Japan

Student testimonials

• "If there were ever any problems, it was easy to ask for help and everything would be solved easily."
• "The language teaching was very comprehensive."

Who can apply?

• Students of all faculties
• Bachelor’s and Master’s students
• Students with English skills at least on level B2 OR Japanese at least 10 credits completed
• Students with minimum GPA of 3,0 

What can you study here?

Global Education Module (GEM)

• Courses in English on Japanese Culture, Society and Nature
• Bachelor and Master level students can participate in this module, but all courses offered by GEM are undergraduate level
• A limited number of Japanese language courses can also be selected, requires Doshisha’s Japanese Language Placement Test.

Japanese Language and Culture Module (Nichibun)

• Intensive Japanese language and culture courses in Japanese
• Japanese at least 10 credits completed. Students are placed in appropriate level/class based on Doshisha’s Japanese Language Placement Test. Students whose native language is Japanese are not eligible to apply.
• Several subjects provide students with the opportunity to learn Japanese traditional cultures through classes and off-campus learning: calligraphy, flower arrangement, tea ceremony and Shrine festivals.

How many credits do you need to complete?

Minimum 13 Doshisha credits per term (Maximum 15 credits per term)
1 Doshisha credit = 2 ECTS

Terms

September - February / April - July

Housing, costs and fees

The average monthly living expenses in Kyoto are approximately JPY 100,000 / month.

Other important matters

Bachelor's student must remain at the Bachelor’s level throughout the exchange.

Exchange opportunities available 

3 students for one academic year or 6 students for one term.

Student testimonials

• "Hokkaido University provides the ability to study the Ainu language and cultures."
• "Lots of group discussions and presentations rather than exams."
• "Very interesting courses regarding Japanese politics."

Who can apply?

• Students of all faculties
• Bachelor’s students (Applicants must have completed at least two years of undergraduate study at their own university prior to arrival in Japan)
• Students with English skills at least on level B2 OR Japanese JLPT N3
• Students with minimum GPA of 3,8 (HUSTEP) / 3,0 (JLCSP)

What can you study here?

Hokkaido University Short-Term Exchange Program (HUSTEP)

• Courses in English in areas of Culture, Society, Science, Technology and Environment. Students also have the chance to study the Japanese language.

Japanese Language and Culture Studies Programme (JLCSP)

• For undergraduate students majoring in Japanese language and culture to develop their Japanese skills and broaden their horizons about Japan.
• The program consists of two types of courses: Japanese Language Courses / Japanese linguistics, culture and society courses.

How many credits do you need to complete?

Minimum 12 Hokkaido credits (HUSTEP) / 300 classroom hours (JLCSP) per term
1 Hokkaido credit = 2 ECTS

Terms

September - February / April - August

Housing, costs and fees

Both Sapporo as well as Hakodate provide an excellent quality of life and the cost of living is more reasonable compared to other major cities in Japan:

Housing: JPY 30,000 / month
Food JPY 30,000 / month

Other important matters

• HUSTEP: Students agree to take the TOEFL or IELTS test at their own expense, if required by the programme.
• Bachelor's student must remain at the Bachelor’s level throughout the exchange.

Exchange opportunities available 

2 students for one academic year or 4 students for one term.

Student testimonials

New destination from AY 2026-27 onwards.

Who can apply?

• Students of all faculties
• Bachelor’s and Master’s students
• Students with English skills at least on level B2 OR Japanese min. JLPT N2
• Students with minimum GPA of 3,8

Faculties not open to exchange students

• Keio Business School
• School of Medicine
• Teacher training courses
• Physical education courses
• Foreign language courses *Japanese language is excluded.

What can you study here?

Keio International Program (KIP)

• Courses in English focusing on Japan and East/Southeast Asia as a central theme: Language and Literature, Art, Cultural and Intercultural Understanding, Science, Religion and Thought, History, Media and Communications, Contemporary Social Issues, Politics, Diplomacy and International Exchange, Business and Management, and Law
• Program allows to take Japanese language courses from elementary to advanced level

Japanese Language Program (JLP)

• The Program includes a range of Japanese Language Subjects, the goal of which is to improve reading, writing, listening and speaking skills, and Japanese Studies on Society and Culture, which are designed to increase students' knowledge of Japan's society and culture.
• Prior to the start of each semester, all students in the Japanese Language Program are required to take a placement test on the basis of which they are assigned to an appropriate study level.

