Nagasaki University of Foreign Studies
The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Education Abroad office has been helping students from across the United States study at the Nagasaki University of Foreign Studies (NUFS) in Nagasaki, Japan since 1995. Students from more than 80 universities nationwide have chosen to study abroad in Nagasaki, Japan through UW-Platteville Education Abroad.
Details
You may participate for one semester or for a full academic year, enrolling in between 12 and 18 credits per semester. A typical course load includes one Japanese language course, three to four Japan studies courses, and one to two seminars in traditional Japanese arts.
NUFS was founded in 1947 and is fully accredited by the Japanese Ministry of Education. With an enrollment of about 800 students, international students from around the world account for nearly 40 percent of the student population, bringing a unique international perspective to NUFS.
The current NUFS campus, built in 1996, is located on the northern border of Nagasaki City and its suburb of Togitsu. Nagasaki, a city of about 500,000 people on the western island of Kyushu, is built around a natural harbor and climbs up the surrounding steep hills. The city boasts spectacular views and proximity to natural sights such as its rugged coastline, beaches, islands, volcanic mountains, and a national park.
Eligibility
To apply to study abroad at NUFS you must:
- Be a degree-seeking undergraduate student who is currently enrolled at a U.S.-based college or university
- Have completed at least two full-time semesters of college at the time of application and have at least sophomore standing at the time of participation
- Have a minimum cumulative 2.8 GPA: Students with a grade point average between 2.5 and 2.8 may be considered on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of UW-Platteville Education Abroad and NUFS.
- Be in good academic and disciplinary standing at the time of application and participation.
You are not required to have a minimum language proficiency for any program, but courses taught in languages other than English will have specific language proficiency requirements.
Application Requirements
In addition to any application procedures required your home institution, the following must be submitted via the UW-Platteville Education Abroad online application system:
- $75 application fee
- Copy of U.S. passport. If you do not currently hold a U.S. passport, you must apply for one and submit proof of application before the program application deadline.
- Education Abroad Statement of Purpose
- International Study Course Approval Form, for UW-Platteville students only
- NUFS Course Advisement Form
- NUFS JASIN Certificate of Health
- NUFS JASIN Financial Statement
- NUFS JASIN Homestay Application
- Official academic transcript
- Passport photos
- Signed statements of responsibility and understanding
- Two letters of recommendation
- UW-Platteville Education Abroad application
You will also have access to information to assist you throughout the application process. Upon acceptance, additional pre-departure information and requirements will be provided.
Co-curricular Activities
You will have a wide range of opportunities available to enhance your experience outside the classroom. Opportunities include:
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Excursions
The semester begins with an entrance ceremony and ends with a farewell reception for you, your host family, and NUFS faculty and staff. Between these two important festivities, a variety of interesting and educational excursions and activities are planned.
Shortly after arrival, you will be taken on a bus tour of Nagasaki City to help you orient yourself and see the locations of the numerous tourist attractions that Nagasaki has to offer. Throughout the term, half-day excursions are incorporated into the Japan Studies courses, which may include visits to:
- Schools
- Historical sites (History of Nagasaki course)
- Companies, factories, businesses, and banks (Japanese Business/Management course).
An additional day trip will be organized each semester with a focus on sports and Japanese culture. In the spring semester, program participants will visit Fukoka to watch a Softbank Hawks baseball game and fall program participants will attend a professional sumo tournament. In addition, an overnight excursion is planned to a hot springs resort in the vicinity of Nagasaki each term. Additional information on excursions and activities will be provided during the on-site orientation at NUFS.
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Clubs and Organizations
NUFS offers a wide variety of clubs and organizations including: Basketball, Cafe du Ra, Chinese Students Association, Flamenco Club, GaiDai Big Brothers and Sisters, Kendo Club, Light Music, NEST, Petanque, Soccer, Softball, Soft Tennis, Tea Club, Table Tennis, Travel Club, and Volleyball.
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Conversation Partner Program
International and domestic students have the option of participating in the NUFS Conversation Partner Program. The program is designed to match you with a Japanese student and allows you to exchange emails, become friends on Facebook, and chat on Skype before arriving in Japan.
Once in-country, you typically meet with your partner once a week for an hour. In return, you should spend an equal amount of time helping the Japanese student learn your language. What students do during their time together is up to the partners, but activities range from free conversation to discussing aspects of Japanese culture.
Housing
Students studying abroad at Nagasaki University of Foreign Studies (NUFS) through UW-Platteville Education Abroad have the choice of accommodation options at varying costs. Under no circumstances will students be allowed to live in apartments or in any other housing situation that is not approved by, and under the direct supervision of, the NUFS International Center staff.
Naturally, some adjustments with regard to customs, food, and heat must be anticipated with all of the accommodation options, but every effort will be made to provide an agreeable living situation.
