Semester or Year Abroad: Japan

Direct Exchange Programs

The University of Kansas has exchange agreements with the Universities of Sophia, Fukuoka, J.F. Oberlin, Okayama, and Tsuda.

Eligibility: Preference will be given to students who have a 3.0 GPA and two years of university Japanese language training or the equivalent. Students with less than 2 years of Japanese may be eligible for some of the Japanese exchange programs. Spring semester programs are available at select Japanese exchange sites, inquire at the Office of Study Abroad for more information.

Credit:The number of KU resident credits and course equivalents awarded for the year will be determined upon return to KU. It is expected that students who take the equivalent of a full course load at the host institution will receive approximately a full year of KU credit.

Financial Aid: KU students who qualify for financial aid in the form of Stafford and/or other loans, Pell or SEOG Grants, and scholarships may apply the aid to the cost of a Study Abroad Program.

Limited supplemental scholarships are available to KU undergraduates. Applications are available at the Office of Study Abroad. You can also download the scholarship application. The scholarship application deadline is March 1 for Fall and October 1 for Spring.

Application Procedures:

Application deadline for Fall or Academic Year: March 1.
Application deadline for Spring: October 1.

Applications are available in the KU Office of Study Abroad. You can also download the application.

(Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to download an application. If your computer does not have Acrobat Reader you can download it for FREE.)

Sophia University
Tokyo, Japan

Sophia University is a prestigious private Jesuit university with 11,000 students which is located in downtown Tokyo (population 13 million). Tokyo, one of the world’s most populous cities in the world, is the nation’s center of politics, business and pop culture. In Tokyo, students can visit temples and shrines and well as experience the dazzling modern skyscrapers and large entertainment and shopping districts.. Program participants can choose from a wide range of courses in humanities, social sciences, business and economics taught in English. Intensive Japanese language courses are offered at all levels by the Department of Japanese Language and Studies.

KU course equivalencies for Sophia University

Accommodations: University residence halls with Japanese students. Host families are available on a limited basis.

Dates:Academic year: mid-September through late July; Semester break during February and March; Spring semester: early April through late July.

Cost (2009-10): The program fee is approximately $10,350 for the academic year or $5,930 for the Spring semester, which includes tuition, fees, emergency medical evacuation and repatriation services, and KU orientation. Additional expenses include room and board (approx. $14,747 for the academic year or $6,051 for the semester), airfare, personal expenses, books/supplies, public transportation, passport, and national health insurance.

Websites:
www.sophia.ac.jp
www.tcvb.or.jp/en/guide/index.html

J.F. Oberlin University
Tokyo, Japan

J.F. Oberlin University is a private co-educational institution with 8,000 university students. The university is located in the lively, upbeat city of Machida (population 400,000), which is a suburb southwest of Tokyo. Machida is well serviced by trains and offers easy access to downtown Tokyo and nearby mountains and beaches. Students can join university clubs and participate in a variety of cultural activities and excursions in and around Tokyo through J.F. Oberlin’s Center for International Studies. The Reconnaissance Japan program offers a variety of culture and civilization courses on Japan taught in English and intensive Japanese language courses offered at all levels. Students with extensive background in Japanese can take content courses taught in Japanese.

KU course equivalencies for Obirin University

Accommodations: University-arranged apartments near campus or homestay with a Japanese family.

Dates: Academic year: mid-September through late July; Semester break, February–March; Spring Semester: mid-April through late July.

Cost (2009-10): The program fee is approximately $10,350 for the academic year or $5,920 for the Spring semester, which includes tuition, fees, emergency medical evacuation and repatriation services, and KU orientation. Additional expenses include room and board (approx. $7,944 to $13,444 for the academic year or $2,889 to $4,889 for the semester), airfare, passport, books/supplies, national health insurance, public transportation and personal expenses.

Websites:
www.obirin.ac.jp
www.city.machida.tokyo.jp

Fukuoka University
Fukuoka, Japan

Fukouka University is in Fukuoka City (population 1.4 million) which is located on the northern shore of the Kyushu island. Fukuoka City is a vibrant cosmopolitan city which is surrounded by the beautiful Sea of Genkai and enjoys a mild climate. Fukuoka is an international hub for Asian cultural and economic exchange due to its close proximity to Korea and China. Fukuoka University is one of the largest private universities in western Japan with a student enrollment of 21,000. KU students take Japanese language courses. Students with a superior command of the Japanese language can take regular content courses. The Center for International Programs at Fukuoka organizes cultural activities and day trips for the participants as well as host families to stay with during the weekends.

Accommodations: University residence hall for Japanese and international students. Participants live in single room and share communal kitchen and dining room with floor mates.

Dates: Academic Year only: mid-September to mid-July; Semester break: late January to mid-March.

Cost (2009-10):The program fee is approximately $10,350 for the academic year, which includes tuition, fees, emergency medical evacuation and repatriation services, and KU
orientation. Additional expenses include room and board
(approx. $8,920), airfare, passport, books/supplies, national health insurance, public transportation and personal expenses.

Websites:
www.fukuoka-u.ac.jp
www.city.fukuoka.jp

Okayama University
Okayama, Japan

Okayama is one of Japan's largest universities. The city, situated in the southern half of Japan, has a population of about 700,000 and a mild climate. Intermediate and Advanced Japanese courses are offered at Okayama. A variety of Japanese culture courses are taught in English. With a student population of 14,000, Okayama University offers a variety of student clubs, societies and activities such as sport and art clubs, tea ceremony, Japanese traditional music, kendo, judo and bowling.

Accommodations: University residence hall for international students.

Dates: Academic year: Early October through late July; Semester break, March. Spring semester: early April through late July.

Cost (2009-10): The program fee is approximately $10,350 for the academic year or $5,930 for the semester which includes tuition, fees emergency medical evacuation and repatriation services and KU orientation. Additional expenses include room and board ($8,522 for the academic year or $3,506 for the semester), airfare, personal expenses, books/supplies, public transportation, passport, and national health insurance.

Websites:
www.okayama-u.ac.jp/user/int/epok/index.html
www.pref.okayama.jp/kikaku/kokusai/momo/e/

Tsuda College
Tokyo, Japan

Tsuda College, a private all-female college, was founded in 1900 by Umeko Tsuda who dedicated her life to the empowerment of women. Tsuda College is located in the western Tokyo suburb of Kodaira-shi (population 185,000) which is 13 miles west of Shinjuku. Students take intensive Japanese language courses and Japanese studies courses. Additional courses in communication and English literature are offered in English. Tsuda students provide support to exchange students through a “big sisters” program. Exchange students can take part in variety of extra-curricular clubs such as culture, music and athletic clubs.

Accommodations: On-campus university residence halls with Japanese students.

Dates:Academic Year: mid-September through late July with semester break from February to early April. Spring semester: early April to late July.

Cost (2009-10): The program fee is approximately $17,180 for the academic year or $9,280 for the Spring 2010 semester, which includes tuition, fees, room, board, emergency medical evacuation and repatriation services, and KU orientation. Additional expenses include airfare, passport, books/supplies, national health insurance, public transportation and personal expenses.

Websites:
www.tsuda.ac.jp
www.city.kodaira.tokyo.jp