Iizuka, Japan

Iizuka City is nestled in the foothills of central Fukuoka Prefecture on Kyushu. Home to rich history and tradition, Iizuka has grown into a major center of education and IT innovation.

PROGRAM DETAILS

TENTATIVE PROGRAM ITINERARY

Eligibility

The Student Exchange Program is open to the following applicants:

• Current 7th and 8th grade middle school students
• Current high school students

Sunnyvale residents and students attending a school in Sunnyvale will be given priority over other candidates.

How to Apply

You must confirm receipt from SSCA that we have received these 2 items by the September 30th deadline.

• Submission of completed online application including:
  • Personal information
  • Contact information for a school teacher reference
  • Working URL for a self-introduction video on YouTube
• Receipt of ONE emailed Letter of Recommendation from your school teacher reference

YouTube Video
The video is an opportunity to introduce yourself to both the Selection Committee and a potential host family. The video does not need to be fancy, and can be filmed and edited on a phone. Please be sure that you can be seen and that the audio is clear. Please refer to (YouTube Help Center, Community, and Creator Tips) for help on how to create a video with a URL to share with the SSCA. To allow Selection Committee to view your video while protecting your privacy, please set your video to "Unlisted" instead of "Private".

Teacher Letter of Recommendation
The Selection Committee uses a teacher letter of recommendation to gain their insights based on their long experience with the candidate. The letter of recommendation provides context to compare and contrast the candidate during the interview vs. the application vs. the self-introduction video. For information about the Letter of Recommendation and for a file to give to your teacher, please download our guidelines (PDF).

For any questions, please contact s2i@sunnyvalesistercity.org

Fees

The 2026 Program fees are $3,699.

While in Iizuka, students will stay with host families who will cover the student’s daily expenses. Fees are based on costs calculated with current exchange rate and are subject to adjustment as a result of exchange rate fluctuation and other factors including airline fuel surcharges. Fees can be refunded for applicants not accepted into the program. Fees are non-refundable for students who accept places in the program.

About the Fees

Program fees cover:

• Scheduled transportation (including surcharges and taxes) for the duration of the trip: All international airfare, Japanese domestic airfare, and scheduled trains
• 2 days of English-guided bus tours in Tokyo
• Hotel accommodation for two nights in Tokyo (including breakfast)
• 1 day of English-guided bus tours in Kyushu
• Background check costs for adult(s) in applicant’s famil
• SSCA administrative costs

What program fees do not cover:

• Souvenirs
• Transportation costs during free time
• Personal lunches and dinners in Iizuka and Tokyo
• Travel insurance with Covid-19 contingency provisions
• Medical insurance

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Financial assistance is available for a limited number of Sunnyvale students on a need basis. Qualifying students will not need to pay the second deposit. To be eligible for financial assistance, please email SSCA at s2i@sunnyvalesistercity.org one of the following forms:

• Approval of Aid from Sunnyvale Community Services
• Approval of Second Harvest Food Bank aid
• WIC, SNAP AFDC approval
• CalFresh, CalWORKs, KIN-GAP, and FDPIR benefits
• Most current income tax return. Please ensure to black out all SSN's before submitting

APPLICATION & EVENTS TIMELINE

Information sessions dates will be announced at schools.

PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS

• Completed application - Applicants must complete the online application, send in an initial deposit, and have a Letter of Recommendation emailed on their behalf by the application deadline.
• Valid passport - A valid passport is required to travel to Japan. This passport must be valid until 6 months after returning to the US. Once accepted, particpants must provide a copy of their passport. If participants do not have a valid passport, they must apply for a passport and show proof of an application within 2 weeks of being accepted to the program.
• Attendance at all predeparture meetings - Students and parents/guardians are required to attend monthly meetings and preparatory classes prior to departure. If students and parents/guardians cannot attend all meetings, we encourage them to apply the following year.
• Host I2S - The family of the participant must agree to be a host family to a Japanese exchange student during the I2S program from March 24 to March 30, 2026. Participants who have qualified for financial assistance can host a student, but are not required.
• Youth Protection Policy compliance - All adults who will be present in the home of the host family during the I2S homestay must agree to a LiveScan background check and complete a Mandated Reporter training course in accordance with SSCA’s Youth Protection Policy.
• Infectious Disease Prevention compliance - SSCA is committed to ensuring the safety of Exchange Program Participants and will abide by the guidelines provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (“CDC”), Sunnyvale School District, Fremont Unified High School District, National Institute of Infectious Disease (Japanese equivalent of CDC), Japanese Foreign Ministry, and relevant guidance provided by airlines but SSCA will follow the stricter guideline where there is a conflict or difference.

APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS

The Interview

After SSCA receives your completed application, the candidate will have a group interview with other students and the Selection Committee. This interview is used to evaluate the candidate including their maturity, independence and interest in Japan and the program.

Selection Process

The Selection Committee reviews a candidate’s completed application, self-introduction video, letter of recommendation, and interview performance and chooses up to 20 students to participate in the program. We have no quotas for gender, age or school.

What do we look for in a candidate?

Passion for Japan – SSCA’s program links Sunnyvale with Iizuka, Japan. Successful participants will use this program as a springboard to deepen their existing interests and passion for aspects of Japan including language, food, culture and traditions.