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Homestay
The International Center at NUFS arranges homestays in the surrounding community, and students who choose and are accepted for the homestay option are placed in Japanese homes and truly become part of the family. Travel times to NUFS will vary greatly but generally range between 20 and 45 minutes, either by walking or public transportation. Depending on the location, travel costs are around 180 yen by bus each way, to be paid out of pocket by the student.
Most students are placed one per family, but some families will host between two and five students. The makeup, location, and type of accommodation (apartment, condominium, or home) will vary greatly, but all host families are very eager to share Japanese language and culture with American students. Some host families have a lenient attitude toward their student's social activities, but some insist that their student keep a regular schedule.
Wi-fi is included with the accommodation at no additional cost. However, adjustments with regard to speed and availability must be anticipated. Laundry can typically be done for free in the homestays, but you should know that dryers are not common in Japan.
Included with the homestay and in the accommodation, cost are seven breakfasts and seven evening meals each week. Additional meals are paid for out of pocket and arranged by the student.
The homestay cost is paid by the student upon arrival in Nagasaki. Please see the NUFS Dates and Program Cost page for the current homestay accommodation cost and NUFS Housing Office’s website for additional information.
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International House
All students have the option to live in the International House. Located at a convenient site neighboring the campus, you enjoy an easy 10-minute walk to NUFS. The International House has nine floors and about 300 student residents. Single or double rooms are equipped with a bed, desk, chair, electric range, air conditioner/heater, telephone, closet, and a private bathroom complete with a toilet and sink.
There is wi-fi throughout the International House, and students can connect for 1,000 yen per month via their own devices, or by using the computers in the common space. Naturally, adjustments with regard to speed and availability must be anticipated. Community washing machines are available in the hall, and the cost is to be paid out of pocket by the student. You should know that dryers are not common in Japan.
The International House has a cafeteria, or you can choose to cook on your own. You may pay for the food service available in the dormitory cafeteria in advance or on a monthly basis out of pocket. Paying on a monthly basis gives you the flexibility to change eating options each month (e.g. choosing food service in April, cooking on your own in May, using food service again in June, etc.).
The cost of staying at the International House, including any entry fees, are paid by the student upon arrival in Nagasaki. Please see the NUFS Dates and Program Cost page for the current International House accommodation cost and NUFS Housing Office’s website for additional information.
Academics
You may participate in the NUFS program for one semester or for a full academic year, enrolling in between 12 and 18 credits per semester. A typical course load includes one Japanese language course at the students’ level (four U.S. credits), three to four Japan studies courses (two U.S. credits each), and one to two seminars in traditional Japanese arts (one U.S. credit each).
In addition, if you wish, you may concentrate on language study by substituting additional courses in Japanese kanji, grammar, pronunciation, and similar electives for your Japanese studies courses.
independent study options are also available in art, business, culture, literature, and other areas based on availability and with approval. If you are interested in independent study, submit a short proposal, one-half to one full page in length, at the time of application on the topic of interest for possible approval by NUFS faculty.
All courses are taken alongside Japanese and international students, and there are many courses available to U.S. study abroad students.
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Required Courses
If you study at NUFS through UW-Platteville Education Abroad, you are required to enroll in a Japanese Language course of your choosing. Language courses are available at eight levels, ranging from beginning to advanced.
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Credit Transfer
Credits will be validated on an official NUFS transcript at the end of the semester.
All courses listed on NUFS’s website include the number of American credits that the course is worth. The grades you receive abroad will be converted to the U.S. grading system of A, B, C, etc. based on the official transcript that is received from the institution abroad. UW-Platteville Education Abroad uses the following conversion guide as a guideline, provided by World Education Services, in converting students’ grades.
Please note that this only serves as a general conversion guideline.
While all credits should be transferable, you should work with your academic advisor at your home institution to choose appropriate and beneficial courses from the NUFS curriculum prior to your semester abroad. Courses that may fulfill specific requirements for major, minor, general education, or elective requirements towards an American degree must be approved by the appropriate person(s) at the home institution.
Visa Information
A student visa is required for all students intending to study in Japan.
A visa is an official document affixed in a U.S. Passport by the Japanese Consulate General granting you permission to live and study in Japan for the duration that the visa is valid. Entry into Japan must take place within three months of obtaining the student visa, so you cannot apply for it more than three months prior to departure. As of April 2018, there is no fee to apply for a Japanese student visa.
As part of your application to study at the Nagasaki University of Foreign Studies, UW-Platteville Education Abroad requires that you complete all of the necessary paperwork to apply for a Japanese student visa.
You will be given additional information and instructions upon application, but for the most up to date information on the Japanese student visa process and procedures, please visit the Japan Information and Culture Center.