OSAKA UNIVERSITY

Please contact the appropriate office to request application forms and brochures.

• General information about the entrance examination
• Information Materials

You need to find a supervisor who will accept you. Unfortunately, we are unable to recommend a specific field or suitable supervisor for each student. Osaka University provides a "Researcher Directory" on our website. Please visit the Researcher Directory webpage.

For detailed information concerning majors, please contact the appropriate undergraduate or graduate school. Click here to pursue this topic.

You can check the availability of classes by going here.

Classes are 90-minutes and meet 15 times each semester. 2 credits are awarded per semester.

There are classes in English that exchange program students can take. Click here to learn more.

• 1st Semester (spring): the beginning of April ~ mid-August (this includes makeup classes, if any, and a test period)
• 2nd Semester (autumn): the beginning of October ~ mid-February (this includes makeup classes, if any, and a test period)

• Spring admissions: early April
• Autumn admissions: late September

100 is perfect on a scale of 1 to 100.

• S: 90 ~ 100
• A: 80 ~ 89
• B: 70 ~ 79
• C: 60 ~ 69
• F (Fail): 0 ~ 59

• Grades for the 1st Semester are available in September.
• Grades for the 2nd Semester are available in March.

Yes. Osaka University will send a copy of your transcript to the exchange student program division of your university.

• Academic performance for the 1st Semester (spring) will be sent in mid-September.
• Academic performance for the 2nd semester (autumn) will be sent in mid-March.

If you need a copy of a certificate such as a graduation certificate, please contact the Educational Affairs Division of the school you were enrolled in. For more information, click here.

Please make use of the Researcher Directory for finding answers to the above questions. If you can't find what you're looking for in the Researcher Directory, please visit the website of the undergraduate or graduate school you are interested in. Click here for further information. To see articles about research conducted at OU, please visit ResOU.

University-to-university agreements allow regular students belonging to a university with such an agreement 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. For more information, go here.

There are four programs: iExPO, OUSSEP, Frontierlab@OsakaU, and Maple. For more information, go here.

First, obtain support from your university or institute to become one of their exchange students by contacting the exchange program staff at your university.

Contact the exchange program staff at your university.

• iExPO
• OUSSEP
• FrontierLab@OsakaU
• Maple

It's quite likely that your university has an earlier deadline. Be sure to check with the exchange program staff at your university.

Check with the exchange program staff at your university and obtain support from your university to be an exchange student. You can then make an application.

No, you can't. You must have at least the minimum language requirement. Osaka University does offer an intensive Japanese language course for international students. For more information, please click here.

It's possible to apply if the faculty member in charge of language study at your university certifies that you have language proficiency equivalent to the minimum language requirement for the program of your choice.

If you can view your score on the appropriate web page, print a copy of that page and submit it. If this is not possible, submit the score as soon as you received it.

Unfortunately, Osaka University does not offer such programs.

Application forms are available in English and Japanese. Either will be acceptable. Required essay and learning plan vary by school and program. For specifics, confirm the required language ability by perusing the application materials for the program you wish to enter and write your essay and learning plan in the required language.

Please make an online application for the exchange program of your choice. You will be informed of the URL for the online application through the exchange program division of your university. For more information, go here.

Required documents vary between programs. Please confirm what documents are required on each program web page. Documents written in a language other than English or Japanese must be submitted with a Japanese or English translation.

No, you don't have to. You are required to make a solid plan for what you want to study at Osaka University; specific classes can be selected after you arrive.

The bank account does not need to be one in your name. The deposit balance statement must be that of a person who will economically support you while you are studying at Osaka University and must contain the required amount. If the combined amount of money deposited in a couple of bank accounts meets the required amount, submit the deposit balance statement for those bank accounts.

No, you can't.

Special auditors can earn credits, but special research students cannot earn credits. For more information, go here.

Go here to find a list of the universities that have agreements with Osaka University. Agreements that allow students to take classes without paying additional fees for entrance exam, enrollment, or tuition are indicated by a red asterisk.

You must be enrolled in your home university in order to participate in these exchange programs at Osaka University. Therefore, if you were to graduate from your home university during your studies here, you would have to leave the program here at that point (because graduation from your home university would terminate your enrollment there and, thereby, terminate your enrollment here). In other words, you cannot graduate from your home university before you finish here.

No, you can't. Being a student at the university is a necessary condition for participation.

Yes, you can participate in an exchange program if your application is approved. If so, you won't need to apply for a visa.

Yes and No. Special auditors can earn credits; however, special research students are not able to earn credits.

For all programs, participants can earn 14 credits or more per semester.

Whether you can or cannot transfer credits earned at Osaka University is a decision that your home university makes, not Osaka University.

No, unfortunately that's not possible.

Yes, you can.

If you obtain approval from the teacher of the class you'd like to take and complete specified steps at -for example, in your case- the School of Engineering, you may take the class.

Yes, you can take other classes as long as the scope of such classes does not affect your research in FrontierLab@OsakaU. After being chosen to participate in an exchange program. For how to make application, please direct questions to the exchange program staff at your school.

Successful applicants can enroll only in April or September.

If you want to apply for independent study, you need to decide upon a theme and make a specific plan for what you want to study. Complete the application form after you've done so.

That depends. You're certainly welcome to apply; however, not all students obtain financial aid. Please apply for financial aid when making an application for one of the programs. The application process varies according to the program. For more information, click here.

