Study
Abroad in Japan
and How to Pay for It
By Jeffrey
Angles
1.
What study abroad
programs does WMU have to Japan?
2.
What is the process
of applying to study abroad?
3.
What scholarships are
available to support study abroad in Japan?
4.
Who are the contact
people for these study abroad programs?
5.
What should I do if I
have general study abroad questions ?
WMU has several study
abroad programs to Japan for different lengths of time: an academic year, a semester,
or even just two weeks. Each program has slightly different deadlines,
paperwork, requirements in terms of GPA, and costs. Also, each university or program has a
somewhat different atmosphere.
For more information about
each school, go to the Study Abroad
webpage, and use the pull-down menu to get information about each
individual program. The Study Abroad website
contains far more information, including web links, photos of the schools,
details regarding housing, details about cost, and so on.
Quick Comparison Sheet for WMU Programs
in Japan
|
WMU Study Abroad Programs in Japan: Quick
Comparison |
|||||||||
|
|
Japan Religion & Culture Seminar |
Nihon University |
Keiō University |
Rikkyō University |
Daitō Bunka University |
Ritsumeikan University |
Otaru University of Commerce |
JCMU |
|
|
Where |
Tokyo & Nikkō |
Tokyo |
Tokyo |
Tokyo |
Higashi Matsuyama,
Saitama (North of Tokyo) |
Kyoto |
Otaru, Hokkaidō,
(Northernmost main island) |
Hikone,
Shiga Pref. |
|
|
Prerequisite |
None; Open to all
majors |
JPNS 1010 |
JPNS 2010 |
JPNS 1010 (Business
students: completion of JPNS 1000 recommended) |
JPNS 2010 |
JPNS 2010 |
JPNS 2010 |
None |
|
|
When |
AY |
|
|
￭ |
￭ |
￭ |
￭ |
￭ |
￭ |
|
Fall |
|
|
|
￭ (business only) |
|
|
|
￭ |
|
|
Spring |
|
￭ |
|
￭ (business only) |
|
|
|
￭ |
|
|
Summer 1 |
￭ |
￭ |
|
|
|
|
|
￭ |
|
|
Summer II |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
￭ |
|
|
Duration |
Faculty-led; Offered
every other year (summer I only) |
Spring or summer |
Academic Year |
Academic Year
(Business students: Fall or spring) |
Academic Year |
Academic Year |
Academic Year |
Summer; Semester;
Academic Year |
|
|
Deadlines |
AY |
|
|
12/9 |
12/9 |
12/9 |
12/9 |
12/9 |
First Friday in March |
|
Fall |
|
|
|
12/9 (business only) |
|
|
|
First Friday in March |
|
|
Spring |
|
10/7 |
|
12/9 (business only) |
|
|
|
Third Friday in
September |
|
|
Summer 1 |
1/20 (priority
deadline) |
12/9 |
|
|
|
|
|
Dates vary (see
website) |
|
|
Summer II |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dates vary (see
website) |
|
|
GPA |
Good academic standing |
Minimum 2.75 |
Minimum 3.5 |
Minimum 2.5 |
Minimum 3.0 |
Minimum 3.0 |
Minimum 2.5 |
Minimum 2.5 |
|
|
Main areas of study |
Japanese religion
(taught in English) |
Intensive Japanese
language program |
Japanese language,
Some Japanese studies courses in English |
Japanese language,
four Japanese studies courses in English per semester |
Japanese language, any
course (provided student has lang ability) |
Japanese language,
numerous Japanese studies courses available in English; Courses on business |
Japanese language,
Courses on business, management & economics in English |
Japanese language,
Some Japanese studies courses in English |
|
|
Where most classes
take place |
On the road, temples,
shrines, and religious sites |
In building for
foreign students (separate from main campus) |
In building for
foreign students on main campus in Minato Ward |
In classrooms for
foreign students on main campus near Ikebukuro |
In classrooms on main
campus in Higashi Matsuyama in Saitama |
In classrooms on main Kinugasa campus in northwestern Kyoto |
In classrooms on main
campus in Otaru, Hokkaidō |
JCMU campus; 1 course
maybe taken at near by university; Internship
opportunity |
|
|
Lodging |
Arranged (temples,
hotels) |
Special housing for
int’l students |
Off-campus apartment
bldg |
Off-campus dormitories |
Special housing for
int’l students |
Special housing for
int’l students |
Special housing for