Graduate Studies Program (GSP)

• Students who have Japanese language proficiency equivalent to JLPT level N2 or above may take courses taught in Japanese open to exchange students.
• Only for master level students

How many credits do you need to complete?

Minimum 14 Keio credits per term 
1 Keio credit = 2 ECTS

Terms

Mid-September - February / Mid-March - July

Housing, costs and fees

Monthly living costs will be approximately  JPY 130,000 - 170,000 (utilities, food, clothes, transportation, books and miscellaneous expenses).

Other important matters

Bachelor's student must remain at the Bachelor’s level throughout the exchange.

Exchange opportunities available 

1 student for one academic year or 2 students for one term.

Student testimonials

• "The atmosphere is very relaxed and the teaching methods are modern. The campus area is also excellent and close to nature."
• "The location is optimal for studying traditional Japanese culture."

Who can apply?

• Students of all faculties
• Bachelor’s and Master’s students
• Students with English skills at least on level B2 OR Japanese JLPT N1
• Students with minimum GPA of 3,8 

What can you study here?

Kyoto University International Education Program (KUINEP)

• Only for bachelor level students
• Courses in the KUINEP programme
• The Institute for Liberal Arts and Sciences (ILAS) offers over 350 courses in English for both Japanese and international students, subjects cover humanities, social sciences and natural sciences and are designed for mainly 1st and 2nd year students.

General Exchange Program (GEA)

• For bachelor and master level students
• Students take regular Japanese-taught courses from the Faculties or Graduate Schools to which they are affiliated.
• Courses from the Faculty of Medicine are not open to exchange students.
• Applicants to Japanese-language teaching must select all courses from one faculty/graduate school. 

Japanese Language Classes: Variety of courses (absolute beginner / intermediate / advanced) to learn and improve Japanese proficiency are available for international students. The maximum number to be registered is 4 courses for KUINEP and GEA students.

How many credits do you need to complete?

Minimum 12 Kyoto University credits per term
1 Kyoto University credit = 2 ECTS

Terms

September - February / April- August

Housing, costs and fees

Housing 

Other important matters

Bachelor's student must remain at the Bachelor’s level throughout the exchange.

Exchange opportunities available 

2 students for one academic year or 4 students for one term.

Student testimonials

• "The classes were engaging, the university environment was enjoyable, and the international residence was excellent."
• "Courses were high quality and well planned, and workload was quite similar to home university courses."
• "The course expectations and policies were carefully explained."
• "Especially the Japanese language courses for beginner were extremely useful and fun."

Who can apply?

• Students of all faculties
• Bachelor’s and Master’s students
• Students with English skills at least on level B2 OR Japanese JLPT N1
• Students with minimum GPA of 3,8

What can you study here?

The Nagoya University Program for Academic Exchange (NUPACE)

• Courses taught in English Schools/Graduate schools: Humanities, Education, Law, Economics, International Development, Informatics, Science, Mathematics, Engineering, Bioagricultural sciences, Environmental studies, Liberal Arts and Sciences.
• Regular Courses taught in Japanese 

How many credits do you need to complete?

Minimum 15 Nagoya credits per term
1 Nagoya credit = 2 ECTS

Terms

October - February / April - August 

Housing, costs and fees

Living expenses for students residing in Nagoya University accommodation:

• Rent including utilities: JPY 25,000 - 45,000 / month
• Food: JPY 20,000 - 30,000 / month
• Personal Expenses: JPY 30,000 / month

Other important matters

Bachelor's student must remain at the Bachelor’s level throughout the exchange.

Exchange opportunities available 

2 students for one academic year or 4 students for one term.

Student testimonials

• "An extremely international atmosphere with students from over 100 countries."
• "APU offered extensive number of courses in English, and since I was not confident on my Japanese skills, the ability to take the courses in English was very appealing."
• "The university is located in a relatively small city on the southern island of Japan."

Who can apply?

• Students of all faculties
• Bachelor’s students
• Students with English skills at least on level B2
• Students with minimum GPA of 2,5

What can you study here?

