Individual Student Exchange Program Factsheet: Humanities [ Oct 2013 ]
An Exchange Semester in Kyoto Seika University’s
Faculty of Humanities
Kyoto Seik a University (SEIKA), founded in 1968, has over 3,700 students in undergraduate and graduate
p r o g r a m s i n i t s Fa c u l t i e s o f A r t , D e s i g n , M a n g a , P o p u l a r C u l t u r e a n d H u m a n i t i e s . W e h a v e a r o u n d 1 5
exchange students here ever y semester, plus some overseas research students.
S E I K A’s c l a s s e s a r e r i c h l y c o m p l e m e n t e d b y o u r c o nv e n i e n t l o c a t i o n i n t h e n o r t h e r n p a r t o f Ky o t o, J a p a n’s
a n c i e n t i m p e r i a l c a p i t a l. Kyo t o h a s a n u n e q u a l l e d a c c u m u l a t i o n o f c u l t u r a l t r a d i t i o n s s p a n n i n g o ve r 1 , 2 0 0
years, plus the latest in co ntemporar y architec ture and cit y infrastruc ture. I t ’s literally the hear t of Japan.
Students of the following institutions, with which we have current exchange agreements, are eligible to
apply for exchange in the Facult y of Humanities at SEIK A:
Chiang Mai University, Thailand
Cornell College, Iowa, USA
Daegu University, Korea
Bard College, NY, USA
Providence University, Taiwan
1 ) Study Areas in Humanities
Contemporary Cultural Expression
Intercultural Communication
Japanese & Asian Cultures
Environment and Future Studies
Contemporary Society & Humanity
2 ) Academic Calendar
SE IK A ha s t wo se m e s te rs, S p r i n g (from April–late July), and Fall ( mid S eptember– early Februar y).
Mismatch with our partner institutions’ calendars limits exchange to Fall semester in some cases.
Exchange is usually for one semester but may be extended in special circumstances, if you apply before the end of your initial
exchange period, and have approval from your home institution.(Under special arrangements, exchange students from Chiang Mai
and Daegu are usually accepted for a full year).
3 ) Application Procedure
Before applying to SEIKA, each applicant must be officially selected and recommended for exchange by
h is/he r hom e i nst i tu ti o n .
After being selected for exchange, he/she is required to send the following documents to SEIKA’s International Office
1. SEIKA’s Exchange Student Application form (which includes a statement of purpose / study objectives),
2. Most recent academic transcript
3. A letter of recommendation from his/her academic advisor or department head
4. A copy of most recent results of Japanese Language Proficiency Test
5. If applying for JASSO scholarship, a JASSO form certifying enrollment is also required
Acceptance by SEIKA will depend on finding a suitable academic supervisor, and availability of space within that study area.
Acceptance may also depend on your level of Japanese language fluency in speaking, reading and writing.
4 ) Application Deadlines
For first semester (starting in April): November 15th of the preceding year.
For second semester (starting in September): April 15th.
NOTE: Earlier application—by March 1st at latest—is essential if you wish to be considered for a JASSO scholarship
(see below).
5 ) Fees
Exchange students pay tuition fees to their home institution only.
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Individual Student Exchange Program Factsheet: Humanities [ Oct 2013 ]
6 ) Language Requirements
Fo r a s u c c e s s f u l e xc h a n g e s t u d y e x p e r i e n c e, J a p a n e s e l a n g u a g e a b i l i t y i s n e c e s s a r y, a s H u m a n i t i e s c l a s s e s
are all taught in Japanese.
Intermediate-level one-to-one tuition (a weekly class) is provided free for overseas students in our International Center, but no
basic-level classes are provided.
7 ) Scholarships
The Japan Organization for Student Support (JASSO) scholarship may be offered to undergraduate and
graduate students from institutions with which SEIK A has an exchange agreement. To make this process
fair, allocations are rotated around our par tner schools.
Unfortunately, we do not know whether the scholarship will be made available in any particular year.
Offered by the JASSO it provides a 80,000 yen relocation allowance, and ¥80,000 per month living allowance.
