Overview

Location	Hirakata, Japan
Term(s)	All terms Fall Semester: late August-December Spring Semester: late January-May Summer: June-July
Areas of Study	Art, Asian Studies, Business, History, Japanese, Management, Marketing, Political Science, Religious Studies, Women’s Studies
Housing	Residence Hall, homestay
Passport	Required
Visa (for US citizens)	Required

Eligibility

GPA	3.0
WIU hours completed	12
Student Conduct	Good standing
Grad credit	Not available
Pre-requiste	None
Student Year	Sophomore, Junior, Senior

Exchange programs have very limited enrollments. Kansai Gaidai only allows the nomination of three students maximum per semester.

It is strongly recommended you choose an alternate program(s) in case this program is filled.

Entry Requirements

Passport:  Required. Must be valid for at least six (6) months after your study abroad program ends.  For information on how to apply for or renew a passport, see Passports 101 .
Current passport processing times are 12-18 weeks.  Plan accordingly to avoid issues obtaining your visa, airine tickets, and other necessary items for travel.  Failure to receive your passport in time can lead to postponement of your program.

Visa:  You must apply for a student visa before entering Japan. Visa requirements can be found on the Japanese consulate in Chicago .
Traveling to Japan without your student visa can lead to denied entry to Japan, forced removal from your program, and financial consequences.

Health Insurance

It is University policy that you must have international health insurance for the time you are abroad.  Only two options are approved to meet this requirement:
  • WIU Student Health Insurance
  • A supplemental plan (Patriot Travel Medical) from International Medical Group (IMG) .

Health Precautions

COVID-19 - You are REQUIRED to follow the policies of your host school, host country, the CDC and TSA. It is your responsibility to know and understand these policies. If policies change before or during your program, it is your responsbility to comply with the new policies. Failure to do so can result in removal from your program and/or the host country, financial consequences and academic consequences at the host school and WIU.

Walking/mobility/travel - Expect more walking than on-campus.  It is a mixture of urban (pavement/concrete) and natural (grass/dirt) terrain, including uneven/hilly terrain and up/down flights of stairs.  Some historic sites and tourist areas have limited handicapped accessibility.  Sidewalks in these areas can be narrow with uneven surfaces.  

Vaccinations - No vaccinations are required for entry into Japan.  Up to date vaccination recommendations are available on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website .

Accessibility - Accessibility and accommodation are very different from that found in the United States.  Please contact Disability Resources for questions on the availability of accommodations for your specific situation.

PLEASE NOTE  It is your responsibility to request accommodation from DR; staff are not legally permitted to inquire about such needs.  Requests should be made as early as possible so there's sufficient time to arrange accommodations in your location. 

Costs (Comparative Table)

last updated 8/11/21             

Items	WIU	Kansai Gaidai
Tuition 12 semester hours, plan V	4,690.00	4,690.00
Commitment Fee		75.00
Health Insurance	795.00	250.00
Passport		135.00
Student Visa		No charge for US citizens
Housing and Meals	4,900.00	3,730.00 (residence hall)
Books and Supplies	480.00	200.00
Total	10,865.00	9,080.00*

*You are responsible for purchasing your own flights.

Various types of aid are available to help fund your experience.  Check out our Financial Aid and Scholarships pages for more details.

Academics

Exchange students at Kansai Gaidai take 4-5 classes per semester, equaling 14-17 sh at WIU.
Courses are graded on a 4 point scale with letter grades matching those at WIU (+/- A to F).

Exchange students are eligible to take all courses offered in the Asian Studies program.  These courses are taught in English only and come from a variety of disciplines. 

Each student must take at least one Japanese language course per semester.  You can choose to focus solely on Japanese language courses during your time abroad.

Courses offered in the Asian Studies Program (general list of all courses)

Courses available by semester

Housing and Meals

The accommodation options at Kansai Gaidai include homestays and residence halls.  Homestay participation is strongly encouraged because it provides excellent opportunity to acquire and enhance knowledge about Japanese language and culture.  

More information on housing and meal options can be found on the Kansai Gaidai accommodation web page .