UNHCR-Refugee Higher Education Program

UNHCR-Refugee Higher Education Program (RHEP) is a program implemented by fifteen universities in Japan which supports

  • refugees who live in Japan,
  • to complete a undergraduate or graduate degree program,
  • through scholarships from the universities.

>> Click to Japanese webpage

The aim of the program is to provide access to higher education for refugees in Japan who would otherwise have difficulty completing an undergraduate or graduate degree program. The students’ tuition fees and other study expenses will be funded by the universities. At the discretion of the universities, additional scholarship stipends may be paid to the students on a monthly basis.

The program is coordinated by UNHCR in Japan and Japan for UNHCR.

With new partner universities, Kyoto Koka Women’s University joining the program.

There are now 15 partner universities as follows;

※This program is not a time-limited program.

Undergraduate degree programme

Universities Campus Number of openings
Kwansei Gakuin University Nishinomiya-shi and Sanda-shi, Hyogo 3 positions (Japanese degree program 2, English degree program 1)
Meiji University Chiyoda-ku, Suginami-ku and Nakano-ku Tokyo / Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa 2 positions (Japanese and English degree program)
Tsuda University Kodaira-shi, Tokyo 1 position (Female candidates only, Japanese degree program)
Soka University Hachioji-shi, Tokyo 1 position (Japanese degree program)
Sophia University Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 1 position (Japanese or English degree program)
Meiji Gakuin University Minato-ku, Tokyo / Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 1 position (Japanese or English degree program)
University of the Sacred Heart Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 1 position (Female candidates only, Japanese degree program)
Kansai University Suita-shi / Takatsuki-shi / Sakai-shi, Osaka 1 position (Japanese degree program)
Hiroshima City University Hiroshima-shi, Hiroshima 1 position (Japanese degree program)
Teikyo University Hachioji-shi, Tokyo / Utsunomiya-shi, Tochigi 2 position (Japanese degree program)
Tenri University Tenri-shi, Nara 1 position (Japanese degree program)
Yamanashi Gakuin University Kofu-shi, Yamanashi 2 position (Japanese degree program 1, English degree program 1)
Kanagawa University Yokohama-shi and Hiratsuka-shi, Kanagawa 1 position (Japanese degree program)
Kyoto Koka Women’s University Kyoto-shi, Kyoto 2 position (Female candidates only, Japanese degree program)

Graduate degree programme

Waseda University Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 2 positions (Japanese or English degree program)
Soka University Hachioji-shi, Tokyo 1 position (English degree program)
Teikyo University Hachioji-shi, Tokyo / Utsunomiya-shi, Tochigi 2 position (Japanese or English degree program)
Kansai University Suita-shi / Takatsuki-shi / Sakai-shi, Osaka 1 position (Japanese or English degree program)
Sophia University Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 1 position (Japanese or English degree program)
University of the Sacred Heart Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 1 position (Japanese degree program)

* Japanese degree program: for applicants who aim to complete the degree in Japanese
* English degree program: for applicants who aim to complete the degree in English

※The list of the faculties

● Japanese〔Undergrade〕(PDF/813KB)8/1Update!!

● Japanese〔Master〕(PDF/544KB)8/1Update!!

● Japanese〔PhD〕(PDF/303KB)8/1Update!!

● English(PDF/326KB)8/1Update!!