IES Abroad Area Studies Courses IES Abroad academic courses are designed to enhance your engagement in the intellectual, political, cultural, and social institutions of Japan. IES Abroad courses are taught by experts in the field, and course-related trips are integrated with in-class course work. The IES Abroad Tokyo Center offers several 3-credit, Japan-focused area studies courses each semester. Each of the area studies courses are taught in English and meet once a week for three hours. This format is more seminar-style than lecture, and you will need to make sure you adjust to this format...

In addition to IES Abroad courses, you may consider enrolling in 1.5-credit courses taught in English at KUIS, if your schedule permits. Some of the disciplines offered at KUIS are provided as a part of the KUIS BEKKA (special curriculum) program, which is their Japanese Language and Culture program. These courses provide you a great opportunity to study additional Japan-related area studies courses on campus. Enrollment in these courses is on a space-available basis.

Integration into Japanese campus life is crucial if you would like to study Japanese culture and language. Some students studying abroad may end up socializing mainly with each other because they don’t take full advantage of opportunities to interact with local students. To promote meaningful interaction between IES Abroad and Japanese university students, the Center has developed an E-pal Program, which matches IES Abroad students with Japanese university students who volunteer to be E-pals. You are strongly encouraged to sign up for an E-pal. Introductions are made via email at least one...

If you absolutely must arrive early, you MUST indicate this on your Travel Itinerary Form and notify your IES Abroad Advisor. You will need to tell your IES Advisor where you plan to stay before the official arrival date and whether you will meet IES Abroad staff and other students at the airport or the orientation facility training center hotel on the official arrival date. Once in Japan, you should contact the IES Abroad Tokyo Center staff to tell them you have arrived. Contact information for the IES Abroad Tokyo Center will be included on your Print Me document.

If you arrive in Japan after the official arrival date, you should follow the instructions once you arrive in the Print Me document to travel to the orientation hotel and call the emergency number to report on your arrival to the IES Abroad Tokyo Center.

Overview Living in an apartment is a good option for students who prefer to cook for themselves and live more independently. The Shared Apartment complex is a 50-60 minute commute to the IES Abroad Tokyo Center and KUIS university campus by bus and train. It is situated in a quiet residential area close to Tokyo Disneyland. The apartment complex is managed by live-in staff who oversee and maintain the facilities. Apartment residents are a mixture of Japanese students from surrounding universities, young Japanese working people, and some international students. While you will be living with...

Overview Living with a Japanese family is popular among international students in Japan, but homestay arrangements can be difficult to secure. IES Abroad can make no guarantee that enough homestays will be available to fill the student demand. It is very important that you give careful thought to whether or not living in a homestay is really right for you. This is all the more important given the limited number—relative to demand—of host families available each semester. The homestay experience can be wonderful, but it is not for everyone. A homestay placement entails a commitment to fitting...

Program Calendar If available, the SP26 Tokyo - Language & Culture Program Calendar will appear below. SP26 Tokyo - Language & Culture Program Calendar *Dates listed on the above Program Calendar are tentative and subject to change.