SUmmer School Application (ONGOING)
Summer School Schedule
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TOKYO: August 13 - 21, 2021

OBUSE: August 14 - 20, 2021
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TOKUSHIMA: August 15 - 21, 2021​

MIYAGI-ONAGAWA: August 13 - 19, 2021
 
*GUNMA: August 14 - 20, 2021 
 
* We will update details of the summer school in the new region. 
** There will be intro and outro activities planned on the day before and after the summer school for each region.
*** Participants who live in Japan can choose their participation format. However, we recommend in-person participation.
 
Additional Information for Summer School
 
Note that the format of the summer school for all regions is not finalized at this point. If chosen as a mentor, your region preference will be respected and observed, but we reserve the decision to place you in the region we see fit. 
​________________________________________________________________​_____________________________________________________________________
End of Summer School Information
Please find more information regarding HLAB’s COVID-19 Response Plan under the tab
​'COVID-19 UPDATE' above. Thank you for understanding. 

Please find more information regarding application closure and how HLAB 2021 will proceed under the tab
​'COVID-19 UPDATE' above. Thank you for understanding. 

WHO



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​WHAT



WHEN


​WHERE

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HOW




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COST
University students of all majors who are passionate about teaching peer mentorship and cultural exchange.
* This year, we are also accepting applications from people who are no longer studying but under 29. Contact teach@h-lab.co should you have any questions regarding your eligibility.


​
1. Teach and mentor high school students in Japan, both in seminars and within your student houses.
2. Meet university students from all over the world and create an exciting summer program together.
​3. Make lifelong connections within HLAB and with local communities!​


​11th - 22nd August 2021
​HLAB believes in the strength of peer mentoring to overcome the various borders between schools, subjects, countries, and even age. ​
​
Fill out the 2021 application here. You’ll need to provide some personal information, answer several short questions and prepare a preliminary syllabus demonstrating the seminar topic you are considering (using the template provided). Read about the process below.

Give yourself time to write answers to the short answer questions in a word processor and fill out the template for your seminar (found on the first page of the application page) before working through the rest of the application process.

In 2021, costs including accommodation, most meals, transportation during the summer school and planned excursions will be covered for mentors able to travel to Japan or who already live in Japan. 

 In previous years, 'Financial Aid' has been distributed for students demonstrating financial needs for flight itineraries and personal expenditures during the program, such as eating out during their free time. However, this Financial Aid would reimburse only a portion of your total cost. Please keep in mind that, as a non-profit organization, we run on a tight budget and that financial aid will be distributed on a need basis to highly motivated mentors who require financial support to participate in HLAB. You will be asked to submit official documents to prove your financial situation. 

For more detailed information about Financial Aid, please refer to  this document.

WHAT YOU GET

  • An authentic experience of Japanese culture - an improved understanding of Japanese traditions and customs.
  • The chance to interact with local high school and university students;
  • A global network of fellow mentors and friends to rely on in the future;
  • An opportunity to develop your teaching skills;
  • A chance to extend your personal boundaries, gain confidence and experience;
  • Accommodation, meals*, and travel during the program provided.​

*Meal schedules will slightly differ based on site - we encourage setting aside a small budget if you want to explore and eat out during free time

WHAT YOU GIVE

  • Teach a 3 - 4 day discussion-based seminar (approx. 2 - 3 hours per day);​
  • Be a mentor or the students in your house (and otherwise) and provide them with a welcoming atmosphere to express themselves.  As long as the students are present, you are a mentor first and foremost;
  • Prior to summer school, dedicate time towards designing a seminar accessible to high school students of varying age/English ability.  In addition, provide assistance with designing some non-seminar related activities for students in the summer school;
  • Maintain a positive attitude and be open-minded;
  • ​Be adaptable and have creative communication skills.

Application Process

1. ELIGIBility & PRimary APplication


 Any student completing a university degree (Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctor's) is eligible to apply to the program. This year, we are also accepting applications from people who are no longer studying but under 29. Japanese language ability is not required.
 
No extensions will be given on the early admission. If your application is not received by the end of the day (JST), it will not be considered for early admission and will be grouped with the regular admission applications. ​

Application Questions
  • Why do you want to join HLAB? (approx. 200 words)
  • Please share something that you are passionate about.What motivates and excites you? (approx. 250 words)
  • Can you tell us about an experience you had in working with a diverse team? What were the challenges and how did you solve them? (approx. 300 words)

  • ​​We would like you to please submit to us a preliminary syllabus containing an overview and breakdown of the topic you wish to teach the most.
    • Please COPY the template provided in Google Docs onto your Google Drive and upload a link to your syllabus once you have it made. It will serve as a easy way to build and share your materials with us and other Global Side Mentors while we prepare you for the program. You will be asked to reformat your syllabus if you do not use the template at this stage.
    • NOTE: If you edit this file directly, we are not responsible if your file is lost as we will reset the file back. If your file URL is the same as this template, you have not successfully created another file. 
    • (Also, if you notice that the file has been edited by another person, i.e. the first line is not "Seminar Title", please let us know! We appreciate your help!)
    • The syllabus should prepare for four 60 minute sessions*. You should make sure that your seminar is not too difficult to understand as the Japanese high school students you will be teaching have varying levels of English. For some students, this seminar will be the first time they use English outside of a language class. Be mindful to use simple and plain language, but feel free to teach them any important vocab words.
  • Since we intend the seminars to be discussion-based know that you will not cover as much as you would in a typical lecture.
  • Please start with this template (Please make a copy on your local Google Drive first -> under 'File' tab) https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QMPQKEWTxj1IN8T8UEahRqodOeVJl_ySvJyXeu0AEpA/edit?usp=sharing
Sample Syllabi:  *Please note that the example syllabi may not look exactly like the template! Not only may your seminar lengths differ depending on which site you are placed in, but the purpose of the syllabus now is to streamline your own brainstorming and to provide us with a clear, concise way to show what you're thinking of. Remember, this is a preliminary syllabus! You will have the opportunity to work with others and improve your seminar if you become a mentor.​
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2. Interview & Results


Interviews will be conducted using ZOOM - date and time to be confirmed individually. All applicants will receive an email indicating whether they made it to the interview phase roughly 2-3 weeks after their submission. Following the application review, applicants may be either interviewed, deferred to regular admissions, or rejected. Not all applicants will be interviewed.
 
For any inquiries with regards to the application procedure, please email: teach@h-lab.co


Regular Admission Deadline:
June 6, 2021 [11:59 PM JST]
Rolling Admissions:
June 7, 2021 Onwards (Until all slots are filled and finalized.)
SUMMER SCHOOL APPLICATION (ONGOING)
We look forward to receiving your application, and to working with you in the near future! ​​