• Courses in English focusing on environmental change and policy, politics and societies in Asia and the Pacific region, business economics and tourism.
• Colleges open to exchange students: College of Asia Pacific Studies (APS), College of International Management (APM), College of Sustainability and Tourism (ST)

How many credits do you need to complete?

Minimum 14 APU credits per term
1 APU credit = 1.9230 ECTS credits

Terms

September - February / March - August

Housing, costs and fees

Example of a monthly budget for a student living in downtown Beppu:
Rent including utilities JPY 60,000
Food JPY 30,000 - 40,000
Transportation JPY 10,000
Miscellaneous JPY 10,000

Other important matters

• Students agree to take IELTS, TOEFL or Duolingo test required by Ritsumeikan APU at their own expense
• Bachelor's student must remain at the Bachelor’s level throughout the exchange.

Exchange opportunities available 

4 students for one academic year or 8 students for one term.

Student testimonials

• "I was interested in trying to learn something slightly different from my typical studies at my home university, and exchange allowed me to have this kind of break."
• "Some courses were thoroughly interesting and provided something unique through knowledgeable professors and the well utilised opportunities of culturally diverse set of students attending the courses."
• "The quality in the japanese classes was amazing."

Who can apply?

• Students of all faculties
• Bachelor’s and Master’s students
• Students with English skills at least on level B2 OR Japanese at least 10 credits completed
• Students with minimum GPA of 3,8

What can you study here?

Regular Courses in English (RCE)

• Courses range from humanities and social sciences, such as political science, economics, business administration, sociology, cultural anthropology, law, area studies, and contemporary Japanese culture, to courses in other science fields such as information (computer) science.
• Students can select courses only from the course lists for each track/campus. Students will not be able to choose from among all the courses for regular students offered in English.

Regular courses in Japanese (RCJ)

• Students in the RCJ track can take both liberal arts and specialized courses in Japanese offered by 16 Ritsumeikan University colleges. Students can take courses in the humanities and social sciences as well as courses in the natural sciences.
• Japanese JLPT N1 level required

Intensive Japanese Language (IJL)

• The IJL track’s Japanese language courses provide a well-balanced approach to improving reading, writing, listening, and writing skills from the beginner level all the way to the advanced level.
• While focusing on their Japanese studies, students can also take courses offered through the RCE track.

How many credits do you need to complete?

Minimum 13 Ritsumeikan credits per term (Maximum 20 credits per term)
1 Ritsumeikan credit = 2 ECTS

Terms

September - January / April- July

Housing, costs and fees

Living expenses

Other important matters

• Students agree to take IELTS or TOEFL test required by Ritsumeikan University at their own expense.
• Bachelor's student must remain at the Bachelor’s level throughout the exchange.
• For RCE and RCJ students the campus depends on study track and will be one of these:  Kinugasa Campus (Kyoto Prefecture), Osaka Ibaraki Campus (Osaka Prefecture), Biwako-Kusatsu Campus (Shiga Prefecture)
• For IJL students the campus is Kinugasa Campus (Kyoto Prefecture)

Exchange opportunities available 

2 students for one academic year or 4 students for one term.

Student testimonials

• "The teachers and other staff in Osaka university were very helpful every time I had any questions or doubts. Similarly the dorm staff was very helpful when dealing with daily life."
• "Teaching varies a lot from teacher to teacher, but in general there are presentations and a final essay, i.e. not the same kind of exams that are used in Finland."
• "I was intrigued by the city of Osaka itself as well as the dialect that is spoken there."

Who can apply?

• Students of all faculties
• Bachelor’s and Master’s students
• Students with English skills at least on level B2 OR Japanese at least 10 credits completed
• Students with minimum GPA of 3,8

What can you study here?

There are four programmes for exchange students, meant for different study levels and require different language skills: 

Intensive Japanese Language and Culture Program (MAPLE)

• Japanese at least 10 credits completed
• Bachelor’s (min. 3rd year) and Master’s students
• only full-academic year places

Osaka University Short-term Student Exchange Programme (OUSSEP)

• Liberal Arts courses in English
• 2nd or 3rd year Bachelor’s students

Immersion Exchange Programme Osaka (iExPO)

• Japanese JLPT N1 or N2
• Bachelor’s (min. 3rd year) and Master’s students
• See more precise language requirements per faculty

Placements in research laboratories (FrontierLab@OsakaU)

• Bachelor’s (min. 3rd year) or Master’s students
• Available schools: Science, Engineering Science, Engineering, Information Science and Technology, or one of their departmental schools.
• Proficiency in Japanese is not required if the applicant finds a research group suitable for English speakers.

