Experience the world of Japan

Although Japan is one of the most innovative and modern countries in the world in terms of economic and technological advances, this island nation in Asia has still managed to hold onto many of its traditions and customs. It is this contradiction that makes Japan a fascinating place to live and to study.

All members offer various levels of Japanese language instruction, as well as Japanese cultural studies.

Chances of Placement

ISEP-Exchange placements are very limited. Exchange space typically fills during the February placement round; students should apply for spring semester programs by February 1.

Members

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University was founded to be a truly international campus with 50% of the student body from overseas. Students are paired up with a Japanese roommate and each week a new culture is celebrated with various festivities. The English-language curriculum specializes in Asia Pacific business and culture. APU offers beginning to advanced Japanese language courses.

Students with a minimum of one year of college-level Japanese who are interested in an immersion experience are encouraged to apply for either Chukyo University or Nihon University - Mishima. Chukyo follows the Japanese academic calendar; see Chukyo's "Program dates" for more details. Applications for Chukyo must be received by November 1 for placement in March of the following year. Nihon-Mishima offers a variety of international relations courses taught in English, recommended as a supplement to Japanese language coursework.

Students who desire to study Japanese intensively are encouraged to apply to Toyo University. Toyo's language and culture courses follow a calendar similar to the U.S. academic calendar and is now open to students with no prior Japanese.

Ritsumeikan University conducts an immersion program with the same calendar as Toyo, and requires a minimum of two years of college-level Japanese to enroll. However, students with no prior Japanese language can be placed in a beginner’s course and will not study Japanese intensively.

Students with a variety of Japanese language skills can participate in Kansai Gaidai's Asian Studies Program and Nanzan's Center for Japanese Studies Program. While Kansai Gaidai’s main focus is on its cultural courses, Nanzan provides coursework oriented for students who wish to focus more on improving their language skills. Kansai Gaidai and Nanzan follow the U.S. academic calendar.