Overview | Academics | Cost | Location | Life Abroad | Student Voices
Study in Tokyo at Sophia University, one of Japan's leading universities. Designed for students in the humanities, social sciences, business, and language studies, this program is ideal for students interested in taking courses in English while studying Japanese language. Students who are not placed into an exchange program may be nominated for the direct enroll program at Sophia University, but must be nominated by the Japanese Language department to apply.
With a population of about 14 million, rising to nearly 20 million during workdays, Tokyo is the quintessential metropolis. The city boasts an outstanding art and cultural scene, including libraries, museums, art galleries, historical archives and urban landmarks, as well as movies, theater, and drama from all over the world. The city is also a center of government and business, with the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Keidanren and the Japanese Diet making Tokyo their home. Tokyo's location provides ready access to nearby Mt. Fuji, the historic shrines and temples of Nikko and Kamakura, and the hot springs of Hakone, as well as international destinations in Southeast Asia, Korea, and China.
Sophia University was founded in 1913 by the Jesuits, a Catholic order renowned for its commitment to academic excellence. Built around the value of respect for the history and culture of different peoples and encouragement of efforts toward understanding across national and cultural divides, this spirit permeates and guides education at Sophia University today.
Getting to Your Program
Students are responsible for arranging their own transportation to Tokyo but are given guidelines for arrival dates.
Visa
A student visa is required. U.S. citizens must have a U.S. passport valid for at least six months beyond the end of the program. You will apply for your own visa. IAP will provide you with visa information.
Orientation
IAP expects you to be an active participant in preparing yourself for your study abroad experience. As a participant on an IAP program, you will receive a pre-departure orientation, either in-person or online. The type and format of this orientation will vary by program and will be provided to you upon acceptance to the program.
Housing
Sophia University provides contact information for university dormitories. Students are expected to contact the dormitory of their choice to secure a room for the time they are at Sophia. There is also the option for students to find their own housing outside of the university. Students purchase meals at campus restaurants and cafeterias; students in apartments or dormitories may prepare meals in shared kitchen facilities. Students are ultimately responsible for their own housing arrangements.
Students are ultimately responsible for arranging their own housing. You should refer to
Sophia's housing website for more information.
Excursions and Activities
Upon arrival, students attend an orientation program designed to introduce them to the university and life in Tokyo. Once the semester begins, students can get involved in one of 200 university "circles"-extra-curricular organizations centered around community service, social events, sports, music and performance, hobbies, and study. The Faculty of Liberal Arts hosts a dozen student circles including Sophia Enterprises, which runs the Japanese Tutoring Program for exchange students, and Sophia Alpha, a circle offering opportunities for public service.
Insurance
You will be enrolled in the UW System required health insurance through Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI) and the cost of the insurance coverage is included in program fees.
Students are also required to purchase Japanese health insurance after arrival.
On-Site Support
Sophia University Admissions Office Staff for Undergraduate programs
Handbooks
Use the links below to find out more information on academics, daily life and student impressions for this program.
Program Handbook (Spring - 2012-13)
Returned Student Network
Click
here to see testimonials from students abroad or to contact a returned student.
Student Profiles
Check out student profiles to learn more about their experience abroad.
Sarah Vertin
Student Testimonials
Read Zach's Blog! Zach studied on this program during the 2011-2012 academic year. You can read about his experiences and see his pictures here.
Sophia University was founded in 1913 by the Jesuits, a Catholic order renowned for its commitment to academic excellence. Since its founding, Sophia University has grown to be one of Japan's foremost private universities with a student body of 12,000 (11,000 undergraduate and 1,000 graduate students) and over 500 full-time faculty members from twenty countries. Built around the value of respect for the history and culture of different peoples and encouragement of efforts toward understanding across national and cultural divides, this spirit permeates and guides education at Sophia University today.
Students attend the Faculty of Liberal Arts on the university's Yotsuya Campus. Founded in 1949 as the International Division, the Faculty of Liberal Arts features a student body and teaching staff that is international in character, and offers a liberal arts curriculum that encompasses the humanities, social sciences, business, and language studies. Courses are taught in English and are offered in the fields of anthropology, art history, business, economics, history, linguistics, Literature, philosophy, political science, sociology and Japanese studies. Participants enroll in any courses open to non-degree students in addition to Japanese language classes.
Affiliate Institution(s)
www.sophia.ac.jp
Course Equivalents
Use the links below to see a list of courses that students have taken on this program before and the UW equivalents. Note: this list only includes pre-approved courses for your program and may not be an exhaustive list of courses or departments. You will get instructions on the course equivalent process after acceptance.
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