Japanese Scholarship Helps Language Students in Need

(PRWEB) January 26, 2011

Until today, there wasn’t a simple way for motivated Japanese learners to get quality free language education. Unlike most major colleges and universities, language schools generally don’t offer any kind of grants or scholarships. Students who lacked the resources to pay for regular Japanese lessons were therefore forced to scavenge the internet for free Japanese learning resources which are often of low quality, or difficult to follow.

Today, the online Japanese learning community NihongoUp is proud to announce the launch of its Japanese Scholarship program, intended to help Japanese language self-learners whose financial situation does not allow them to pay for Japanese classes, or acquire quality textbooks and other learning material.

This announcement is especially important considering the adverse impact the 2007–2010 economic crisis had on students’ lives. According to data from the landmark study Arizona Pathways to Life Success in University Students (APLUS), funded by the National Endowment for Financial Education, 95 percent of college students say the economic crisis has impacted their family’s finances and 93 percent have felt an effect on their own financial lives.

The study reports a major loss of financial confidence among students, as well as 169 percent increase in the number of students who report dropping classes and 106 percent increase in those taking a “leave of absence” from school. Researchers also noted an alarming increase in debt among students, as hundreds of education lenders have suspended private student loan programs or participation in federal education loan programs since July 2007.

All NihongoUp Japanese Scholarship applications are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and those who meet the eligibility criteria are awarded access to all premium features of the site including the full-fledged Japanese language textbooks and award winning games & applications at no cost. With cuts to education budgets around the world, and in the light of the English university tuition fee increase and calls to scrap student support money, there has never been a better time to support financially contrived learners. This year alone, NihongoUp aims to award over $ 15,000 worth of scholarships to aspiring students all over the world.

Created at the beginning of 2009 as a simple Japanese language educational game, NihongoUp has since won numerous industry accolades, including the Serious Games Showcase & Challenge award, and grew into the best integrated learning solution for a learner of Japanese. Learn Japanese in one easy to use package, online or on the go.

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