Overview

Osaka University has completed academic exchange agreements with a large number of universities in other countries and regions. In keeping with these agreements, Osaka University accepts exchange students from those universities that allow the students to take classes at Osaka University without paying any additional tuition fees. These academic exchange agreements have been concluded on the university-to-university level and also on the school-to-school level.

University-to-university agreements allow regular students belonging to a university with an agreement with Osaka University to take classes in any of Osaka University's schools, graduate schools, or research institutions.

Likewise, school-to-school agreements allow regular students belonging to a school or graduate school with an agreement with its counterpart at Osaka University to take classes in the school or graduate school having the agreement.

To see which universities have university-to-university or school-to-school agreements with Osaka University, please use the link below. Agreements that allow students to take classes without paying additional fees for entrance exam, enrollment, or tuition are indicated by a -mark.

• Universities/institutions having Student Exchange Agreements with Osaka University
• Osaka University Student Exchange (document in English)

Student Exchange Programs

Regular Student Exchange Program

Schools and graduate schools at Osaka University accept international students and they can freely choose classes from various courses there and conduct research under the guidance of teachers. In this program, international students are required a high Japanese language skill to take classes for regular students.

OUSSEP

OUSSEP, Osaka University Short-term Student Exchange Program, is a full- or half-a-year program designed for students in the 3rd or 4th year of an overseas university. Participants take special academic lectures taught in English called International Exchange Subjects. In this program, exchange students whose Japanese language skill is not high and those who have never learned Japanese can transfer their credits earned at Osaka University to their home institutions.

Maple

The Maple Program is designed to help students from overseas improve their Japanese language skills, enhance their knowledge of Japanese culture and society, and assist them in advancing towards their respective academic goals.

FrontierLab @ OsakaU

FrontierLab@OsakaU is a program for accepting international students into laboratories of sciences and participants study mainly research themes provided by the laboratory. They can also take international exchange subjects and Japanese language and other related subjects if they wish. This program was created for international students to conduct advanced thematic studies and achieve results under the guidance of teachers and acquire skills necessary for continuing research.

Enrollment status of students at Osaka University

• Special school auditors: students take classes at their school and classes for all schools. Students cannot take classes at graduate school and earn credits.
• Special graduate school auditors: students take classes at their graduate school and classes for all graduate schools. 

• Special research graduate students: students conduct research at their graduate school or research institute. Students can take classes and earn credits.

Credits

• Special auditors: students can earn credits.
• Special research students: students cannot earn credits and take classes.

School calendar

• 1st semester (spring): From April 1st to September 30th (duration of courses: from early April to mid-August)
• 2nd semester (autumn): From October 1st to March 31st (duration of courses: from early October 1st to mid-February)

Grading

On a scale of 1 to 100

S -- 90 ~ 100

A -- 80 ~ 89

B -- 70 ~ 79

C -- 60 ~ 69

F -- 59 and below, fail

Insurance

Insurance plan that all exchange students are obliged to participate in.

1. National Health Insurance (70% of your medical cost is covered by this insurance): 2,000 ~ 3,000 yen (varies by city of residence)
2. Personal Accident Insurance for Students Pursuing Education and Research: 1,000 yen per year
3. "Futai gakuso" accident insurance: 8,340 yen (6 months), 11,900 yen (year)

Insurance that students are encouraged to participate in

• Overseas Traveler's Personal Accident Insurance starting the moment an international student leave his/her home and ending upon return home.
• Accident insurance

Program costs

Students are responsible for all expenses regarding daily necessities.

Estimated expenses are noted below. All expenses are self-funded.

Schedules for applying

Steps in making application

For more information, please go to the Regular Student Exchange Program, OUSSEP, FrontierLab@OsakaU, and Maple web pages.

1. Obtain support from your university or institute to be one of their exchange students.
   
2. Receive a password for online preliminary application from the exchange program staff of your university or institute.
   
3. Complete the online preliminary application.
   
4. Submit documents necessary for application to the exchange program staff of your university or institute.
5. Send all necessary documents through the exchange program division of your university or institute by postal mail to the address below.
   

Send all materials to:

Department of International Affairs
Osaka University
1-1 Yamada-oka
Suita, Osaka
Japan 565-0871

Tel: +81-6-6879-4026
Fax: +81-6-6789-8964