Financial aid for participants in school exchange programs are:

• Short-term programs supported by JASSO

• Financial Aid for Student Exchange Programs (incoming)

There are unfortunately no other financial aid programs that exchange program students can apply for, besides those listed above.

Unfortunately, Osaka University is unable to provide staff to meet students at the airport. For detailed directions about how to get to the campuses by public transportation, click here.

You have several options with public transportation from Kansai International Airport - train or airport limousine buses, for example. However, none of them will take you directly to an Osaka University campus. Thus, we'd suggest you seek assistance at the airport if necessary in finding the route and method which best suits you and your destination.

1. Apply for a Certificate of Eligibility for Resident Status. (Osaka University will inform incoming exchange program students of the necessary steps in making this application.)
2. Osaka University will make an application to the Immigration Bureau for a Certificate of Eligibility for Resident Status.
3. The Immigration Bureau will issue a Certificate of Eligibility for Resident Status. (This certificate will be sent to Osaka University.)
4. Osaka University will send you the Certificate of Eligibility for Resident Status.
5. After receiving the certificate, you should apply for a student visa at the nearest Japanese Embassy or Consulate.

No, that's not possible. You must apply for and receive your student visa before entering Japan. The Support Office in the CIEE provides information on accommodations and helps international students to get their visa.

Estimated expenses regarding daily necessities are about 100,000 yen per month. Students participating in exchange programs at Osaka University must pay the following:

Living expenses

Estimated expenses regarding daily necessities are about 100,000 yen per month. For estimated expenses for students participating in exchange programs at Osaka University, please take a look at the Tuition fees and financial aid page.

For more information about living in Japan, see Living Information.

Yes, you can. Some dorms have quasi-kitchens in rooms, while others have a shared kitchen(s).

No, unfortunately you can't. Exchange students are not able to apply for student discount bus passes.

All facilities on campus have wireless LAN. For access off campus, you'll have to sign a contract with an ISP (internet service provider).

At your local city office, you must complete procedures for joining National Health Insurance for joining the National Pension Plan, as well as a form for being exempt from payment of its premiums. Participants in Regular Student Exchange Program, OUSSEP, and Frontierlab@OsakaU will receive necessary documents and maps when checking into their dormitories.

A residence card will be issued to all foreign nationals residing legally in Japan with mid- to long-term resident status. Those who have received a residence card at a port of entry are asked to visit the municipal office where they live with their residence card and notify their address within 14 days of finding a place to settle down. Residence cards are issued at 4 major airports in Japan (Narita, Haneda, Chubu, and Kansai). For this reason, you are encouraged to fly into one of these 4 airports when coming to Japan. If you arrive at any other airports, you must apply for a residence card at a later date. For more information about the residency management system, go to the Immigration Bureau of Japan website.

Yes, you can; however, depending on the bank, it may take some time to open an account and/or to receive electronic remittances after opening the account.

Participants in exchange programs must participate in three insurance plans: National Health Insurance, Personal Accident Insurance for Students Pursuing Education and Research, and "Futai gakuso" Accident Insurance. The procedures for these must be done after you arrive in Japan.

Other than these insurance plans, it is recommended to participate in Overseas Traveler's Personal Accident Insurance starting the moment you leave your home country and ending upon your return.

If they told you that, then they were making a mistake (as sometimes happens). As long as one's status of residence is student, regardless of the length of stay, one needs to participate in National Health Insurance. So please complete the procedures at city hall.

As in the previous question, if they told you that, they were mistaken. Social security agreements do not apply to exchange students. So you need to complete the procedures for the National Health Insurance at city hall.

Did you file an income statement for last year? Insurance premiums are calculated based on your previous year's income. You may have received or will receive a postcard from the city hall concerning your income for the previous year. If you receive such, please fill it out and return it.

If you complete procedures for exemption, you won't have to pay pension premiums. You need to complete procedures for exemption.

Please go to the Health Center on your campus.

Be sure to take your National Health Insurance card with you. If you fail to take it, you will have to pay the full medical costs. They could be expensive. If you have your National Health Insurance card, you will only have to bear about 30 percent of the cost. Make sure you keep your receipt(s).

Unfortunately, Japanese hospitals and clinics do not honor certificates of Overseas Traveler's Personal Accident Insurance. You will have to pay the 30 percent of the medical cost at the hospital. Later, you will need to claim a refund from the Overseas Traveler's Personal Accident Insurance company.

If you are leaving Japan and will return within one year of your departure date, you do not need to apply for a re-entry permit. If you fail to return to Japan within one year of your departure, you will lose your resident status, which will make it quite difficult to continue your studies. If you are planning on being away from Japan for more than one year, you must apply for a standard re-entry permit at the Osaka Immigration Office.

Note that if your period of stay is set to expire within one year of your departure, make sure that you return to Japan before the expiration of your period of stay. For more information, please visit the Immigration Bureau of Japan website.

Please inquire at the embassy or a consulate of the country that you're planning to visit.

If your supervisor or teacher will certify that working part-time does not interfere with your studies, you can work on a part-time basis. Depending on the content of your job, you may need to obtain permission for conducting extracurricular activities. If you engage in a part-time job without permission, you'll be liable for punishment. For more information, please click here.

Individuals hoping to enter one of Osaka University's dormitories should choose the item "I want to apply for accommodations" on the application form. Is this the case with international students other than exchange students, too?

Yes. When filling out the application form, choose the item "I am not applying for accommodations" on the application form. However, Osaka University is not able to assist program participants find housing such as apartments. You will be required to find an apartment for yourself. You can get advice on finding apartments from the Support Office.