Ambassador first, tourist second – SSCA’s student exchange programs are meant to be more than a trip to Japan. We are looking for participants who understand the difference between being a tourist and being an ambassador. Successful participants will be excited to represent the best of our City, State and Nation in speech and behavior. Successful participants will also be eager to listen and learn about what it means to be Japanese and share about what it means to be American.

Curious and Adventurous – Compared to the US, Japan is a very different and potentially confusing place. Successful participants do not see this as a drawback. Successful participants will be excited to immerse themselves in this new environment and to learn from the experience.

Friendly – S2I participants will travel to Iizuka with students who they may not know initially. They will go to an unfamiliar Japanese school and stay with a Japanese host family. Successful participants will be excited to go the extra mile to reach out and make lasting friendships with people they meet on the trip.

The Selection Committee

The Selection Committee is made up of SSCA volunteers who have been involved with the Student Exchange Program for many years. Over the history of the program, the Selection Committee has included SSCA board members, teachers, and parents of former participants.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. How many students from Sunnyvale will be going to Iizuka?
   A minimum of 8 students and a maximum of 20 students from Sunnyvale will be going to Iizuka.
2. Are there quotas for age or gender?
   There are no quotas placed on student participants. SSCA selects participants solely based upon the quality of the applicant.
3. What is the student to adult ratio for the S2I trip?
   The student to adult ratio varies depending on the number of student participants
   
   • 8-10 students will be accompanied by 2 chaperones and 1 SSCA staff
   • 11-15 students will be accompanied by 3 chaperones and 1 SSCA staff
   • 16-20 students will be accompanied by 4 chaperones and 1 SSCA staff
4. Who are the chaperones?
   Teachers from participating schools can apply to be chaperones.
5. Why are candidates interviewed?
   Interviews are very important in evaluating the interest level, maturity and personality of an applicant. Interviews are especially important when there are more applicants than available spots in the program.
6. What does SSCA look for in a successful candidate?
   Successful candidates have several defining characteristics:
   
   

   Passion for Japan – SSCA’s program links Sunnyvale with Iizuka, Japan. Successful participants will use this program as a springboard to deepen their existing interests and passion for aspects of Japan including language, food, culture and traditions.

   Ambassador first, tourist second – SSCA’s student exchange programs are meant to be more than a trip to Japan. We are looking for participants who understand the difference between being a tourist and being an ambassador. Successful participants will be excited to represent the best of our City, State and Nation in speech and behavior. Successful participants will also be eager to listen and learn about what it means to be Japanese and share about what it means to be American.

   Curious and Adventurous – Compared to the US, Japan is a very different and potentially confusing place. Successful participants do not see this as a drawback. Successful participants will be excited to immerse themselves in this new environment and to learn from the experience.

   Friendly – S2I participants will travel to Iizuka with students who they may not know initially. They will go to an unfamiliar Japanese school and stay with a Japanese host family. Successful participants will be excited to go the extra mile to reach out and make lasting friendships with people they meet on the trip.

7. What is the budget for incidental expenses for the S2I students in Japan?
   Around $100 - $300US is recommended. Credit card usage is increasing, but many shops are still cash only.

8. Where can we exchange US Dollars for Japanese Yen?
   Many banks in Sunnyvale offer foreign currency exchange service to their customers. Contact your bank for details.
9. Is Japan safe?
   In general, Japan is very safe place for travel. Iizuka is in the countryside and is even safer than Tokyo. Host families in Iizuka are carefully selected by Iizuka City and their Board of Education.

10. What locations will S2I students visit in Tokyo?
    A tour bus may be chartered depending on the number of visiting students, and on previous trips students have visited:Tsukuji, Sky Tree, the Imperial Palace, and Asakusa.
11. Do S2I students need to know Japanese?
    No. Successful applicants will need to attend orientation sessions before the trip, where they will learn about topics such as Japanese language, culture, and customs to prepare them for their experience in Japan.
12. Do Iizuka to Sunnyvale (I2S) students speak English?
    While most students in Japan do study English, their skill level is very limited, but they will be prepped in a similar way as our students before they come to Sunnyvale.
13. How can the students communicate if they don't speak the same language?
    Students can be very creative in communicating without being fluent in a common language.
14. Do families of S2I students have to host I2S students before visiting Japan?
    Yes, families of successful S2I applicants must host I2S students prior to the applicant travelling to Japan.The hosting requirement does not apply to scholarship students.
15. Can other families become host families for I2S students?
    Yes, any families who are interested in becoming host families can email SSCA (s2i@sunnyvalesistercity.org).
16. What do host families need to know to make a pleasant stay for the I2S students?
    SSCA Student Exchange Programs aim to provide exciting experiences by immersing students in different cultures. When students from Iizuka visit your family, sightseeing is important. However, we also encourage you to include your exchange student in every- day activities including extra-curricular activities (Little League, AYSO, Scouting, Band), grocery shopping, cooking, etc.

CONTACT

Additional Information or Questions

If you have any questions regarding the Sunnyvale to Iizuka Student Exchange Program, please contact: s2i@sunnyvalesistercity.org