Kyushu University is located in the north-eastern part of Fukuoka, and started out as Fukuoka Medical College in 1903, and was later established as Kyushu Imperial University in 1911. It currently has about 18,800 students, including 1700 international students. The university has a total of 11 undergraduate departments, which are literature, education, law, economics, science, medicine, dentistry, pharmaceutical sciences, engineering, agriculture, and art. The main campus is the Hakozaki campus in Fukuoka, and a few others are Ropponmaseu, Chikushi, Ito and Ohashi. This year was the 100th anniversary of Kyushu University’s foundation, so the university has made great efforts in order to improve. Just like Chung-Ang, Kyushu focuses on increasing the number of international students in order to create an environment so that Japanese and students from around the world can study together.


Application
Students must send an application form, credit completion plan, recommendation letter from a professor, certificate of parents bank balance, copy of passport, and a 3X4 photograph to Kyushu University. Individual submission is not acceptable, so the required documents must be sent via Chung-Ang University’s International Affairs Department. After successful applicants have been chosen, an official approval letter will be sent. Afterwards, Kyushu University will send visa-related documents, and then students must apply for a college student visa at the Japanese embassy.

Tuition
The tuition is 133,950 Japanese yen (2,100,000) per semester for international undergraduate programs, whereas the Japanese undergraduate programs cost 267,900 yen (4,200,000). Students may also be able to receive financial aid through various scholarships, and more information regarding this can be found at http://www.isc.kyushu-u.ac.jp/g30/financialaid.html

Accommodations
For on-campus housing, (on Hakozaki campus) there is an International Students House. There seem to be some problems with the facility since the building is almost 30 years old, but the school is making its best efforts in cleaning and repairing the rooms. Students should keep in mind that the monthly rent is the same though there may be a difference in the room size. There is a single (5,900 yen per month = 92,000), couple (11,900 yen per month = 190,000), or family (14,200 yen per month = 220,000) room, and also a shared room for two (5,950 yen per month = 92,000), or three (4,500 yen per month = 70,000) students. There is also a salon with a television set, video deck, computers, printer, tables and sofas. Equipment such as vacuum cleaners, irons, carts and more are available for rent. There is also a small meeting room, for which students have to make a reservation at least two weeks in advance. However, for students who were not able to get a room due to the lack of space, they will be offered private housing selected by Kyushu University.
(http://www.isc.kyushu-u.ac.jp/supportcenter-e/housing/on/kashiihama/main.html)

Student Services
Just like at CAU, Kyushu University assigns student tutors to each new international students. These tutors will help CAU students in adjusting to the new environment and overall campus life. Not only will these students help you with school life, but Kyushu students will show international students around the city, and also teach them some Japanese.
Whenever help is needed with preparing documents whether it is for immigration, renting an apartment or something related to school, students can use the International Student and Researcher Support Center, (http://www.isc.kyushu-u.ac.jp/supportcenter-e/index.html) since the staff will always be there to lend a hand.
Getting used to a whole new environment is far from easy, and thus, there is a counseling system for international students who need to talk about their distress and worries. Kyushu University encourages students to use the system actively no matter how small a worry may be, since the English speaking counselors will listen, and try to help out.

Japanese Language Classes
Japanese lessons are given at the International Students Center by Japanese teachers to any student who wishes to learn. The lessons focus either on general grammar or on a specific language skill such as conversation, reading, or composition. The classes are organized according to proficiency levels, so students will be able to go to the class fit for them.
 

저작권자 © 중앙헤럴드 무단전재 및 재배포 금지