FAQs


FAQs

General

 Q. I want to study at Seinan Gakuin University (SGU). What are my options?


■ 
Undergraduate Programs

■  Graduate Programs

■  International Division (Program for one or two semester(s))

■  Summer Program

 Q. I want to study Japanese. Which program is the best option for me?


International Division
(Program for one or two semester(s))
The International Division offers a one or two semester program running from August to May of the following year, through which students can earn transferable credits required for graduation at their home institution. The course content concentrates on Japan Studies, including Japanese language, culture, history, tradition, and business and politics. All courses with the exception of Japanese language courses are conducted in English.

One of the key aspects of the International Division is it has a beginning Japanese class intended for those who have never studied the Japanese language before. As a result, proficiency in Japanese is not required for admission. Unlike programs established by International Divisions at other Japanese universities, our program is not a preparatory course for students who intend to enroll in the SGU undergraduate or graduate programs.

Summer Program
Seinan Summer Intensive Program delivers excellent linguistic training in a richly international environment to all participating students every year.

International Division (Program for one or two semester(s))

APPLICATION PROCESS

 Q. What is the difference between “Exchange Students” and “Self-financed Students”?


Exchange studetns
If your home university has a mutual student exchange agreement with SGU, you can apply as an exchange student to SGU. Contact a study abroad coordinator at your home institution if you are interested in study abroad at SGU.

Please go to the following website to find out the parner institutions with SGU.
List of partner institutions

Self-financed students
If your home university does not have a mutual student exchange agreement with SGU, or if you are not currently enrolled at any university, you can apply as a self-financed student.

 Q. How do I apply to SGU as an international exchange student?


In order to attend SGU as an exchange student, your home institution must nominate you for an exchange at SGU. To get started, contact your university’s Study Abroad office to find out more about the application procedure and deadlines.
Application (Exchange Students)

 Q. What if my home university is not listed as an exchange partner?


You can still apply to participate in our program as a self-financed student. Application procedures and requirements are different from that of Exchange students, so please read through the following website:
Application (Self-financed Students)

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PREPARING FOR ARRIVAL

 Q. How can I obtain a student visa for my time at SGU?


We will be happy to help you obtain a student visa. Please be sure to check out the following website for more detailed information.

Pre-Arrival Information
2. Apply for a student visa (留学ビザ)

 Q. What should I do if I want to bring my medicines to Japan?


To import medicines from overseas, you may be required to arrange a document - Yunyu Kakunin-sho (輸入確認証) even if you have medicines for personal use.  Please be sure to check out the following website for more detailed information.
(Restrictions may be applied to some medicines under Pharmaceutical Affairs Law and Customs Law.)

Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare - Import Medicines from Overseas

 Q. How can I budget for my semester(s) abroad?


Please read the Financial Costs and Aid website to get an idea of what expenses you need to expect during your semester(s) at SGU.

 Q. Are there any scholarships available for students of the International Division?


SGU does not offer any scholarships specific to incoming exchange students. However, JASSO (the Japan Student Services Organization) has scholarships available for a limited number of international students on exchange programs from SGU partner universities. Please note that self-financed students are not eligible for the JASSO scholarship.

For students coming from the United States, scholarships funded by the Association of Teachers of Japanese are also available.

For more information, please visit the following website:
Financial Costs and Aids

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ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS

 Q.  How many classes do I have to take?


In order to maintain your student visa status with the Immigration Bureau of Japan, you must stay enrolled in a minimum of 14 credits per semester. There is no credit limit requirement for the maximum. For more information, please read the following website:

Pre-Arrival Information
5. Plan your courses and prepare yourself for your studies at SGU

 Q. Is it mandatory to take Japanese classes?


Yes, all students must take Japanese classes through the International Division. Please click the following link for more information:

Pre-Arrival Information
5. Plan your courses and prepare yourself for your studies at SGU

 Q. How is my Japanese class level decided?


Students will be placed into appropriate Japanese level as a result of the online Japanese test*. 
(* before arriving in Fukuoka) Additionally, the following document is taken into consideration.

- Record of Previous Japanese Studies (one of the application documents)

Please note that there may be class changes for some students as per the suggestion of instructors after the semester starts.

 Q. Is it possible to transfer the credits I have received from your International Division to my home institution?


While all courses in the International Division are designed to be credit transferable, ultimately the decision on whether credits are transferable will be made by your home institution. Transcripts of completed coursework are sent to student’s home institutions*.
*Self-financed student transcripts’ are sent to their home addresses.

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DURING YOUR STAY AT SGU

 Q. What tasks do I need to complete after my arrival?


At the orientation sessions, you receive more information on deadlines and procedures about the following settlement tasks:

At the ward office:
- Resident Registration
- National Health Insurance (NHI)  

      At the university:   
      - University Insurance
      - Course Registration Confirmation
      - Student Record

 Q. Do I need to take out the university designated insurance while I study at SGU?


Yes, all students in the International Division are required to take out several types of mandatory insurance. For more detailed information, please visit the following website:

Pre-Arrival Information
4. Review medical insurance coverage information

 Q. I want to know the class hours.

Each class at SGU is 100 minutes long and the class time changes depending on the day of the week.

Monday and Friday Tuesday - Thursday
1 8:50 AM - 10:30 AM 8:50 AM - 10:30 AM
Chapel hour 10:35 AM - 11:00 AM
2 10:40 AM - 12:20 PM 11:10 AM - 12:50 PM
Lunch break 12:20 PM - 1:10 PM 12:50 PM - 1:40 PM
3 1:10 PM - 2:50 PM 1:40 PM - 3:20 PM
4 3:00 PM - 4:40 PM 3:30 PM - 5:10 PM
5 4:50 PM - 6:30 PM 5:20 PM - 7:00 PM
 Q. I want to join club activities at SGU. How can I do it?


You are encouraged to join in club activities to make connections with Seinan local students. A list of clubs is shared with you during the orientation sessions.

 Q. Am I allowed to work part-time?


You can obtain a work permit at the airport. Please inform the immigration officer at the airport of your intention to obtain a work permit. It should take a few minutes to receive the permit at the airport. If you want to obtain a work permit later during the semester, you can do so at the Immigration Bureau in Fukuoka.

Please read the following website for how to obtain a work permit and what your responsibilities are:

Pre-Arrival Information
10. Obtain work permit for part-time job

 Q. Can you find me a part-time job?


Basically, we do not help students find a part-time job. However, there are often one-shot job opportunities available for international students and we inform you of the information by email.

 Q. Do I have opportunities to interact with Japanese students?


SGU student volunteer group, “Seinan Global Society (SGS)”, actively holds social events on campus to offer students opportunities to develop international awareness, learn different cultures and widen their perspectives. Their events include sports activities, cultural events (Halloween, Christmas, cherry blossom viewing) and social gatherings (International Coffee Hour).

 Q. I feel sick. What should I do?


We make arrangements for you to see a physician* or a nurse at the university health center when:
- you are not sure if you need to see a physician
- you want to get a referral to medical institutions
- you want to receive health consultation
*The university physician is available on Wednesday afternoon.

If you want to see a physician as soon as possible, please contact the following hospital.
Fukuoka Sanno Hospital
(in-house English and Chinese language interpreters available)

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