

Ishi Sakurai Scholarship provides funds to full-time undergraduate students majoring in Asian History in the UHM Department of History and have taken or are currently taking at least two courses in Asian History. Funds are to be used for costs associated with attendance (e.g. tuition, books, fees, etc.).

James T. Araki Scholarship Fund in Japanese Literature provides scholarships to assist students enrolled in Japanese Literature classes in the the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures at UHM College of Languages, Linguistics, and Literature.

JTB Hawaii, Inc. Scholarship Endowment provides scholarships to students at UHM who are pursuing studies related to international relations, or academic programs with an international emphasis, with preference given to students studying or pursuing a degree related to Japanese or Okinawan studies. Funds shall be used for costs associated with attendance (e.g. tuition, books, fees, etc.).

King David Kalakaua Scholarships are partial tuition scholarships for full-time undergraduate students at UHM. Applicants must be studying in a major or well-designed program related to the Pacific and Asian regions.

Wakaba Kai Alumni Association Endowed Scholarship provides funding support to junior or senior level students enrolled at UHM who are pursuing a degree with a focus in Japanese Studies or who are involved in a service that perpetuates Japanese history and/or culture. The prospective recipient should have graduated from a State of Hawaiʻi high school and be a resident of the State of Hawaiʻi. This scholarship is administered by the CJS Scholarship Committee.

Other UHM administered scholarships

Please contact the appropriate funding agency in advance for exact deadlines and amounts.

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program provides funding for undergraduate students to engage in for research, creative projects, and presentation travel. For more information, visit their website at: https://manoa.hawaii.edu/undergrad/urop/

Japan-America Student Conference (JASC) Scholarship. The Center for Japanese Studies offers a scholarship in the amount of the JASC participation fee to the Japan-America Student Conference for a UHM full-time undergraduate or graduate student.

Elijah Collier in Japan

The Japan-America Student Conference (JASC) is a student-led exchange program, initiated in 1934 by university students concerned by the breakdown of bilateral relations prior to the Second World War. Today, an equal number of students from the U.S. and Japan are competitively selected each year to spend one summer month together, studying and analyzing Japan-U.S. relations while visiting four diverse regions in the host country. JASC alternates its host country every year, emphasizing the personal connections between two distinct cultures gathered together in one place.

2023 Award Recipient: Mr. Elijah Collier:
Read Elijah Collier's report

Learn more about JASC: https://iscdc.org/jasc/
Informational Flyer: 77th JASC scholarship flyer

The application period typically opens in early fall and is due in late December.

For questions and information on how to apply for this CJS scholarship, please contact: Joan Pan, Associate Director, Center for Japanese Studies, UHM by email cjsad@hawaii.edu.

Funds not administered by UHM

Please check with the appropriate funding agency for more information, the exact deadlines and funding amounts.

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship is a grant program of the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs for an undergraduate student (U.S. citizen) to study overseas. Their website is: https://www.gilmanscholarship.org

United States-Japan Bridging Foundation provides scholarships to help students study abroad in Japan for one semester or an academic year. Undergraduate students majoring in any field of study are eligible to apply for these scholarships. Prior Japanese language study is not required. Their website is: http://www.bridgingfoundation.org

Freeman Awards for Study in Asia (Freeman-ASIA) is designed to increase the number of American undergraduates who study in East and Southeast Asia. Students must demonstrate financial need in order to participate in the Freeman-Asia program. Priority will be given to students with no previous experience in Asia. As a condition of the award, upon their return to the US, students must agree to promote study in Asia by sharing their experiences with peers on their home campuses and in their communities. Their website is: https://www.iie.org/freeman-ASIA

Boren Fellowship and Scholarship is an initiative of the National Security Education Program that offers undergraduate scholarships for study abroad. Student must be a U.S. citizen at the time of application and enrolled as a degree seeking student in an accredited US college or university. Recipients are required to fulfill a service requirement. Their website is: https://www.borenawards.org/.

Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaiʻi (JCCH) Scholarship is open to undergraduate junior or senior year students enrolled at the University of Hawaiʻi-Mānoa with a major or minor in (1) Asian Studies with a concentration on Japan; (2) Japanese language or literature; or (3) American Studies with a focus on Japanese Americans. The JCCH Scholarship Program is supported by the Sekiya of Fukuoka/Hawaiʻi Endowment Fund. The scholarship program page is here: https://www.jcch.com/jcch-scholarship-program

page last updated July 2026