int’l students |
On-campus dormitories |
|
|
Scholarships |
Dean's Scholarship for
Summer Study Abroad |
President's Grant;
JASSO |
Murakami; President's
Grant; JASSO |
President's Grant;
JASSO |
President's Grant;
JASSO |
President's Grant;
JASSO |
President's Grant;
JASSO |
President's Grant;
JCMU Schoarship |
|
|
Other benefits |
Special chances to see
rare treasures |
Lots of language
instruction in a short time |
Famous university, one
full-ride scholarship each year |
Famous university,
exciting Tokyo location |
Great immersion experience
since few foreign students there |
Famous university,
superb location in beautiful ancient capital of Japan |
Stunningly beautiful
location, skiing just outside |
Campus next to Lake
Biwa; close to Kyoto |
|
|
Main contact |
s.covell@wmich.edu |
jeffrey.angles@wmich.edu;
rika.saito@wmich.edu |
jeffrey.angles@wmich.edu;
rika.saito@wmich.edu |
jeffrey.angles@wmich.edu;
rika.saito@wmich.edu; Business students: steve.newell@wmich.edu |
jeffrey.angles@wmich.edu;
rika.saito@wmich.edu |
jeffrey.angles@wmich.edu;
rika.saito@wmich.edu; Business students: steve.newell@wmich.edu |
jeffrey.angles@wmich.edu;
rika.saito@wmich.edu; Business students: steve.newell@wmich.edu |
jeffrey.angles@wmich.edu;
rika.saito@wmich.edu; eri.nishiyama@wmich.edu |
|
All of the semester-long and year-long study
abroad programs listed above have a central core of language classes. Students
will take a placement test on arriving in Japan to determine which level of
language class they will enter. In almost all cases, Japanese-language
classes form the largest part of the student's curriculum in Japan.
Certain universities have other classes in
English about Japanese studies or other subjects. For instance,
Ritsumeikan University has the widest array of classes in English about the
arts, politics, and other subjects. Rikkyō University has four
classes per semester in English about Japan, usually in history, culture,
literature, and economics. Otaru University of Commerce has a wide array
of classes in English about economics, business, management, and so on.
The exact classes that are available differ from semester to semester and,
therefore, are sometimes difficult to determine in advance.
Sometimes students who study abroad in Japan
on the programs above take other classes such as gym, English-language
literature courses, or a third language since those allow them to take classes
alongside other Japanese students and make friends. Typically, we do not recommend that students
expect to fulfill a lot of their general education requirements or
major-related classes (such as classes necessary for engineering, psychology,
or computer science degrees) during their study abroad experience. Those non-Japan-related courses are taught in
Japanese and are usually too linguistically challenging for the beginning
learner to do well.
In addition, we can send students on other
programs than those listed above. One especially good program is the
following.
1)
Japan America Student Conference
(JASC) (Month-long study tour in Japan): Takes a group of American students
to Japan each year, allows students to see a lot of Japan while learning about
Japanese culture & society, involves a lot of contact with Japanese
students.
If you are interested in applying for a WMU
study abroad program to Japan, here are the steps you need to take.
1) Enroll
as a Japanese minor or major, if you have not
already. While
studying abroad, you will get many credits, and you should make sure that they
count toward your degree! To enroll as a Japanese minor or a major, please contact Dr. Jeffrey
Angles (jeffrey.angles@wmich.edu,
518 Sprau Tower, TEL 269-387-3044) or Dr. Rika Saito (rika.saito@wmich.edu, 518 Sprau Tower, TEL 269-387-3020).
2) Think
about how long you want to study abroad in Japan. Do you want to be there one semester or do
you want to spend an entire academic year in Japan? You might consider the
pros and cons of each below.