How many credits do you need to complete?

Minimum 14 Osaka credits per term
1 Osaka credit = 1,8 ECTS

Terms

September - February / April - August 

Housing, costs and fees

Estimated expenses regarding daily necessities:

• accommodation JPY 45,000 - 60,000 / month
• food JPY 30,000 / month

Other important matters

• Students agree to take IELTS or TOEFL test required by the University of Osaka at their own expense
• Bachelor's student must remain at the Bachelor’s level throughout the exchange

Exchange opportunities available 

5 students for one academic year or 10 students for one term. 
Exchange placements will be filled evenly for both autumn and spring terms.

Student testimonials

• "The teaching was of high quality. Many courses designed for international students were discussion-focused seminar courses. The majority of course assignments consisted of group projects and presentations. The workload was approximately equivalent to the courses at the University of Helsinki."
• "Japanese language education was demanding, but also very effective."
• "All in all, I felt well-informed, welcomed and extremely content with my exchange experience."

Who can apply?

• Students of all faculties
• Bachelor’s and Master’s students
• At least 2 years of studies prior to the beginning of the exchange
• Students with English skills at least on level B2 OR Japanese at least JLPT N1
• Students with minimum GPA of 3,8

Faculties not open to exchange students

• Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences
• Graduate School of Medicine
• Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences

What can you study here?

Undergraduate courses in English (USTEP, type U)

• The Center for Global Education, to which Type U students are affiliated, offers the Global Liberal Arts (GLA) Courses. Courses focus on themes related to SDGs such as gender, diversity, health, poverty, green transformation, in an interactive small-group format.

Graduate courses in English or in Japanese (USTEP, type G)

• The courses must be selected from one graduate school.
• Each graduate school have their own specific requirements. 

Both programmes allow exchange students to participate in Japanese language courses.

How many credits do you need to complete?

Minimum 12 UTokyo credits per term
1 UTokyo credit = 2 ECTS

Terms

October–March / April–September 

Housing, costs and fees

The average monthly expense is JPY 145,000. This will include an average rent of JPY 53,500 and an average cost of food JPY 32,500.

Other important matters

• University of Helsinki exchange students will have the status of special auditor - special research student status is not possible.
• Students agree to take TOEFL or IELTS test required by Tokyo University at their own expense.
• Bachelor's student must remain at the Bachelor’s level throughout the exchange.
• Master's student must have obtained their Bachelor’s degree diploma by the end of the January preceding the exchange.

Exchange opportunities available 

3 students for one academic year or 6 students for one term.

Student testimonials

• "The program I participated in has small class sizes (often only about 30-40 people), so there were lots of group discussions during class, not just listening to the professors talk. There's also lots more homework than in Finland, so be prepared to study at home a lot!"
• "Join a university club to meet locals, if possible!"
• "Everything went smoothly."

Who can apply?

• Students of all faculties
• Bachelor’s and Master’s students
• Students with Japanese at least 10 credits completed. Additional requirements depend on the programme.
• Students with minimum GPA of 3,8 / GPA of 3,1 for Japanese Language Program. Additional requirements depend on the programme.

What can you study here?

Exchange students must choose one of the following programmes:

• Undergraduate Programme
• Graduate Programme
• Japanese Language Programme

Each school / graduate school and Japanese Language Programme have their own specific requirements. 

How many credits do you need to complete?

Minimum 12 Waseda credits per term
1 Waseda credit = 2 ECTS

Terms

September - February / March - July

Housing, costs and fees

The average monthly costs are JPY 80,000 for housing, and JPY 80,000 for living expenses (food, transportation and daily necessities).

Other important matters

• Students agree to take IELTS or TOEFL test required by Waseda University at their own expense
• Bachelor's student must remain at the Bachelor’s level throughout the exchange

Exchange opportunities available 

6 students for one academic year or 12 students for one term.
Exchange placements will be filled evenly for both autumn and spring terms.