SEIKA applies by notifying JASSO in December of the number of exchange students expected in both semesters of the following year.
Each semester’s allocation for SEIKA (announced by JASSO in late January) is usually just one or two scholarships.
SEIKA is required to submit specific scholarship applications to JASSO in Februar y (for first semester) and in May (for second
semester). SEIKA can only submit one application per scholarship offered. The student must have a GPA of over 2.3, a clear and
achievable statement of objectives, must need support, may not receive any other scholarship exceeding the amount of the JASSO
scholarship, and must return to their home institution after completing their exchange. Previous JASSO scholarship holders are
barred from re-applying.
8 ) Accommodation
E xc ha nge st ud e nts u s u a l l y s tay i n o u r K i n o - r yo inter nat io nal do r m i n K i no vi llage, ab o ut 5 m i nutes by
bic ycle from campus. I t has separate buildings for men and wo men students.
Dorm accommodation costs from ¥12,500 to ¥20,000 per month for a single private room (4.5. tatami to 8 tatami size, including
utilities charges), with shared facilities (kitchen, bath, toilet). Futon bedding is provided for a per-semester rental fee of ¥10,500 (as of
2013).
10/100 BASE-TX LAN Internet cable connection (Ethernet connection to SEIKA’s server) is available in dorm rooms at no additional
charge (own computer required). If under unexpected circumstances a dorm room is not available, SEIKA’s International Office will
assist in finding suitable alternative accommodation.WiFi is not available.
9 ) Visa
I n coming students must obtain a student visa before entering Japan on exchange. Successful applicants
n eed to m a ke sure th e y h ave a cu rre n t p a s s p o r t well ahead o f ap p ly ing fo r t he visa.
After acceptance is confirmed by the department here, you need to fill and send a Certificate of Visa Eligibility (CVE) information form.
We then submit the ac tual application to the Kyoto Immigration office. Processing takes about one month, after which we
express-mail the CVE to you, to submit to your nearest Japanese Consulate or Embassy, in order to get the necessary visa stamped
into your passport.
10 ) International Flight Reservations
You are responsible for mak ing your own flight reser vations and fo r payment of all travel expenses. SEIK A’s
I nte rnational O ffice can reser ve shuttle van transpor tation fro m K an s a i I nter n a t i o n a l A i r p o r t to t h e d o r m
( d e t a i l s a re p rov i d e d i n o u r Pre - D e p a r t u re G u i d e ) .
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Individual Student Exchange Program Factsheet: Humanities [ Oct 2013 ]
11 ) Insurance
Short-term foreign exchange students with a student visa are required to join Japan's National Health Insurance (NHI or kokumin
kenko hoken). The NHI applies to usual medical costs including doctor's, hospital, and dental fees for necessary treatment (accident or
sickness): 70% of the expense for medical treatment is covered by the NHI, so you only pay 30% of the bill. To join the NHI, you sign up
at the ward office (immediately after registering your residency card). The premium is about ¥1,800 per month, paid by monthly
installments at a bank or post office. ( This is the minimum fee, based on your not having received any income in Japan in the previous
year). Coverage begins immediately on joining, in advance of your first payment. It's essential to cancel the cover before you leave
Japan, or you will continue to be billed.
Students at SEIKA must be covered by comprehensive personal insurance for accident and damages. This is compulsory, even if you
already have your own separate insurance coverage. Under this policy, if you cause accidental injury to other persons or accidental
damage to property you will be covered for claims of up to 30,000,000 (30 million) yen. In addition it provides cover for 3,300 yen per
day for hospitalization in the case of injury (for up to 180 days), and 3,000 yen per day for hospitalization in case of illness (for up to
60 days). Among other provisions it also provides life insurance (up to ¥1,136,000). This coverage is available through KSU
International Office from AIU for \4,530 in spring, \6,060 in fall semester. You are required to join on arrival.
