Nanzan University, Japan

Exchange students at Nanzan University spend a semester or a full academic year studying in Nanzan's Center for Japanese Studies. The center hosts students from around the world who wish to improve their Japanese at one of the nation's leading universities. In total, Nanzan has nearly 10,000 students. Its campus is an oasis of green space in the bustling metropolis of Nagoya, a city of two and a half million people in central Honshu, three hours southwest of Tokyo.

In Nagoya, Buddhist temples from the Edo era and turreted imperial castles share the streets with modern skyscrapers. One of Japan's most important centers of commerce, Nagoya is home to Japan's automotive and aviation industries. Toyota and its affiliates Lexus and Subaru are headquartered here, as is Mitsubishi's research and development unit. More traditional industries in Nagoya include Japanese pottery and porcelain, which has been a mainstay of the local economy for 600 years.

Nanzan University, in the city's Education Zone, is close to a dozen other universities, making the student-filled neighborhood a hub of culture and nightlife.

Requirements: A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required. While no background in Japanese is required and courses are available at all levels, most participants have completed at least one year of Japanese at OU prior to studying abroad.

Application: In addition to completing an OU study abroad application on Horizons, students must apply for admission to Nanzan. Nanzan's online application is open for three weeks (in August to September for winter semester and in March for fall semester), and must be completed before it closes. Japan is a day ahead of Michigan, so students should complete the application well ahead of the deadline.

Exchange students at Nanzan take 8 credits of intensive Japanese language, and at least two electives. Electives include courses on Japanese society and culture, such as calligraphy, manga, and martial arts. Students may also take translation, business Japanese, and Japanese and Asian politics.

Further information about courses at Nanzan may be found here.

The academic calendar at Nanzan closely matches OU's, and students may study abroad for either the fall or winter semester, or both.

The Center for Japanese Studies organizes frequent fieldtrips throughout the region, including tours of Toyota's headquarters, excursions to a Sumo tournament, and overnight stays at Buddhist temples. Students also have the opportunity to join any of Nanzan University's more than 200 student organizations and societies.

Courses at Nanzan are given American-style letter grades. These grades become part of students' OU transcripts.

Exchange students may choose to live either with a Japanese host family or in a student residence. Living with a host family is the ideal way for students to immerse themselves in Japanese culture and daily life while developing their language skills very quickly. Students in a homestay will normally eat breakfast and dinner at home with their family. Students who indicate that they wish to stay with a host family will be matched with their family by Nanzan.

A number of student residences on or immediately adjacent to campus are available, the most popular of which is the International Residence, which offers apartment suites shared by three international and one Japanese student. The residences have shared cooking and laundry facilities and high-speed wifi.

A café and a student canteen offer efficient meals on campus. Students may choose to eat either in "Japan Plaza" where students agree to speak only in Japanese - or "World Plaza", where Japanese students will speak only in foreign languages.

Nagoya hosts a huge variety of restaurants with food from every corner of Japan and the world. Local specialties include pork cutlets with red miso sauce, rice dumplings, and udon noodle soup with leeks.

Tuition: 13 -18 Credits

You will be charged for these credits on your eBill at your normal rate of tuition.

Additional costs: $8,747

You will need additional funds for these expenses not covered by program fee. Amounts are estimated.

• Airfare: $1,800
• Housing: $2,150
• Meals: $2,000
• Local transportation: $280
• Nanzan Health Surcharge: $112
• Incidental personal expenses: $2,000
• Passport (if you don't have one): $175
• Visa: $30
• Books and Supplies: $200

Scholarships and Financial Aid: You are able to use financial aid to cover your full cost of attendance to this program (tuition, program fee and additional costs). Scholarships are also available through your study abroad application.