Located within an hour’s train ride from Osaka, Japan’s second largest city, and Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan, Kansai Gaidai University is ideally situated within the fascinating country of Japan. With an enrollment of over 14,000 students, the University annually welcomes over 500 international students, from 200 institutions representing about 40 countries, who participate in the university’s Asian Studies program. In order for international students to get the most out of their experience, Kansai Gaidai offers a Speaking Partner Program, which introduces students to an individual or group of local students who volunteer to help you improve your Japanese language skills and understand Japanese culture. All of the local students participating in this program are full-time students at Kansai Gaidai, majoring either in English or Spanish. You may apply to this program even if you have no prior knowledge of Japanese.

Eligibility: Students must have a 3.0 GPA.

Cost: Students pay College of Charleston tuition and fees, housing costs (Tier 2 double rate), and the price of a meal plan. While in Japan, students are given a monthly stipend for food expenses. Most CofC financial aid will apply.

Dates for Spring 2016: Expected Arrival Dates: Jan. 19(Tue), 20(Wed) Course Registration: Jan. 19(Tue)-22(Fri)
Orientation: Jan. 21, 22, 25(Thu, Fri, Mon) First Day of Classes: Jan. 26 (Tue) Spring Break: Mar. 19 (Sat) - Mar. 27 (Sun) Last Day of Classes: May 19 (Thu) Final Examinations: May 20 (Fri) - May 24 (Tue) Completion Ceremony for Asian Studies Program: May 28 (Sat)


Housing: Student housing can be arranged either in a homestay program or in the Katahoko Student Housing. Living with a Japanese family will provide students with an environment to develop their Japanese language skills and opportunities to understand the daily life, values, and customs of the Japanese people. In Katahoko Student Housing, Japanese students are assigned as roommates for international students. The living room and kitchen facilities are shared with six or eight students. For students who stay in Katahoko Student Housing, the Home Visit Program allows them to become acquainted with aspects of Japanese culture and daily life, through outings and meals with a Japanese family on weekends.

Subjects Offered: Japanese Language. Courses taught in English include Business, Economics, Anthropology, History, Political Science,

Language Prerequisite: Previous Japanese language training is not required, but students with some back-ground are best equipped to take full advantage of the offerings.

Credit: The courses taken at Kansai Gaidai must be pre-approved by the appropriate academic department for potential transfer credit.