a)
Study abroad for a semester only
i) PRO: It is easier to fit a semester of study abroad
into a schedule, especially if you study abroad during the summer. Certain programs, such as engineering, have a
relatively tight schedule with lots of coursework, making it hard to take a
year off to study abroad.
ii) CON: Students who study abroad
for a semester only often find that they wish they could have stayed
longer. No sooner are they getting used
to a place, understand the train system, make some
friends, and so on, than they have to return to the United States.
b) Studying
abroad for an academic year
i) PRO: Many scholarships, especially ones at the
national level, only support year-long study. The reason is that most
organizations feel like they get more bang for their
buck with a student who will be there for a year.
ii) PRO: Students will have about three times the
length of time in Japan than if they go for a semester only. This means three times the time to experience
the country, improve one’s language ability, and to gather friends and other
experiences.
iii) PRO: Students are able to take advantage of
vacations to travel within Japan, to other neighboring Asian countries, or back
home. If you study abroad for only a
semester, there will not be any vacations in the middle of your stay. (Your only vacations are on the weekends and
whatever free days you might have before classes start and after they
end.)
iv) PRO: The cost of doing a year long program is only
about TWICE the cost of study abroad for a year. Still, the amount of time you will stay is
almost three or four times as long as a semester, so that means a much better
value for your tuition dollars.
v) CON: Students sometimes get homesick if they are
away for a long time. Fortunately,
internet communication technology has made it much easier to stay in
touch!
vi) CON: Most of the classes our students take abroad
are Japanese language or Japanese studies courses, so if you need lots of
coursework in other areas such as engineering, computer science, geology, etc.,
it may not be possible to do it during your time Japan. We recommend that you take as many major
classes as possible BEFORE or AFTER you go to Japan. That way, you will not slow up your
graduation.
3) Contact
Dr. Jeffrey Angles or Dr. Rika Saito to tell them about your
interest. They can answer your general questions about individual
programs, universities, procedures, and deadlines. Their contact information is as follows.
Dr. Jeffrey Angles
jeffrey.angles@wmich.edu
518 Sprau Tower
TEL 269-387-3044
Dr. Rika Saito
rika.saito@wmich.edu
518 Sprau Tower
TEL 269-387-3020
4) Consider
the program choices and start thinking about your top three. In doing your research, please use the Study Abroad
website, which has detailed information about each of the schools and
programs in Japan. Be aware that if you
are applying for an academic year in Japan, you only need to have a GENERAL
idea of which university you would like to attend. (You do not need to
have pinpointed which one exactly.)
5) Contact
the study abroad office on the second floor of Ellsworth Hall to make an
appointment to meet with Eri Nishiyama, who is the study abroad
coordinator for Japan. She will show you how to fill out the online
application. Her contact information is
as follows: TEL 269-387-5890, study-abroad@wmich.edu. When you meet with her, you will discuss your
application and any additional questions you might have.
1) In your
online application, you will need to provide the e-mail address of
two people who can write letters of recommendation for
you. At least one of them should be a Japanese teacher who has had you in
class. Please let your teachers know you want a letter before you submit their
names as references. Also, you might
want to remind your teachers AFTER you finish the online application. They will then know to look for the e-mail
asking them for information about you.
2) Meet
with Dr. Angles or Dr. Saito to talk more specifically about the courses that
you might be taking in Japan. When you meet with them, please bring
the Student ID and Application Number that you receive when you submit your
application. If you cannot meet them in
person, then please send them the Student ID and Application Number by e-mail.
3) Submit
your application to the study abroad office by the deadline listed on the individual webpages for the different schools in the above section.
a) For a
year-long study abroad program, the deadline is usually in DECEMBER of the
previous calendar year.
b) For a
spring semester study abroad program, the deadline is usually in early OCTOBER of the
previous calendar year.
c) For a
summer semester study abroad program, the deadline is usually in DECEMBER of the
previous calendar year.
4) The Study
Abroad Office and Japan studies faculty will convene a committee to screen
applications. Potential applicants for academic-year programs,
will be called in for a one-on-one interview. Some of the questions will be in
Japanese, some in English. One of the reasons for the interview is to get
to know students better and to help determine student need and to help match
them to potential universities.
