Kansai Gaidai University

Kansai Gaidai University is a leading institution in Japan noted for its commitment to international education. Options include homestays and dormitory residence with other international students. Located in Hirakata City, near the famous temples and gardens of Kyoto and the vibrant commercial metropolis of Osaka, Kansai Gaidai has an enviable setting. Kansai is a full exchange program, with Roanoke College students receiving tuition, fees, room and board at the host campus. All financial aid is portable. Kansai offers 200+ courses in English and prior Japanese is recommended, but not required. Courses in business, history, art, literature, drama, film and communications are of special interest. 

Heian Shrine Gate, Kyoto, Japan

Kansai Gaidai is a private, nonprofit institution originally established in 1945 as a small, private language school amid the ruins of post-war Japan with an initial enrollment of only eight students. The founder, Dr. Takako Tanimoto, a truly dedicated educator, hoped to create an institution which would develop in its students a sense of internationalization.

Kansai Gaidai currently enrolls over 11,300 students, and the academic curriculum is twofold. The combination of a rigorous Japanese language program in addition to lecture courses in the humanities, the social sciences and business, makes it possible for participants to approach a wide variety of study areas during their stay in Japan. Since all courses, with the exception of those concentrating on the Japanese language, are conducted in English, it is possible for even those students with little previous Japanese language training to pursue their areas of interest.

Cost

Tuition, room and board are paid to Roanoke College. Students are also responsible for special Kansai Gaidai fees, transportation to Japan, medical coverage and personal expenses. Financial aid and scholarships from Roanoke apply; students can also apply for Kansai Gaidai merit scholarships.

Application Procedures

Application for admission must be completed and sent in along with the following materials.  Check with the Office of International Education about exact due dates.

• Housing questionnaire, this is important because students get the option of living in a homestay if so desired
• Copy of college transcript, due early in the semester before planned departure
• Confidential financial questionnaire requires filling out the form sent out by Kansai Gaidai, not just an official letter.
• Medical information form
• 10 ID photos, need to be of good quality
• Three letters of recommendation from faculty members and/or academic advisors. These should be requested from professors as soon as possible. They then need to be turned in two weeks before the application due date.
• No language proficiency statement needed, unless applicant is a non-native speaker of English.