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Location: Kyoto
Duration: Sem/Year
Language: English and Japanese
Cost: MSSU tuition (12 or 15 hours) and housing, students pay for their own meals and utilities ($90-$130 per month). As a general guide, students should allocate approximately ￥80,000 per month for food and living expenses. Students spending an entire academic year at Ryukoku can apply for a Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) scholarship, which is awarded based on academic achievements.
Application deadlines: Nov. 15 for the spring semester; May 15 for the fall semester. (Please note that applications must be mailed by MSSU and must arrive at Ryukoku by these dates.) The application be found here. Once students are accepted by Ryukoku, they are mailed a welcome package that includes documents required for the Japan Student Visa. Students then apply for their visa at the nearest Japanese Consulate in their home country. Spring orientation typically is held around April 1-5, with the semester starting around April 9. Fall orientation typically begins around Sept. 13, with the semester starting around Sept. 20.
Contact: Chad Stebbins
Website: http://intl.ryukoku.ac.jp/english/
For more information: Frequently Asked Questions
Ryukoku University, with a tradition of more than 360 years, offers the Japanese Experience Program (JEP-J) for students whose level of Japanese is elementary or above. Japanese language classes are divided into six levels; students will be assigned to the most suitable level after a placement test. Students can take various elective subjects, such as Japanese culture and society, and learn about Kyoto’s traditional culture and entertainment through activities outside the classroom.
The JEP-J study course consists of intensive Japanese language subjects each morning (up to 11 credits) and a selection of elective courses in the afternoons. Most electives are taught in Japanese (geared toward non-native Japanese language learners) and some are taught in English. Japanese language classes are situation-based and offered from the beginner to advanced levels. JEP-J participants may also register for selected classes in Ryukoku University's Faculties and Graduate Schools.
The Japanese Experience Program (JEP-E) Program at Ryukoku University offers students with little or no Japanese background a unique opportunity to study Japanese and Asian culture including Buddhism and other Asian religions, Japanese literature, theatre, society, economics and politics. Courses are on the Fukakusa Campus. Both programs begin around the first of April and mid-September with an inauguration orientation, followed by classes that end around mid-July and mid-January.
The JEP-E study course consists of subjects taught in English on the topic of Japanese culture and society, as well as three credits of Introductory Japanese Language per semester. We recommend the JEP-E study course for students who have never studied Japanese or have studied Japanese for under 300 hours. In this study course, students will take their first steps in studying the language, and they can follow all other subjects in English.
An overview of the JEP-E Curriculum can be found at this link.
For answers to specific questions about Ryukoku University once you have been accepted, please contact Karen Tawarayama, the international student advisor, atkarent@ad.ryukoku.ac.jp.
