Sony Corporation Scholarship Program – Japan

With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as well as other global crises—and with the safety and well-being of families and children in mind—Sony Corporation of America (SCA) has made the difficult decision to cancel the 2024 Sony Corporation of America Scholarship Program, administered by Youth For Understanding USA.

While the Company took the positive impact of the Program on scholarship winners into consideration in its decision, ultimately, health, safety and travel concerns took precedence once again this year.

SCA looks forward to bringing back the Scholarship Program in the future, at a time when it is safe to do so. If you have any questions about the Sony Corporation of America Scholarship Program, please contact Braxton Midyette, Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility and Social Impact, SCA.

Scholarship Amount

This is a full scholarship.

Scholarship Covers:

• Round-trip international airline travel

• Round-trip domestic airline travel

• Placement with a carefully selected host family, generally in and around Hiroshima.

• Regional orientation for scholarship recipients and parents

• Preparatory materials

• Three-day Japan specific orientation at the beginning of the program

• 24/7 support services in host country

• Comprehensive Insurance

Eligibility

• Full scholarships are available for high school students who are children of full-time U.S. employees of Sony Corporation of America (SCA) (including Sony/ATV, Sony DADC, Sony Biotechnology Inc.), Sony North America (SNA), Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), Sony Music Entertainment (SME), or Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE).

• Previous recipients of a YFU scholarship are not eligible. The employee must have completed one full year of employment prior to the deadline.

• To enable Sony to award scholarships to as many different families as possible each year, only one scholarship per employee family may be awarded in a given program year.

• Academically, the applicant must have a “B” average or better (3.0 on a 4.0 scale).

• This program is not open to children of Japanese transfers.

• Parent must be a full-time U.S. employee of SCA (including Sony/ATV, Sony DADC, and Sony Biotechnology Inc.), SNA, SPE, SME, or SIE at the time the student departs for Japan.

• U.S. citizens or students with permanent U.S. residency may apply.

• All applicants will be notified of their status (via email) in April.

Age Requirements

TBD for the summer 2025 program.

Scholarship Recipients are Responsible for

• Passport

• Visa fees (if necessary)

• Any excess luggage tariffs

• Personal spending money

• Upon returning home, scholarship winners are expected to complete at least one presentation in their school or community to share their experiences, teach others about the culture in their host country, and encourage other students to participate in foreign exchange.

• Within one month of returning home, the student must provide a 1 – 2 page report and captioned photos detailing their exchange experience.

Orientation

Japan scholarship winners will participate in a special mandatory Japan Pre-Departure Orientation. Students may not miss orientation or arrive late in Japan. Additionally, students may not schedule to leave the program early or extend their stay in Japan. All students must fly to and from Japan together.