Hospitality Internship Opportunity in the U.S.
BridgeUSA Okinawa Hospitality Internship Scholarship
As part of the U.S.-Japan Tourism Year and in support of workforce development in the Okinawan tourism industry, the U.S. Consulate General in Naha, Okinawa, is funding three U.S. internship opportunities for current hospitality students and recent graduates.
The internships will be part of the J-1 Visa BridgeUSA Intern Program. The Scholarship program is being administered by Cultural Exchange Network (Cenet), a U.S.-based implementer of BridgeUSA programs.
The Scholarship is sponsored by the U.S. Consulate General in Naha, with the goal of enhancing mutual understanding and supporting skills development in the hospitality sector. Scholarship winners will gain professional experience in the United States, improve their English language skills, be exposed to American business practices and to U.S. hospitality brands, and share their own culture with Americans.
The Experience
In April 2025, Scholarship recipients will travel to the United States to start their 10-month internship. They will be matched with a host employer at a hotel or resort and will follow a hospitality internship training program with a high level of interaction with American colleagues and guests. Recipients will meet, work, live with and learn from people of the United States while sharing daily experiences.
The Scholarship is a unique program and distinct from the general BridgeUSA Intern program. For information on Intern, please visit j1visa.state.gov.
Explore the United States
All Intern participants are eligible for a travel period of up to 30 days following their internship end date.
Build your resume + develop workforce and leadership skills
Experience American working culture and earn wages to support your living and travel expenses during your time in the United States. All placements are in professional hospitality positions. Scholarship recipients should be flexible on placement type and location. Build transferable skills including American customer service, business and hospitality English, intercultural competencies, critical thinking, and adaptability.
Eligibility
At the time the internship starts, applicants should be currently enrolled in, or have recently graduated from, a hospitality degree program at a university, a college or a vocational school in Okinawa. Applicants must be able to demonstrate English language proficiency. Applicants must hold only Japanese nationality – dual nationals are not eligible to apply.
Inclusions
The Scholarship program includes round-trip airfare to the United States, travel to the placement site, sickness and accident insurance, program support from Cenet, and U.S. government visa fees. Participants will receive compensation from their U.S. employer during the internship.
Applicants will be responsible for the cost of their own passport and for transportation to the visa interview at the U.S. Consulate in Naha.
How to Apply
Applicants should complete an online application form and submit a brief video (up to two minutes) describing why they are interested in the program. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The final deadline for applications is November 29, 2024.
Duties
Scholarship winners will be required to submit reports and photographs of their internship and return home. Scholars are also required to attend a debriefing session after returning home. The submitted reports and photos will be reported to the U.S. Consulate in Okinawa, and the photos will be posted on the U.S. Consulate’s website, Cenet’s website, and social networking sites. The interns’ full names will be included in the report.
