Doshisha University and Osaka University

Frankfurt students of Goethe-University have the opportunity to study at its partner institutions Doshisha University in Kyoto and Osaka University, Japan, as exchange students for one or two semesters.

Exchange students nominated by Frankfurt University will be exempted from paying tuition fees at the partner institutions. All other expenses (e.g. health insurance, travel costs, housing etc.) will have to be paid by the students. On-campus housing is available to exchange students. Financial support (website in German only) may be available for the study abroad period – please check carefully whether you are eligible to apply. Also, there are scholarships made available from the partner universities (Info Doshisha, Info Osaka).

Doshisha University

Doshisha University, one of the oldest private institutions of higher learning in Japan, is said to be one of the most prestigious universities in Japan today. Students of Goethe University can apply to study at Doshisha University for one or two semesters.

• Students of Japanese Studies and other majors related to Japan with good knowledge of Japanese may apply to study at the Center for Japanese Language and Culture. TheCJLC offers a variety of attractive subjects for international students studying at Doshisha University, including Japanese Language Courses, Lecture Courses in Japanese Studies and Lecture Courses in International Studies as well as classes on economy, world history and journalism. Lectures are held in Japanese and English. Exchange students enrolled at the CJLC may also take classes at the CGE (see below).
• Students of other majors interested in Japan with no or little knowledge of Japanese may now apply for studies at the Center for Global Education. The Center for Global Education offers liberal arts courses taught solely in English to international students and Japanese students to study together and foster a better understanding of Japan in a global context. The Center’s curriculum is designed to provide in-depth learning opportunities in a wide range of academic fields ranging from the humanities and social sciences to the natural and human sciences with all assignments and discussions. Additionally, exchange students may take Japanese language classes. Exchange students enrolled at the CJLC may also take classes at the Institute of the Liberal Arts.

Application requirements:

• CJLC: Students of Japanese Studies or students of other majors with an explicit academic connection to Japan (to be presented in the letter of motivation)
  CGE: Students of all majors interested in Japan and good motivation/reasons to study abroad in Japan
• Applicants must be at least in their 2^nd semester (BA), MA students may apply during their 1^st semester (enrolment on a graduate level is subject to Doshisha University)
• Good academic standing and knowledge of host country
• CJLC: Good proficiency of Japanese (applicants are obliged to take the group language test; details above)
  CGE: Good proficiency of English (language proficiency certificate or TOEFL)
• It is expected of exchange students to return to Goethe-University after their study abroad period and continue and finish their studies here. 
• Students who do not hold a German Abitur or other German Hochschulzugangsberechtigung and who are enrolled in an English degree have to submit proof of German proficiency (preferably at least B1)
• Applicants are expected to be able to take on an ambassador role for Goethe University and Frankfurt

 
Osaka University

Osaka University offers international exchange students a variety of study abroad options:

iExPO (Immersion Exchange Program Osaka): Schools and graduate schools at Osaka University accept international students who can freely choose classes from various courses at OU and conduct research under the guidance of teachers. In this program, international students are required to possess a high level of fluency in Japanese (JLPT N1 or N2) or English (Toefl 80; if applicable) so they can take classes for regular students. JLPT N1 or N2 is required with application; Toefl can be submitted after successful application. More detailed information.

OUSSEP, Osaka University Short-term Student Exchange Program, is a full- or half-year program designed for students in the 3rd or 4th year of an overseas university. Participants take special academic lectures taught in English called "International Exchange Subjects." In this program, exchange students whose Japanese language skill is not high and those who have never learned Japanese can transfer their credits earned at Osaka University to their home institutions.
Language proficiency: equivalent to Toefl 80 or IELTS 6.0*

The Maple Program is designed to help students from overseas improve their Japanese language skills, enhance their knowledge of Japanese culture and society, and assist them in advancing towards their respective academic goals. Applicants should be Japanese Studies majors or have an explicit academic connection to Japan.
Language proficiency: equivalent to JLPT-N4*

FrontierLab@OsakaU is a program for accepting international students into laboratories of sciences; participants study mainly research themes provided by the laboratory. They can also take international exchange subjects and Japanese language and other related subjects if they wish. This program was created for international students to conduct advanced thematic studies and achieve results under the guidance of teachers and acquire skills necessary for continuing research. Undergraduate students may apply for one or two semesters, graduate students may apply for three to twelve months.
Language proficiency: equivalent to Toefl 80 / IELTS 6.0 (English) or  JLPT-N2 (Japanese)*

Application requirements:

• At least four completed semesters at home university at start of study abroad period
• Good academic standing (minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 // average grade 2,0 on the German grading scale)
• Language requirements: English or Japanese (English: see details on the right; Japanese: applicants are obliged to take the group language test; details will be made available above; iExpo: JLPT)
• Detailed description of planned studies or research at Osaka University (to be presented in the letter of motivation)
• It is expected of exchange students to return to Goethe-University after their study abroad period and continue and finish their studies here. 

 *It is NOT necessary to take the official language tests (Toefl/IELTS/JLPT), the given language requirements only serve as an orientation (except for iExpo: JLPT N1/N2 is required); Summary of Linguistic Competence for JLPT levels

German version