International Student Service
We provide a full range of services for international students studying in Japan built on our 20 years' experience of managing various scholarship programs of the Japanese and other governments.

JICE has placed more than 5,000 international students in partnerships with JICA, Japanese and foreign government ministries, universities, and private organizations. Our role is to provide careful support and counselling at each stage of study abroad; pre-departure, while in Japan, and after return; so that the students have a fulfilling and rewarding experience in Japan.
We help international students not only to obtain their degree within the predetermined period but also to become familiarized with the Japanese culture and custom. Many success stories are brought to us from the students getting promoted after return, those getting job offers from Japanese companies and those playing an active role by making use of their knowledge and experience acquired in Japan.
Services for International Students provided by JICE
- Pre-Departure
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- Recruitment at Local Office
- Assemble Application Documents
- Arrange Academic Aptitude Test
- Arrange Interview
- While in Japan
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- Post-arrival Orientation
- Support for Initial Settlement and Adjustment
- Regular Monitoring and Emergency Support
- Organizing Joint Training Program
- Internship Matching
- Networking Events
- After Return
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- Follow-up Activities including Alumni Events, Seminars, and Monitoring
- Other
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- Study in Japan Fair
- Survey
Full range of support for universities and institutions to accept international students /to promote globalization
Pre-Departure
Recruitment at Local Office
Organizing outreach and recruitment events
Arrange Academic Aptitude Test and Interview
Recruitment and selection of students including basic examinations, document screening and interviews
General Orientation
Pre-departure orientation to provide international students of useful travel information, Japanese society and its culture.
Travel Support
Students' travel arrangement including visa application and air tickets

While in Japan
Post-arrival Orientation
Organizing orientation program on Japanese society, culture, and manners before and after arrival to help students make the smooth transition into life in Japan
Japanese Language Training
Providing Japanese language Training to suit students’ needs from the minimum required level to the level for expanding relationships
Support for Initial Settlement and Adjustment
Assisting students' initial settlement such as accommodation arrangement and bank account opening
Regular Monitoring and Emergency Support
- Conducting periodical monitoring meeting with students to ensure their academic progress and good physical/mental health, and give advice on their daily life
- 24 hours 7 days support system for emergency such as accidents, diseases and disasters.
Organizing Joint Training Program
Conducting joint training programs such as workshops and educational programs on peace building and gender empowerment by utilizing academic holiday seasons.
Internship Matching
Introducing companies and institutions to students for internship according to their interests and needs
Networking Events
Hosting various kinds of networking events such as Potluck Party to build networks among international students




After Return
Follow-up Activities including Alumni Events, Seminars, and Monitoring
- Organizing alumni events and seminars to strengthen the network between alumni and Japan, as well as among alumni
- Conducting monitoring meetings even after their return so that they can play active roles by using their knowledge and experience acquired in Japan

Other
Study in Japan Fair
Organizing Study in Japan Fair outside Japan and provide information to potential candidates who are interested in studying in Japan
Survey
Conducting survey on international students inside and outside of Japan and making reports

Performance Overview
1. Total Package type support (Full range of support from "Pre-departure" to "After Return")
The Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship by Japanese Grant Aid (JDS) (since 1999)
Target countries: Asian countries
This scholarship program is designed for young civil servants to learn method to solve country-specific problems at graduate school (master’s course, doctoral course) in Japan. JICE is conducting a large part of this Grant aid project as an official agent under the agreement with target country governments. Most of returning JDS fellows are promoted and playing active roles in their organizations. Some of them are assigned to the position which related to Japan and they show great performance on work by making use of their experiences in Japan.

Year | '00 | '01 | '02 | '03 | '04 | '05 | '06 | '07 | '08 | '09 | '10 | '11 | '12 | '13 | '14 | '15 | '16 | '17 | '18 | '19 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Uzbekistan | 20 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 345 |
Laos | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 420 |
Cambodia | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 444 | |
Vietnam | 20 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 35 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 62 | 63 | 639 | |
Bangladesh | 29 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 25 | 30 | 30 | 33 | 33 | 394 | ||
Mongolia | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 346 | ||
Myanmar | 14 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 44 | 44 | 44 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 557 | ||
China | 42 | 43 | 41 | 43 | 47 | 47 | 48 | 45 | 39 | 35 | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 430 | |||
Indonesia | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 120 | |||
Philippines | 19 | 20 | 20 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 361 | |||
Kyrgyz | 20 | 20 | 18 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 19 | 210 | |||||||
Tajikistan | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 62 | |||||||||
Sri Lanka | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | - | - | - | - | 17 | 17 | 94 | ||||||||||
Nepal | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 80 | ||||||||||||||||
Bhutan | 10 | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||
Pakistan | 17 | 17 | |||||||||||||||||||
Timor-Leste | 8 | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||
Total | 40 | 79 | 152 | 239 | 243 | 240 | 271 | 266 | 266 | 256 | 241 | 234 | 232 | 198 | 206 | 216 | 241 | 256 | 311 | 350 | 4,537 |
* The project for China is shifted to Japan Human Resource Development Scholarship for Chinese Young Leaders (JDS China) since 2013.
Project for the Promotion and Enhancement of the Afghan Capacity for Effective Development (PEACE) (Since 2011)
Target Country: Afghanistan
PEACE is a project to train Afghan civil servants of the related ministries and university teachers through Master’s and PhD courses at Japanese universities. It aims to promote the infrastructure development, agriculture/rural development, education and health development. Entrusted by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), JICE manages the project and supports the participants. Ex-participants who returned to Afghanistan are expected to solve the national challenges for reconstruction and development in their respective duties of the government, using their knowledge and experience acquired in Japan.
Year | '11 | '12 | '13 | '14 | '15 | '16 | '17 | '18 | '19 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Master's Course | 47 | 53 | 85 | 128 | 94 | 64 | 40 | 15 | 30 | 556 |
PhD Course | - | 2 | 15 | 12 | 7 | 8 | 10 | - | - | 54 |
Master’s Degree and Internship Program of African Business Education Initiative for Youth (ABE Initiative) (Since 2014)
Target Country: All 54 African Countries
ABE Initiative offers opportunities for young and capable African men and women to study at Master’s degree courses of the Japanese universities and to experience internships at Japanese companies. This program aims at nurturing African human resources in business and strengthening networks between the Japanese private sector and African business personnel who can be a “Navigator” for Japanese investment in Africa. Under the partnership with JICA, JICE supports the participants’ academic life and manages the internship program. Returning participants are playing an active role in developing new business between Japan and Africa with value added by the combination of unique ideas from Japan and Africa.

