Program, College, and Course Information

About the Independent Study Abroad Program

Below is a cursory explanation about the Independent Study Abroad Program.
Studying at APU, for 1 semester or 2 semesters, will allow you to learn with students and from faculty at APU who come from various cultural and ethnic backgrounds. We encourage incoming students to bring their own unique culture and ideas to share while learning and acquiring intercultural communication skills in and outside the classroom. It is a truly unique atmosphere that cannot be found anywhere else.
Outside the classroom and off-campus, we encourage students to get involved in student clubs and interact with the local Japanese community to better enhance their understanding of Japanese language and culture.

Course Level

Undergraduate Only

Duration

1 Semester or 2 Semesters

College Choice

College of Asia Pacific Studies (APS)
College of International Management (APM)
College of Sustainability and Tourism (ST)

Note: Students must choose any one of these colleges they would like to enroll in but will be able to take courses from any colleges. It is advised that students choose a college that is similar to their program at their home university.

Language–basis Choice

English-basis or Japanese-basis
Note: Students must choose either one but will be able to take courses in both English and Japanese.
Depending on the language basis, some language courses are restricted.

Language of Instruction

English and Japanese

Overview of the Academic Year

APU operates on a semester system made up of two quarters. Courses are taught on either a semester or quarter basis, but the total number of classes is the same.

Spring Semester			Fall Semester
April-May	June-July	Aug	Oct-Nov	Dec-Jan	Feb
Semester long		Session (1 week)	Semester long		Session (1 week)

Number of Class Hours per Week per Course

Type of courses	Term	No of class per week	Class hour per class
Language courses	Semester	4 times	100 minutes
Major and Liberal Arts courses	Semester	Once
Major and Liberal Arts courses	Quarter	Twice

Required Number of Credits

Minimum: 14 credits in one semester (10 hours of classes per week)
Maximum: No limit (APU’s degree-seeking students usually register 18~20 credits per semester)

Important note:
As a student on a student visa, students must register a minimum of 14 credits throughout the entire semester AND their weekly class hours must be at least 10 hours.
Students are not allowed to register for courses during only one of two quarters.

Course Registration

Registration is all on-line and is held after students attend the orientation (spaces per class are limited)

Course List

General course list is available to download as reference.

*Incoming students are not eligible for gray-outlined courses.

The finalized course list will be released in March for Spring Semester, and September for Fall Semester. We cannot confirm which courses are offered and held in English or Japanese any earlier.

Credit System

1 major or liberal arts course = 2 credits
1 language course = 4 credits

Grading System

A+ 100 – 90%
A 89 – 80%
B 79 – 70%
C 69 – 60%
F Fail

Transcript

Incoming students are able to purchase their official academic transcript after the following dates.

Spring Semester: September 20
Fall Semester: March 31

*We cannot issue transcripts earlier under any circumstances.

Registration and Tuition Fees

Items	Amount
Registration Fees	32,500JPY per Semester
Tuition A	380,000JPY
Tuition B	22,500JPY per a credit

*The above amount is subject to change without prior notice.

At APU, tuition is composed of Tuition A (based tuition) and Tuition B (calculated by the number of credits registered).
Tuition A is paid for prior to arrival and Tuition B is paid for later in the semester when your course registration has been finalized.
Student staying for 2 semesters will also be required to pay Registration fee, Tuition A and Tuition B for the second semester.

Payment Deadline

Spring Semester Enrollment:

Items	Payment Deadline
Registration Fee, Tuition A, Housing Fee, Comprehensive Insurance for Students “Gakkensai”	Within one month of acceptance (Mid-January)
Tuition B	Mid-July *1
2nd Semester's Registration fee and Tuition A for 2 semesters students	Mid-July *1
2nd Semester's Tuition B for 2 semesters students	Mid-January *2

Fall Semester Enrollment:

Items	Payment Deadline
Registration Fee, Tuition A, Housing Fee Comprehensive Insurance for Students “Gakkensai”	Within one month of acceptance (Mid-July)
Tuition B	Mid-January *2
2nd Semester's Registration fee and Tuition A for 2 semesters students	Mid-January *2
2nd Semester's Tuition B for 2 semesters students	Mid-July *1

*1 Invoice will be issued in mid-June.
*2 Invoice will be issued in mid-December.