5) The Study
Abroad Office will contact students about their acceptance to the
programs. At this point, the Study Abroad office and Japanese studies
faculty will have matched students with an individual university or program in
Japan.
6) The Study
Abroad Office will help students with any additional paperwork needed for their
individual program. Also, the Study Abroad Office will help students with
the visa application process.
7) Students
MUST arrange to get a passport on their own. Most US Post Offices have
information about how to get a passport, but click here for
information about how to apply for a passport.
8)
During the last several steps of this process, students should be
applying for scholarships to help support their study in Japan. See the information about scholarships below.
Back to Top
The Study Abroad office is very good at
helping WMU students get scholarships to study abroad. Most students
receive some support from one or more of the following scholarships, meaning
that for many students, it is cheaper to study abroad in Japan than to study on
WMU's campus in Kalamazoo!
There are several major categories of
scholarships to help support study abroad programs in Japan. Each one
of the following scholarships requires a separate application, and each has its
own deadlines. Be sure to read through
all of this information carefully! The Study Abroad office
will try to remind you of these scholarships, but ultimately it is your
responsibility to apply for these on your own, so be sure not to wait until the
last minute to get started.
Below is a list of the major scholarships
that our students routinely apply for, but there are other scholarships out
there. Information about additional
study abroad scholarships can be found on the "Scholarships"
page of the Study Abroad website or in the binders of scholarship
opportunities kept in the Study Abroad office.
Also, sometimes students are able to find information about additional scholarships
for study abroad on the internet.
1)
Scholarships
offered through the Study Abroad Office
a) President's Grant
for Study Abroad: For WMU students who apply to WMU-sponsored programs.
BE SURE TO APPLY FOR THIS! This is one of the biggest
and easiest scholarships you can apply for. The application is only one
page long and can be downloaded by
clicking here for the application.
IMPORTANT: To be considered for the maximum award from the
President’s Grant, be sure you have a FAFSA on file with the university.
If you do not have a FAFSA on file with the university, the maximum amount you
can receive is just a few hundred dollars.
However, students with FAFSAs on file often receive several THOUSAND
dollars! Click here for
information about how to put a FAFSA on file with the university.
b) One-Year
Scholarship to Keio University: One full scholarship (covering tuition and
major expenses) is given to one student each year to attend Keio University,
WMU's oldest sister institution in Tokyo. All applicants for
year-long programs are automatically considered for the Keio University
scholarship. No extra paperwork is
necessary.
c) Dean’s Scholarship
for Summer Study Abroad for WMU Faculty-Led Programs: For WMU students who
are going on short-term programs sponsored by WMU. (People participating in Dr. Covell’s excellent Japanese Religion & Culture tour are eligible for this.)
2)
Scholarships
offered by other parts of the university
a) Department
Travel/Study Abroad Award & President's Award and Scholarships for Study
Abroad: Offered by the Department of Foreign Languages to WMU students who
are enrolled in departmental programs (including the Japanese minor) and going abroad
for a semester or more. Forms are
downloadable from the link above or by contacting Jennifer
Morrow in the Department of Foreign Languages (TEL 269-387-3001).
IMPORTANT: The scholarship above is NOT the same as the
President's Grant, which is offered by the Study Abroad Office! (The similarity of names often leads to
confusion.) ALL study abroad
students going to Japan SHOULD apply for this.
To be eligible, you must be officially enrolled as a Japanese minor or
major.
Despite what the instructions on the scholarship application might suggest,
students going to the program at Nihon University during the summer ARE
ELIGIBLE to apply for this scholarship. (The programs that are ineligible are short,
two-week or three-week programs. The
Nihon University program is long enough that it counts as entire semester of
study abroad.)
b) The
Department of Economics in the past has sometimes had scholarships for students
applying to study abroad. For more
information, contact the Department of Economics.
c) If the
money is available in the budget, the Honor’s College has sometimes in the past
offered small amounts of money to Honor’s students who are studying
abroad. Please contact the Lee Honor’s
College to inquire about scholarship possibilities for studying abroad.
