last updated January 17, 2023
revised April 17, 2023

Exchange FACT Sheet 2023/2024
Kobe University
Contact Information

Name of Institution

WebsiteGlobal Studies
Program (GSP)
Office ContactKobe University
Faculty of Global Human Sciences
Graduate School of Intercultural Studies
Graduate School of Human Development and Environment
https://www.kobe-u.ac.jp/en/index.html
https://www.fgh.kobe-u.ac.jp/en
http://web.cla.kobe-u.ac.jp/group/Kouryu/for-incoming-students.html
Kazuyo TAKEDA,
Assistant Professor & Coordinator (Inbound)
Ai SHORAKU,Associate Professor & Coordinator (Outbound)
Tomomi TERASAKI, Assistant Staff (Inbound)
Naoko SEKI, Assistant Staff (Outbound)
Tel: +81-78-803-7601
Email: gsp-info@fgh.kobe-u.ac.jp
Global Studies Program (GSP) Office

Postal Address

Faculty of Global Human Sciences,
Kobe University
1-2-1 Tsurukabuto, Nada-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan

Admissions Information
Nomination Deadline forSpring Semester (April) Enrollment:

October 20thPartner Universities

Fall Semester (October) Enrollment:

April 10th

Application Deadline forSpring Semester (April) Enrollment:

November 10th

Students

Fall Semester (October) Enrollment:

April 30th

Application Procedures

1. Exchange program applicants must be nominated by home university
before submitting the application.
2. All application materials indicated below (No. 1-6), except for CoE
application must be submitted by email attachment by nominatedstudents to: gsp-info@fgh.kobe-u.ac.jp

Required Documents
1. Exchange Program Application Form

Please fill out and send via email by excel format.
(not in PDF)

2. Official academic transcript from your home university
3. A photocopy of the Japanese proficiency certificate (if obtained)
The photocopy should be in its original size.
4. A photocopy of your passport pageis not yet issued, send us a photocopy as soon as
where your name and valid date is printed If your passport1

last updated January 17, 2023
revised April 17, 2023
issued. This is required as well in applying for CoE.
5. Digital ID Photo

For the requirement, please refer to the section below,“Application for the “Certificate of Eligibility” (CoE)”.
The photo must meet all the specifications on the following
website:Submission Photo Standards | Immigration Services Agency(moj.go.jp)

6. Proof of Financial Support (Must betranslated into English)

For the requirement, please refer to the section below,“Application for the “Certificate of Eligibility” (CoE)”.

Application for the “Certificate of Eligibility” (CoE)Applicants proceed with your CoE application by proxy application service (Online application service).
After students are nominated by their home universities, students will receive an email by Kobe Univ. aroundlate May, with a link to access the page of the Online Application Form for CoE.
Sample:http://web.cla.kobe-u.ac.jp/group/Kouryu/Sample_Online_CoE_Application.pdf
The following documents must be uploaded on the Online Application Form for CoE.
1. Digital ID Photo (for CoE application)
The photo must meet all the specifications on the following website:
Submission Photo Standards | Immigration Services Agency (moj.go.jp)
2. Copy of Passport ID Page
3. Proof of Financial Support (Must be translated into English)
Documents that prove that you have sufficient financial support to pay for your expenses while studying at
Kobe University (Question 21 on the Online Application Form for CoE).
(1) If you choose “Self”
・ Latest bank statement for the applicant’s own account (Closing balance must be more than 600,000 JPY
for a 1 semester stay / more than 1,200,000 JPY for a 1 year stay.)(2) If you choose “Supporter living outside of Japan” or “Supporter in Japan”
Both of the following documents are necessary:・ Latest bank statement for the financial supporter’s account (Closing balance must be more than 600,000
JPY for a 1 semester stay / more than 1,200,000 JPY for a 1 year stay.)
・A certificate of employment and annual income for the financial supporter.
(3) If you choose “Scholarship”
・ A copy of an official document proving that the applicant will receive the scholarship/ grant.

Schedule for April (Spring Semester) Enrollment
October 20, 2022
November 10, 2022

Nomination deadline from home university
Application deadline from student

Late December, 2022

Notification of application result/ receiving pre-arrival information

February, 2023

Receiving Admission Certificate and CoE

Early March, 2023

Announcement of your dormitory allocation

Early April, 2023

Orientation

Early April, 2023

Classes begin

Schedule for October (Fall Semester) Enrollment
April 10, 2023

Nomination deadline from home university

April 30, 2023

Application deadline from student

Late June, 2023

Notification of application result/ receiving pre-arrival information

Middle August, 2023

Receiving Admission Certificate and CoE

Early September, 2023

Announcement of2 your dormitory allocation

last updated January 17, 2023
revised April 17, 2023
Late September/Early October,2023 Orientation
Early October, 2023
Classes begin3

last updated January 17, 2023
revised April 17, 2023
Academic Information (2023-2024)
Academic Calendar

Spring semester 2023 (April 1, 2023 – September 30, 2023)
Dormitories open: Late March/Early April
Orientation for Exchange: April 4Classes begin: April 10
Class Registration period: April 3 – April 10
Exam period: July 31 - August 7
Fall semester 2023 (October 1, 2023 – March 31, 2024)
Dormitories open: End of September
Orientation for Exchange Students: Late Sep or Early Oct (TBA)
Classes begin: October 2Class Registration period: October 2 – October 10 (tentative)
Exam period: February 2 - February 9Course Language

Syllabus

Most classes offered at Graduate School of Intercultural Studies / Graduate
School of Human Development and Environment / Faculty of Global
Human Sciences are taught in Japanese.
For classes taught in English, please refer to the timetable “Language”
marked “E”.
http://web.cla.kobe-u.ac.jp/group/Kouryu/for-incoming-students.html
Undergraduate exchange students are not eligible to enroll in graduatelevel courses. Upon your academic supervisor’s permission, graduate
exchange students may audit undergraduate level courses without officialregistration. (Non-credit awarded, no record on the transcript).
https://kym-syllabus.ofc.kobe-u.ac.jp/campussy
Please click “Faculties/Schools” or “Graduate Schools” and select theaffiliation. Other Faculties’ or Departments’ courses are not always
available for exchange students under our agreement.

