The 13th Sakura Scholarship Program is officially opened

An extraordinary opportunity for students and young researchers to experience Japan

Through years of collaboration with the Embassy of Japan, Japan Tobacco International (JTI) proudly announces the launch of the new Sakura Scholarship Program, supporting ambitious, educated, and creative young individuals for thirteen years. Scholarship winners will embark on a study trip to Japan, during which they will have the opportunity to experience the sociological, economic, and cultural aspects.

JTI, the company funding the study trip, offers Sakura Scholarship recipients, students, and young researchers, the opportunity to explore and experience Japanese tradition and culture through their direct research, thereby expanding and enhancing their knowledge. During last year’s ten-day study trip, recipients, among other activities, strolled through Shibuya, the busiest intersection in the world, rode the Shinkansen, also known as the bullet train, had breakfast in an onsen, a traditional hot spring bath, and wore kimonos while walking around the old Japanese capital, Kyoto.

The scholarship will be awarded to five candidates who submit the best, most relevant, and most creative proposals for research on Japan. All undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as researchers not employed full-time, are eligible to apply. The application deadline is June 2, 2024, while the trip to Japan is planned for the end of the year. The application form and more information about the competition can be found on the website www.sakurastipendije.rs.

The Sakura scholarship is named after the Japanese cherry blossom tree. This flower is considered the national flower of Japan and symbolizes happiness and prosperity. Over the past twelve years, more than five hundred scholarship recipients have prepared high-quality and functional research papers, thus advancing further in their academic development. The significant number of interested students and over a thousand applications submitted in previous years demonstrate that in Serbia, generations of curious, ambitious, and intelligent individuals are maturing, who will undoubtedly contribute to the prosperity of our country and deepen the relationship between Serbia and Japan.