3)
Scholarships
offered by organizations outside of the university
a) Bridging
Scholarship for Study Abroad: This is a national scholarship competition
sponsored twice per year by Association of Teachers of Japanese, located in
University of Colorado. Often, we have one WMU student per year earn this
scholarship. Forms are downloadable by
clicking the link above. This
scholarship is for one academic year of study abroad. (Spring or summer-only programs are not
eligible.)
b) West Michigan World Trade
Association Scholarship:
This scholarship is to promote international knowledge among people living in
Western Michigan. Preference is given to
students who participate in SHORT-TERM (semester-long) programs, like the one
at Nihon University. Preference is also
given to people who are interested in and/or studying business.
c) Freeman-Asia
Program: This is a program run by the Freeman Foundation and administered
by the Institute of Internaitonal Education. It seems to increase the number of US
undergraduates who study in Asia.
Students going on both semester long and
year-long programs are eligible. The
funding is lucrative, so be sure to spend some time on this application.
d) Critical
Language Scholarship: This is a government-run national scholarship
designed for students who are studying less commonly taught foreign languages,
including Japanese. It is a national
competition, and the competition is stiff, but winners receive a large
financial package. Students going on semester-long
programs and academic-year long programs are both eligible.
e) Gilman
International Scholarship: Prestigious national scholarship awarded by
Institute of International Education. The application process is
difficult, but WMU has had several students win this scholarship in the
past! Forms are downloadable by clicking the link above.
f) National Security Education Program (NSEP):
A government grant for people studying less commonly
taught languages, including Japanese. Recipients must spend some time
working in the public sector after their return. Forms are
downloadable by clicking the link above.
4) Scholarships
offered by the host universities in Japan --> Once students are placed with
a specific host institution in Japan, the host university in Japan may apply on
the student's behalf for one of the following scholarships. (The student
may need to fill out some additional paperwork to help this process along, but
the student will not initiate this process.)
a) Association
for International Education, Japan (AIEJ)
b) Japan
Student Services Organization (JASSO) Scholarship
All of the scholarship applications require
letters of recommendation from your teachers.
Here are hints on how to get a good letters of recommendation.
1) Please
request a letter of recommendation WELL in advance of the deadline. Often, your teachers are writing many other
letters of recommendation too, and you want to give them enough time to tailor
the letter of recommendation to you specifically. Professors are very busy with teaching,
administration, and research, and so we usually require a couple of weeks
advance notice.
2) If you
are applying to a national competition (such as the Bridging Scholarship or the
Gilman International Scholarship), then it is best to ask one of your teachers
who has a PhD to write on your behalf.
(In the Japanese program, Drs. Jeffrey Angles and Rika Saito are the two
professors with PhDs.)
What is most important in a letter of recommendation is the opinion of someone
who knows you from class. Still, a
recommendation from a professor carries more weight than a recommendation from
a teaching assistant or part-time instructor.
If you have had Dr. Angles or Dr. Saito for a class, it is best to ask
them.
The Study Abroad office has additional
information about other scholarships in a binder in its office. You are
encouraged to go to the office and examine the binders. There may be something hiding in there that
might be applicable for you.
Be aware that applying for scholarships to
support study abroad in Japan is nerve-wracking. Because the notification
dates for many of the scholarships is very late, students usually have to apply
to go to Japan first, then wait until late spring or
early summer before they will learn exactly how much scholarship money they
will have to support their study abroad experience. For this reason, it
is important to plan ahead and think carefully about finances.
The following people are your main contacts
for the study abroad programs in Japan.
For the Japan Religion & Culture
Seminar, your main contact is…
Contact one of the following people.
1.
Dr. Jeffrey Angles, Dept. of Foreign Languages
jeffrey.angles@wmich.edu , TEL
269-387-3044
2.
Dr. Rika Saito, Dept. of Foreign Languages
rika.saito@wmich.edu , TEL
269-387-3020
3.
Ms. Eri Nishiyama, Study Abroad Office
study-abroad@wmich.edu
, TEL 269-387-5890.
We will be happy to answer your
questions!