Course Registration

Detailed information in regard to class registration will be announced in
the Faculty/Graduate school orientation after your arrival in Japan.

Student Visa Obligations

Undergraduate Students: Must take more than 10 hours of lecture whichequals to 6 classes per week.
Graduate Students (Master/Doctor): Must have more than 10 hours ofresearch hours including at least 1 class per week.

Japanese Language Course

Japanese Language Courses
The Global Education Center (GEC) offers Japanese language courses
for exchange students. Students who wish to take these courses are
required to take the online level check test prior to the semester.
http://www.kisc.kobeu.ac.jp/english/leaning_japanese/laboratory_course.html<Non-credit bearing courses>
1. Integrated Japanese Course: open to all exchange students.
2. Intensive Japanese Course: developed for MEXT (Japanesegovernment) scholarship students. Exchange students can be enrolled
in this course on an availability basis only.
<Credit bearing course>
3. Japanese Language and Japanese Studies Course: (advanced level)
for undergraduate students only.

4Academic Record issued by Kobe
University

Evaluation Standard

last updated January 17, 2023
revised April 17, 2023
Student’s academic transcript will be sent to the partner university AFTER
completion of his/her exchange period. (At the end of September or at theend of March.)
The evaluation standard and method may vary for each course. Pleaserefer to the “成績評価方法” of each course’s syllabus in Japanese and“Evaluation Method” in English.

Grading Scale

S: 100-90, A: 89-80, B: 79-70, C: 69-60, F: 59-

Housing & General Information
Kobe University AffiliatedAccommodation

Exchange students are given priority for room allocations in the university
dormitories. The room type is single only.
https://www.kobe-u.ac.jp/en/campuslife/housing/accommodation.html

Housing Application

Fill in the section “4. Accommodation” of the Exchange Program
Application form. We will do our best to arrange your accommodationaccordingly when you are accepted as an exchange student. However,please note that this does not guarantee the availability of yourpreferences.

Notification of Housing

Spring Semester (April) Enrollment:

Early MarchAllocation

Fall Semester (October) Enrollment:

Early September

Housing Application Deadline

Same as the Exchange program application deadline

VISA

After acceptance, Kobe University will apply for the student’s CoE(Certificate of Eligibility) that is required for the “College-Student VISA”.
CoE is usually issued one month prior to enrollment. (Please note that we
do not guarantee 100% successful result of CoE application. The final
decision rests in the hands of the Immigration Bureau of Japan andJapanese Embassy.)
Students will need to apply for “College-Study VISA” from the Embassy ofJapan or the Consulate-General of Japan before entrance.
It is strongly advised to enter Japan via Narita, Haneda, Chubu, or KansaiInternational Airports in order to have your Residence Card issued by theImmigration Bureau of Japan upon your arrival. In order to process yourstudent status and course registration at Kobe University, it is mandatory
to have your Residence Card information.
No pick-up service available. Please note that exchange students are fully
responsible for arranging accommodation on the arrival day.

Entry to Japan

Airport Pick up

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last updated January 17, 2023
revised April 17, 2023
Insurance

National Health Insurance:
The Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare now requires all College Student
Visa holders to become a registered member of the Japan National Health
Insurance. All exchange students must enroll. Students will pay monthly
premiums (Approximately 2,400 JPY per month). Upon joining this system,students will be charged only 30% of the incurred medical cost.
Kobe University PAS :PAS (Personal Accident Insurance for Students Pursing Education andResearch) is a nationwide system to indemnify students for the number ofdays that medical treatment is needed for injury incurred during regularcurricular activities and while commuting to or from University (1,000JPY
up to 1 year). All students are required to participate in this insurance plan.

Estimated Living Expenses
Average Monthly Costs for Kobe University Students
Books and materials

Undergraduate Course: 50,000JPY /year
Japanese Language Course:
30,000JPY /year

University Accommodation
Utility(Electricity, Gas, Water)
Board & Living expense
Transportation
National Health InsurancePAS

4,700~21,000JPY /month
10,000~15,000JPY /month
25,000~30,000JPY /month
15,000~20,000 JPY /month
2,400 JPY /month
1,000 JPY /year
1,500~10,000JPY /year (depending onComprehensive Insurance forStudent’s Lives Coupled withPAS

Useful Link

the type of coverage)

Others / Entertainment

10,000 JPY /month

TOTAL

Approximately 100,000 JPY /month

Study in Japan
https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/
Feel Kobe (Official Kobe Tourism Site)
https://www.feel-kobe.jp/
Hyogo Prefecture Tourism Guide
https://www.travelhyogo.org.e.aas.hp.transer.com/

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