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Long-term Student Exchange Program
1. General Information
Kobe Gakuin University (KGU) student exchange program is conducted under agreements with partner institutions. The study period ranges from 1 semester (6 months) to 2 semesters (1 year). Candidates must be officially nominated by a partner institution as an exchange student. Applications submitted without a nomination will not be accepted.
Please check with your study abroad adviser or International Office at your home university to see if there is an agreement of student exchange with KGU or contact us.
2. Admission
KGU offers undergraduate programs in 10 faculties. Once accepted, each exchange student will be placed in one of the 10 faculties. However, students can take courses (mainly in Japanese) accross the faculties and the General Education Center, in addition Japanese language courses are also available to exchange students.
3. Language Proficiency
Japanese: JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) Level 4(N4), or equivalent level of Japanese proficiency is required.
4.Student Visa
In order to study at KGU, Students must obtain ”Student Visa” prior to entering Japan. If students have other type of Visa already, please contact us before applying.
5.Courses
5-1. Regular Courses Taught in Japanese
Exchange Students can select regular courses (in 10 faculties) from different study areas however you need to be assessed whether you meet any prerequisite requirement or language proficiency to take the courses. You can have a consultation from an academic advisor at your host faculty before you choose the courses or please contact us by Email in advance if you'd like to apply for specific courses. It helps you to register courses smoothly after your arrival.Please contact us by Email if you need any additional information about the course.
When selecting courses, please be careful about the campus where the courses are offered.
KGU has two campuses, Port Island Campus（KPC） and Arise Campus（KAC）.
The Faculty of Law, Business Administration, Contemporary Social Studies, Global Communication, and Pharmaceutical Sciences are located on KPC, while the Faculty of Economics, Humanities and Sciences, Psychology, Rehabilitation, and Nutrition are located on KAC, and courses are offered on the campus where the faculty is located. Courses of the Center for General Education are generally offered on both campuses.
Since the apartment for exchange students are located near KPC, exchange students are basically required to take courses at KPC. Students can also take courses at KAC, but the transportation fees are borne by students. It takes about 50 minutes between the two campuses by bus and costs \1,120 for round trip.
5-2. How to find Courses
- Visit https://www.kobegakuin.ac.jp/information/syllabus/
- Find the syllabus by each faculty
- Course syllabus and schedules for upcoming academic year are released in February. For the prospective students and applicants should look at prior year course offerings to get an idea of which courses are offered. For example, students studying in first semester 2025 should view course offerings for first semester 2024.
5-3. Japanese Language Courses
Japanese Language Courses are provided for exchange students, ranging from Level A, for beginners who have N4 or equivalent level to Level C, for advanced learners who have N2 or equivalent level. Each class is arranged small number of students. The courses are all elective but we strongly recommend the students who are Level A and B take all courses.
| Language Level | Courses per semester | Periods per course in a semester | Credit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level A | Regular Japanese（3-6 courses） | 15 periods | Credit bearing | "Regular Japanese" is set up by the Center for General Education. The course content includes grammer, vocabulary, Kana/Kanji, reading, writing, and speaking, etc. |
| (N4 or equivalent) | ||||
| Level B | ||||
| (N3 or equivalent) | Supplemental Japanese (1 course) |
15 periods | Non-credit bearing | "Supplemental Japanese" is set up by International Exchange Center. The course content will be determined based on students' requests. |
| Level C | ||||
| (N2 or equivalent) |
6. Academic Calendar
7. Application Deadline
| Start from Spring Semester (early Apr to early Aug) |
Start from Fall Semester (mid Sep to early Feb) |
|
|---|---|---|
| 1. Nomination of Students Submission of the documents for Admission and for Students Visa |
November 30th of the previous year | April 30th of the same year |
| 2. Admission approval at host faculty | December in previous year | May |
| 3. "Admission Certificate" and "Certificate of Eligibility" to be sent to home university | March | August |
| 4. Application for student visa by the exchange student | As soon as the student receives "Admission Certificate" and "Certificate of Eligibility" | |
| 5. Book airplane tickets and Inform KGU of the flight details | Orientation day will be a few days before the commencement of the semester. Exchange students are required to arrive one or two days before the orientation. |
|
8. Documents Required
Once you are nominated by your home university as an exchange student, please submit the following documents by Email.
| Documents for Admission and Student Visa |
|---|
1) Application form for Exchange Program (*Form1) : a photo ID should be attached |
| 2) Study Plan (*Form2) |
| 3) Self-Introduction (*Form3) |
| 4) Letter of Recommendation from a faculty or staff member of the home university (*Form4) |
| 5) Academic transcript from home university |
6) Health Certificate (*Form5) |
| 7) Proof of Japanese proficiency; ex. results of Japanese-Language Proficiency test (if any): It is advised that the students acquire N3 or more level of the test, or conversational-level proficiency. |
| 8) Identity photo(JPEG) |
9) Application forms for Certificate of Eligibility [Excel] |
| 10) Photocopy of Passport |
| 11) Certificate of Financial Support (*Form6): If the student will be funding by themselves or his/her guardian, a completed form and an official letter of bank balance of the funding person are required. The total deposit of the bank balance should be more than 800,000 Japanese Yen to obtain a visa. If the student will receive any financial grant from any organization, a letter of financial support containing the details of the grant from the organization is required. |
9. Accommodation Information
Off-campus apartment will be arranged for exchange students.It't fully furnished one bed room with free internet access located walk distance of the campus. The students are required to prepare bedding set (futon & makura) at their own expense. The monthly fee is 33,000yen, which doesn’t include the charge of electricity and water supply. More details are available from here.
10. Student Support(Buddy System)
The Buddy system helps incoming exchange students settle into life at KGU by matching them with local students who provide informal support by regularly meeting up and sharing their experiences and tips. KGU students who volunteer for the system are very interested in other cultures and in developing international friendships. The system offers the opportunity to make new friends and be a part of something that celebrates diversity in an informal, fun and sociable way.
11. International Exchange Lounge
The international exchange lounge is a place for both Japanese and international students to be able to meet and communicate with each other. We hold a variety of events which allow students get to know about multi-cultures, make new friends and learn new language. Also, there has a specialized staff member providing support for international students' life in Japan. You are welcome to drop by at any time and interact with various people from around the world.
- International Academic Exchanges