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Individual Student Exchange Program Factsheet: Humanities [ Oct 2013 ]
STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURE FOR EXCHANGE AT SEIKA
Before-Arrival
1. Official notification by home institution (one with which SEIKA has a formal individual exchange agreement) to SEIKA’s International
Office, with submission of
1 ) SEIKA’s Exchange Student Application Form, including your statement of purpose / study plan,
2 ) most recent transcript, and
3 ) letter of recommendation from academic advisor or head of department
2. SEIKA’s International Office contacts appropriate SEIKA department to obtain initial acceptance and assignment of an academic
advisor.
3. Acceptance of your exchange is confirmed at a SEIKA Faculty Meeting.
4. SEIKA’s International Office mails a Letter of Acceptance to you with these forms (or asks you to download them):
Dorm Application Form
Personal Information Form for Student Accommodation
Certificate of Visa Eligibility Information Form
5. You return these forms to SEIKA International Office, together with a photocopy of the main pages of your passport, three standard 3
X 4 cm passport-type photos, and evidence of financial standing (equivalent to at least ¥100,000 per month — which of course is more
than you should actually need to spend). Copies of the Dorm Application Form and Personal Information Form are passed on to the
dorm supervisor. The Certificate of Visa Eligibility application form is submitted by SEIKA’s International Office to Kyoto Immigration
Office for processing.
6. When the CVE is ready (it takes about a month), SEIKA International Office mails it to you, together with pre-departure information
including our Pre-Departure Guide. ( You are responsible for obtaining the actual visa through your nearest Japanese Embassy or
Consulate-General ー this takes only a few days).
After-Arrival
1. On arrival at the international airport, Immigration issues a resident card. You will need to provide a 3 x 4 cm passport-type photo for
the card.
2. After arrival at SEIKA, you will fill out a Student ID card application and Student Record Form. SEIKA’s Student ID card is also used for
library access and book loans.
3 .Exchange students are required by law, as residents, to join the National Health Insurance scheme ( kokumin kenko hoken ), which
reduces medical bills (including dental) by 70%. Apply at the local ward office at the same time as registering, above.
4. SEIKA requires enrollment in another insurance scheme, sogo hoshoseido, which covers fire, injuries caused to others, and
hospitalization (¥4,530 per year, ¥6,060 per single semester, ¥11,520 for a full year).
5. Exchange students are requested to pay their dorm rent in advance for the full semester, if possible. This payment should be made
soon after arrival, and in cash. (Sorry, SEIKA can’t process payments by credit card).
6. At the beginning of semester, you will meet your academic advisor and discuss study options, to select the most suitable classes for
your exchange. Those classes will be registered with SEIKA’s Academic Affairs office for credit and a transcript will be sent to your school
after the end of semester.
SE IK A I nte r na t i on a l O f fi ce provi d e s o ri e n ta ti on m ater i als and advi ce, and c an also help yo u to get set u p
for your st ay i n t h e d o rm , a n d to o p e n a po s t o f f ice savi ngs acco unt ( af ter yo u have registered fo r alien
re gistration).
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Individual Student Exchange Program Factsheet: Humanities [ Oct 2013 ]
For Further Information
: / / w w w.k yoto
sei k a.
a c. jp /en g
Fir st of a l l, c he c k o u t SE IK A’s we b s i te : http
http://w
yo to --seik
a.ac.jp/eng
S ee a l so our FAQ pa g e : http
http://w
: // w w w.
w.kk yo to -se
-seik
i k a.a
a.ac.jp/eng/ie/faq/
c.jp /en g/ie / faq/
Questions that aren’t answered there? Please inquire to Ken Rodgers : ksuinted@k yo to -seik a.ac.jp
Also, if possible, tr y to co ntac t previous or current exchangees from your home institution — or SEIK A
stu d e nt s now v i si t i n g. Th e y a re s u re to be a b l e to help yo u wi t h usef ul b ac kgro und i nfo r m at io n to o.
Kyoto Seika University International Office:
137 Kino-cho, Iwakura, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8588 JAPAN
Tel +81 75 702 5199 Fax +81 75 702 5390
ksuinted@kyoto-seika.ac.jp
This f ac t sheet was up dated Oc to b e r. 2 0 1 3
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