Year | '14 | '15 | '16 | '17 | '18 | '19 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Participants | 156 | 317 | 348 | 279 | 119 | - | 1,219 |
Countries | 8 | 33 | 46 | 46 | 47 | - | Total of 54 countries |
Japan Human Resource Development Scholarship for Chinese Young Leaders (JDS China) (since 2013)
Target country: China
The objective of JDS China is to support human resource development and cultivate pro-Japanese group of the People’s Republic of China, with a view to strengthening its bilateral relationship with Japan in Government level. JICE is the implementing agency of the project under the agreement with Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

Year | '13 | '14 | '15 | '16 | '17 | '18 | '19 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sub total | 31 | 30 | 30 | 27 | 24 | 27 | 26 | 195 |
English course | 25 | 24 | 21 | 19 | 19 | 22 | 22 | 152 |
Japanese course | 6 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 43 |
Human Resources Development in the Mining Sector (KIZUNA Program) (since 2014)
Target Country: 39 countries mainly in South East Asia, Africa, and South and Central America
KIZUNA Program is designed to build mutually beneficial relationships between Japan and the partner countries by nurturing their personnel in mining and geothermal sector thereby securing stable apply of natural resources. It offers opportunities for young professionals to study at Master’s and PhD courses at Japanese Universities and to experience internships at Japanese institutes and companies.
Under the partnership with JICA, JICE supports the participants’ academic life and manages the internship program.

Year | '14 | '15 | '16 | '17 | '18 | '19 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Participants | 16 | 21 | 18 | 17 | 14 | 24 | 110 |
Countries | 6 | 9 | 12 | 10 | 14 | 13 | Total of 23 countries |
2. Request-based type support (Partial support from "Pre-departure" to "After their Return")
Year | Support contents | Contractee |
---|---|---|
2011〜 | Emergency assistance service for international students | Private university |
2011〜16 | Support for international students' recruitment, screening and pre / post departure in Laos | Private university |
2012 | Support for Skype interview in Kyrgyz | Private university |
2012 | Support for Japanese Graduate's Alumni Activities in Vietnam / Myanmar | Private university |
2012〜15 | Support for Turkmenistan students studying in Japan (pre / post departure, monitoring meeting, emergency assistance service) | Private sector |
2012〜15 | Study abroad fair in Sri Lanka | Ministry of foreign affairs of Japan, National / Private university |
2012〜17 | Support for international students from Saudi Arabia | Government agency of Saudi Arabia |
2015 | Support for recruitment and screening in Myanmar | Private sector |
2015 | PR activities for international student recruitment in Southeast Asia region | Private university |
2016〜 | Support for Vietnamese student's entrance exam of university and emergency assistance | Private sector |
Voice of Students
Mr. Tin Min Htoo
JDS fellow / From Myanmar / Graduates School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Tsukuba / Batch 2015

I really appreciate JICE’s kind assistance and its staff. JICE provided me with not only continuous support for student life but also other opportunities such as training programs, international seminars, field trips, and social networking party with Japanese government officials while I was in Japan. These experiences definitely blushed up my professional skills and knowledge. I am sure that I can contribute to social, economic and environmental development activities in my country as a highly capable government official in a leadership position by making use of my experience and knowledge which I gained through JDS program.
Mr. Bonginkosi Mthombeni
ABE Initiative participant from South Africa / Graduates School of Business, Doshisha University / Arrived in 2015

JICE is very helpful to us with any daily life issues that we experience in Japan, such as moving from apartment to dormitory and cellphone contract which needs communication in Japanese. When I had a problem with my health but was not sure about the medical service, JICE assisted me to find the best option. In terms of my academic aspect, JICE also keeps a great relationships with our supervisors at the universities and it helps us a lot in addressing my academic issues too.