Travel Scholarship for the IPU Japanese Immersion Programme 2026

IPU Japanese Immersion Programme 2026

When:
One-and-a-half-day programme
- Saturday 14 November 2026, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
- Sunday 15 November 2026, 9:00 am to 12:30 pm

Participants travelling from outside Palmerston North may arrive on Friday 13 November if required.

Where:
IPU New Zealand
57 Aokautere Drive, Fitzherbert, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand

1. Programme registration (IPU New Zealand)
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For programme details and to register, please visit the IPU New Zealand website.
Registrations are open from 17 August to 4 September 2026.
https://www.ipu.ac.nz/post/ipu-japanese-immersion-programme-2026

2. Travel Scholarship application (Language Circle)

Applications for the Travel Scholarship are open from 17 August to 4 September 2026.
Language Circle will reimburse approved travel costs and accommodation costs at IPU New Zealand up to a total of NZ$500 per successful applicant after the programme.  
Recipients must submit receipts and any other required supporting documents to receive reimbursement. They are responsible for personal expenses and any travel or accommodation costs exceeding NZ$500.
For accommodation, Travel Scholarship recipients may choose to stay elsewhere, but accommodation costs outside IPU New Zealand will not be reimbursed. Accommodation at IPU New Zealand costs NZ$89 per night.

3. Expectations for Travel Scholarship Recipients

Travel Scholarship recipients are expected to:
- Participate fully in the programme on both days
- Complete surveys for Language Circle or IPU New Zealand
- Provide a short testimonial or reflection, along with a few photos suitable for sharing on Language Circle’s social media

Where possible, recipients are also encouraged to share what they have learnt through the programme with the wider Japanese teaching community in New Zealand. This could include contributing teaching ideas or resources to Language Circle’s Teacher-Created Resources collection, sharing classroom practices through channels such as the NZAJLT mailing list, or presenting at the NZALT Conference or LangSem.

For the IPU Japanese Immersion Programme 2026  
Please refer to the IPU website for detailed eligibility requirements.
https://www.ipu.ac.nz/post/ipu-japanese-immersion-programme-2026

For the Travel Scholarship (Language Circle)
- Applicants must be New Zealand registered teachers who are currently teaching Japanese at a New Zealand school and intend to continue teaching Japanese in New Zealand in 2027 and beyond.
- Pre-service teachers and holders of a Limited Authority to Teach are not eligible.
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Places are very limited, and priority will be given to applicants who:
- Are teaching Japanese at Years 7 to 10 in 2026
- Have a demonstrated commitment to language PLD
- Are actively engaged in and contribute to professional networks for Japanese teachers in New Zealand

There is no participation fee for the programme. Participants from outside Palmerston North may stay at IPU New Zealand for NZ$80 per night. Travel Scholarship recipients may claim this accommodation cost as part of their reimbursement, up to the overall limit of NZ$500.

Chisato Yoshioka

IPU New Zealand