2024-2025 Mineta Ambassadors Pilot Program

The Mineta Ambassadors Program had a soft launch with a pilot program for the 2024-25 academic year. The pilot program is funding 25 students from the United States and Japan to participate in an exchange in the other country. This includes high school and college students from Japan and college students from the United States, and both academic study abroad (semester and full year) and a short-term visitation program. Learn more about the scholars awarded directly by USJC here.

How to Apply (Academic Year 2024-25)

To apply for a MAP institutional grant, please email a proposal document (2-3 pages max) in English to [email protected] with the following information:

• Organization name & brief background
• Point of contact (name, title, contact info)
• Experience/expertise in student exchanges
• Exchange program proposal (one page)
• Dates & duration of program
• Number of exchange students supported
• Demographics expected (see above Aspirational Student Metrics)
• Funding amount requested with preliminary breakdown of costs.

Grant Timeline (Academic Year 2024-25)

Reporting Requirements from Grantees (Academic Year 2024-25)

Prior to the start of the program, grantee shall submit to the U.S.-Japan Council: contact and demographic information for all participants, including but not limited to full name, email address, phone number, emergency contact, country of residence, nationality, race/ethnicity, age, sex, home and host school names, level of education, degree and major(s) being pursued, and a summary of the aspirational metrics met (see above).

No later than 60 days after the completion of the program or by Sept. 30 of the same year (whichever comes first), grantee shall submit to the U.S.-Japan Council a written Final Program Report, which includes a narrative describing the program’s accomplishments, a description of program activities, participant information including testimonials and any special events or activities in which they participated, a list of media coverage that occurred, post-program surveys, and an end-of-program financial report.

Grantees (Academic Year 2024-25)

The United States-Japan Bridging Foundation

• 12 American undergraduate students (profiles can be found online here).
• Semester and full-year academic study abroad beginning in Fall 2024.

Kizuna Across Cultures

• 7 Japanese high school students.
• A short-term visitation program to Washington, DC in Summer 2025.

Scholarships awarded directly to students by the U.S.-Japan Council

• 6 Japanese undergraduate and graduate students.
• Semester and full-year academic study abroad beginning in Fall 2024.