Language acquisition programs are essentially extension courses and as such are not formally academic, however learning the Japanese language does require both a high level of motivation and an ability to focus this motivation into an effective study routine over a considerably longer period than is the case with most other languages. Most students are either graduates or university/college students, although this is not a minimum entry requirement. Also, while it is not a pre-requisite, it is helpful if you have some experience of studying Japanese or a foreign language before.

Unless stated in one of the individual course outlines, no prior studies of Japanese are required, however learning how to read and write the hiragana and katakana is strongly advised. Some of the winter program start dates require prior learning - online testing resources are available where necessary to assist with confirmation of the suitability of courses.

As an absolute minimum:

1) Applicants must have a minimum of 11 years of full-time education in their native country or have a diploma equivalent to a Japanese senior high school diploma. A degree is preferred, but not essential.
2) The minimum age is 18. Applicants who are 17 at the time of application need to be 18 years by the time of the program commencement.

Citizens of certain countries will need to find guarantors (mimotohoshounin) before we are able to apply for the Certificate of Eligibility needed for the Student Visa, or for the Letter of Acceptance required for enrollment in short term courses. In the case of studies in Sapporo only, the guarantor should be resident in Hokkaido. In the case of joint programs involving studies in both Sapporo and Okazaki, the guarantor is to be a resident of either Hokkaido or Aichi. The guarantor can be either a Japanese national or a foreign national with permanent residency, and ideally related to you. No exceptions are made to the guarantor requirements. Please check the Visa Requirements section to see if this applies to you.

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