Withdrawal and Cancelation Policy

If applicants wish to withdrawal their application to the study abroad program, applicants must contact us by email and notify us of their cancellation by the below deadlines.

Deadline for Withdrawal (Japan Time):

Spring Semester Enrollees	March 31
Fall Semester Enrollees	September 20

Refundable and Non-refundable Items:

Items	Refundable / Non-refundable
Screening Fee*2	Non-refundable
Registration Fee*2	Non-refundable
Tuition Fee*1	Refundable
Moving-in Fee*2	Non-refundable
Accommodation Fee*1	Refundable
Student’s Comprehensive Renters Insurance*3	Non-refundable
Administration Fee*2	Non-refundable

Note:
*1 A full refund is possible if the applicant applies to withdraw before the deadline for admission withdrawal. The service fee associated with the refund will be borne by the applicant.
*2 Non-refundable, regardless of deadline for admission withdrawal.
*3 Refund is possible if the applicant applies for the withdrawal before purchase by APU.

Other Information

Driving:
incoming students are not allowed to drive or buy motor vehicles including motorbikes during their study abroad program at APU.

Employment:
Part-time jobs are sometimes available within the university and in the city. For students who wish to work off-campus, they have to look for part-time jobs by themselves and Japanese proficiency is oftentimes required.

Employment Regulations:
Students on student visas are required to apply for a "work permit" from the Immigration Bureau before taking a job. Please contact us if you need further information about work permit.

About College and Course Information

All undergraduate programs at APU are conducted both in English and Japanese, allowing incoming students to continue or complement their major study in Japan. You can choose from one of three colleges, the College of Asia Pacific Studies (APS), the College of International Management (APM) or the College of Sustainable Tourism (ST). Please be careful when choosing a college, as major subjects at colleges you don't choose will have lower priority for course registration. An introduction of both colleges and their respective Areas of Study is available at the bottom of the page.

The list of courses for each semester is finalized roughly one month before the start of each semester. Please refer to the general course list for your reference. Please also be aware that there are a number of courses to which registration is restricted as an incoming student.

College Information

College of Asia Pacific Studies [APS]

In the College of Asia Pacific Studies, students place emphasis on deliberating on the paths to solving problems through research, discussions, and presentations. In addition to attaining expertise that is necessary to resolve the varied issues of the Asia Pacific region, they will also acquire practical science.

Areas of Study

International Relations (IR)

Legal, political, and economic viewpoints are used to examine and then explore solutions to global issues, such as international conflict, human rights issues, and environmental destruction.

Culture, Society, and Media (CSM)

Both the micro and macro perspectives of culture, society, and the media are applied to investigate new means of coexistence in the diverse region of the Asia Pacific.

Global Economy (GE)

The economic perspective is utilized to seek ways for all regions and peoples to live happily in the globalized region of the Asia Pacific.

College of International Management [APM]

The College of International Management is dedicated to the nurturing of leaders who can change society with the power of business. As the center of internationally certified, diverse, and inclusive education in the Asia Pacific region, we aim to further evolve into a vision-driven, mission-oriented business school.

Areas of Study

Strategic Management and Leadership

Learn corporate planning and operation skills that develop companies and organizations sustainably

Marketing

Acquire the methods to lead businesses to local and global success

Accounting and Finance

Study corporate and organizational financial management and acquire knowledge and skills in funding and investment

Entrepreneurship and Operations Management

Acquire the methods, mentality, and operational procedures to start businesses that create innovation

College of Sustainability and Tourism [ST]

Social challenges such as economic inequality and rural decline grow worse, while resource depletion, environmental contamination, and climate change threaten the globe. The College of Sustainability and Tourism focuses on building circular communities as well as on utilizing tourism to conserve resources and create value. We address humankind’s inevitable challenges of the 21st century through a two-way approach – sustainability science, which examines the development of sustainable societies, and tourism, which influences local economies and cultures.

Areas of Study

Specialized subject groups comprising nine concentrations of expertise

Program, College, and Course Information | Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University