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STUDY. TRAVEL. TRANSFORM.

Boronda International Study Program

 

Japan 2027

A fully funded, two-week arts study trip in the first two weeks of June 2027 for approximately 10 Boronda scholars. Application Deadline is October 2, 2026

Apply Now

Why Apply?

The Boronda Program gives students the chance to encounter art, architecture, design, and daily life directly rather than only through books or screens. Students build confidence, expand creative perspective, and return home with new ideas for their art, studies, and future careers.

New perspective

See how art and culture shape everyday life.

Creative growth

Bring home ideas for your own work and studies.

Confidence

Students take IDS-1 and IDS-2 for credit.

Lifelong impact

Create connections and memories that last.

Who Can Apply?

Current Hartnell students, Monterey Peninsula College students, and other eligible Monterey County students may apply if they can enroll in the required Hartnell courses.

Be a permanent resident of Monterey County since at least January 1, 2026

Be at least 18 years old by May 1, 2027

Show serious interest, participation, or promise in one or more of the arts

Be eligible for a passport

Be willing to participate fully in both Interdisciplinary Studies 1 and Interdisciplinary Studies 2

 

How to Apply

1

Read the requirements
Confirm Monterey County residency, age, arts focus, and passport eligibility.

2

Prepare materials
Gather transcripts, portfolio/work samples, and your written responses.

View sample of student portfolio →

3

Submit by October 2
Only complete applications received by the deadline will be reviewed.

4
Interview if selected
Finalists interview with the Boronda Committee on November 7.
5
Join the cohort
About 10 scholars will be chosen for Japan 2027.

Required Materials

Completed application, transcripts, and portfolio/work samples submitted by the October 2 deadline.

Apply Now

What We Are Looking For

Artistic Promise

Curiosity

Flexibility

Respect

Collaboration

Japan 2027 Trip Highlights: A Broad Arts Experience

Students will explore Japan through temples and historic sites, calligraphy, museums, architecture, manga and design culture, and shared group experiences.

Past Boronda Journeys

Recent and past Boronda destinations include Spain (2026), Italy (2025), Mexico, England, West Africa, Hawaii, and many others such as Japan, Taiwan, and Argentina.

Alaska

Woman wearing an aviation headset sits inside a small airplane, looking out the window at the landscape below.
Aerial view from a small airplane of a forested Alaskan landscape dotted with lakes, with mountains and cloudy skies in the distance.
Group of people pose in front of a rustic log cabin in the woods; one person holds a large set of moose antlers over their head.

Rome

Group of students and travelers pose together overlooking the ancient ruins of the Roman Forum in Rome on a sunny day.
Group of students and travelers pose on the Spanish Steps in Rome, with the Trinità dei Monti church and its twin bell towers behind them.
Group of students and travelers pose in front of the illuminated Trevi Fountain in Rome at night.

Spain

Group of students and travelers pose around a fountain in an ornate courtyard at the Alhambra in Granada, Spain.
Group poses at a scenic overlook with the historic city of Toledo, Spain, spread across the hillside behind them.
Puente Nuevo stone bridge spans the deep El Tajo gorge in Ronda, Spain, with buildings perched along the cliffs.

Venice

Sketchbook drawing of the Florence skyline held up against the city at sunset, with the Arno River and Florence Cathedral’s dome in the background.
Collage showing gondolas on Venice’s Grand Canal near Santa Maria della Salute and an artist sketching beside the water.
Collage of artists sketching and painting along Venice’s Grand Canal, with historic buildings and the domed Santa Maria della Salute in the background.

Funding: The Trip Is Fully Funded for Students

Every selected student receives the Boronda Scholarship. Major program expenses are fully covered.

Expenses covered by the scholarship

  • Round-trip travel from Salinas to Japan
  • International airfare
  • Lodging
  • Rail, bus, and local transit
  • Museum and site admissions
  • Cultural workshops and activities
  • Meals / meal allowance
  • Accident insurance

Students should plan to pay

  • Tuition and fees for IDS-1 and IDS-2
  • Passport costs if needed
  • Personal shopping or souvenirs
  • Optional personal purchases and laundry

The Academic Experience: Interdisciplinary Studies 1 & 2

Interdisciplinary Studies 1 (Spring 2027)

Usually a hybrid course that often meets twice a week for about 1.5 hours. Students prepare for travel, study Japanese art and culture, and begin an independent project.

Interdisciplinary Studies 2 (Summer 2027)

The two-week Japan travel course. Students learn through museums, sites, workshops, observation, sketching, journaling, and discussion.

Trip Leadership

Marshall SharpeFaculty Lead, Boronda 2027 | Assistant Professor of Art | Director of Hartnell College Art Gallery
Boronda 2027 CoordinatorPosition Vacant and Open for Applications
The Assistant to the Lead will support Marshall Sharpe with trip planning, logistics, scheduling, tickets, admissions, daily coordination, and other practical needs before and during the trip.

Learn more