June 5, 2025

To international students enrolled in American universities

On May 22, 2025, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced that the certification for the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), which is required to obtain a student visa, would be revoked for Harvard University. Furthermore, on May 27, the Donald Trump administration instructed U.S. embassies worldwide to suspend the scheduling of interviews necessary to obtain student visas for studying in the United States. As the U.S. is the most common destination for Japanese students studying abroad, these developments have raised concerns among students who are currently enrolled in or planning to attend American universities.

As a support measure for students enrolled in universities in the United States, Yamagata University has decided to accept undergraduate and graduate students who hold Japanese nationality and wish to study or conduct research at our university as non-degree (credit-earning) or research students across all faculties and graduate schools. In such cases, admission and tuition fees will be waived.

Yamagata University was selected in FY2024 for the “Program for Forming Japan’s Peak Research Universities (J-PEAKS)”. As part of this initiative, we are advancing efforts to translate research outcomes in materials, devices, and manufacturing processes into real-world applications, centered around our core strength: organic material systems, with the goal of contributing to a sustainable future society. In particular, our research on printed electronics is recognized as being at the global forefront. Through the J-PEAKS project, we aim to further develop this technology into “sustainable electronics” and implement the resulting devices and systems in various sectors, including agriculture and healthcare. We also hope to provide strong support for outstanding students and early-career researchers—especially in the fields where Yamagata University excels—so they can continue their academic and research pursuits.

Yamagata University warmly welcomes students who strive to continue learning even under difficult circumstances where academic freedom is threatened in many countries. We are committed to offering them enriching and meaningful educational opportunities in a free and open academic environment.

June 5, 2025
Hidetoshi TAMATE, President, Yamagata University

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