The key to growth is the “substance” of your study abroad experience.

Studying abroad is a process of learning, discussing, gaining new understandings, and reflecting deeply on one’s own country and oneself while encountering a broad spectrum of values together with other talented young people who will lead the future in countries around the world. These days, when so many study abroad programs are available, choosing a study abroad program with substance is key to growing while abroad and using the experience for a better future.

This program is a small-group program with a few individuals, not a group experience, and unlike language study abroad programs, it allows students to improve their English or third language skills while studying specialized subjects. All students at the university will have this opportunity. After gaining discussion and presentation experience in English-language classes, our students can display leadership at their study abroad destinations and return to Japan as more developed individuals.

Features of Our Study Abroad Program

Sending Students in Small Numbers, Not Groups

The exchange program is a system in which one international student is accepted from an overseas partner university for one year, and in exchange, one student from our university is sent to that university for one year. Therefore, we only send around one to three students to a single university at a time, and we do not send students in large groups. The result is that students are able to fully interact with local and international students from all around the world at the study abroad destination, rather than sticking together with other students from our university, and this allows them to grow as an individual while coming into contact with new ideas and diverse values.

Recognition of Credits Earned Abroad

In addition to learning languages, our study abroad program is designed for students to study in specialized courses and gain credits at universities they study at. Therefore, they need to have a certain level of English and meet grade requirements to be able to study abroad. That is why the experience they gain during study abroad has significant value. Students also consult with their academic advisors before departure to decide which courses to take at the universities they are going to attend based on their fields of interest and future plans. They earn credits required for graduation by completing those courses with grades established by the University. This credit recognition system allows them to finish their studies in 4 years including the year spent abroad.

Reciprocal Exemption of Tuition Fees

Many of you may associate study abroad with expensive tuition fees and complicated procedures, but for Akita International University's exchange program, since students pay a tuition fee at the University, they are exempt from paying at the universities they study at during their year abroad (except for some universities. Students are responsible for paying for accommodation, food, travel, insurance, etc.). The exchange program is a system whereby we send a student to a partner university for a year in exchange for accepting a student from the same partner university. To ensure that our students feel comfortable going abroad, we provide detailed support before and during their year abroad including provision of information and assistance in solving problems.

*As students must meet certain English proficiency and grade requirements before they are sent abroad, the timing of the study abroad experience varies from student to student, with most students departing between the winter of their second year and the fall of their third year.
*Students may not be able to study in the countries or universities of their choice due to factors such as their grades and circumstances of the partner universities.

Flow of Study Abroad

STEP1 Gather Information

• Study Abroad Fair (Learn about partner university through talks with exchange students and seniors who came back from study abroad)
• Study Abroad Lounge (Check out the partner university materials and reports)
• Counseling (Center for International Affairs offers individual consultations)

STEP2 Applications (1 and half - 1 year before study abroad period)

• Orientations (Application timeline and forms to fill)
• Applications and selections

STEP3 Preparing for Study Abroad (6 - 3 months before study abroad period)

• Destination to study abroad will be fixed
• Sending application forms
• Inbound permit of the destination
• Study Abroad seminar (CCS160: required 1 credit)
• Various procedures (Housing, medical checkup, vaccinations, visa and residence permit, risk management, insurance, etc.,)
• Preparations for departure (Ticket, Travel check)

STEP4 Departure/Study Abroad

International Partners

AIU has Partner Universities all over the world. Details about International Partner Universities are available in the following webpage.

International Partner Universities