THE JAPAN NEWS


 

There are university and vocational school students who take out student loans to cover their tuition fees and living expenses. Aimed at decreasing the number of students who cannot enroll in school because of dire household finances, the government has decided to launch a grant-type financial support program, in which students have no obligation to repay the money.

The new program will start from the 2018 academic year. Monthly grants ranging from ¥20,000 to ¥40,000 will be paid to about 20,000 students in each grade. The program targets university, junior college and vocational school students who belong to households that are exempt from paying resident tax.

Those who apply for the new financial support system will be required to have achieved strong academic results or shown remarkable performance in activities other than studies.

The grant system will partially start from the 2017 academic year for students who live by themselves and enroll in private universities — as tuition for such universities is generally high — as well as for students who reside in facilities for children who cannot live with their parents for certain reasons.