There are two main types of study abroad programs: Inter-University and Inter-Departmental Exchange Programs and privately funded study abroad. For basic information about study abroad, please refer to Kyushu University Global Gateways and Study Abroad Guide.

Kyushu University Global Gateways

Study Abroad Guide: Kyushu University Students travelling around the world! (Japanese Only)

For Inter-Departmental Exchange Programs, the faculty members in charge of each partner university will first conduct an internal selection before applying to the partner university. After that, you must apply to the university you wish to study abroad. You can check the application deadline and the faculty members in charge of the partner universities at the link below.

Student Exchange Programs -Faculty Level/Studying Abroad Information (Japanese Only)

The Student Exchange Programs -Faculty Level in design are available for six months (one semester) to one year. Other short-term study abroad programs, such as summer school and language training programs, are available during vacation periods.

Please visit the Geiko Global website for information on interdepartmental exchange programs for Design.

International Exchange Portal Site “Geiko Global” 

Please feel free to contact us at the Global Student Exchange Promotional Center on the first floor of the Ohashi Campus Administration Building for advice on studying abroad for design or you can email Ms Noguchi at noguchi.mika.319[at]m.kyushu-u.ac.jp.

Please replace [at] with @.

Please refer to the partner university’s website to find out more about what you can learn and what subjects you can take. You can find the URL of each university’s website on the Geiko Global website (Japanese only). Please contact the faculty member in charge of the partner university that you are interested in for more information. You can look for the person in charge from the link below.

Student Exchange Programs -Faculty Level/Studying Abroad Information (Japanese Only)

Currently, there are no American universities in the schools that have exchange agreements between departments of design. However, there are several universities in the United States that have Inter-University Exchange Agreements that you can consider if you wish to study abroad in the United States.

Information on Student Exchange Programs – University Level 

You can find out more about what the courses that you can take through the partner university websites. You can find the URL of each university’s website on the Geiko Global website (Japanese Only). We also recommend that you talk to your academic advisor or the faculty member in charge of the partner university that is of your interest.

The following are some of the universities where the acoustic students have studied.

Student Exchange Programs – Faculty Level: Karlsruhe Institute of Design, Germany

Student Exchange Programs – University Level: Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden

There is no standardized language score requirement for Student Exchange Programs – Faculty Level in design, but some universities may require you to submit a language score (proof of language proficiency). In recent years, an increasing number of universities have requested for the submission of language scores. Some universities have standards for language scores, and some require French or Italian language skills in addition to English, so we recommend that you prepare as early as possible.

For more information on the universities, please refer to the Student Exchange Programs -Faculty Level/Studying Abroad Information (Japanese Only).

Most universities allow students to study abroad on Student Exchange Programs – Faculty Level in Design using only English. Some universities require you to speak French or Italian at the time of application, but most classes and communication with teachers are conducted in English.

For the Exchange Programs, the classes are generally conducted in English. Hence, you can study abroad even if you have not learned the official language of the country. However, we recommend that you learn the language of the country as much as possible so that you can better understand the life and culture of the country you are studying in and can make the most of your time abroad.

There is no uniform academic standard for Student Exchange Programs – Faculty Level in Design, but you may be required to submit an academic transcript to your host university when you apply to study abroad. In addition, your transcript may be used as a criterion for internal selection.

Credits earned at your host university will be treated as credits at Kyushu University, according to the credit transfer system of Kyushu University.

For more details, please refer to Accreditation of Credits Obtained (Credit Transfer).

Although it is possible to study abroad in the first year of undergraduate study, many students go for the Exchange Program in their third year of undergraduate study or above as the Exchange Program focuses on learning the specialized knowledge and skills. We would recommend that for the first year, you prepare yourself for long term studying abroad by improving your language skills and understanding different cultures through short-term study abroad, participation in summer schools, and exchanges with international students.

The Student Exchange Programs – Faculty Level consists of two selections: internal selection and selection by the partner university. The selection process is based on factors as your motivation (motivation letter), your past activities and research (portfolio), and your study plan at the partner university.

Please refer to the Geiko Global’s Study Abroad Report. Students who studied abroad shared their experiences in the report.

Geiko Global – Study Abroad Report

You can consult with your teacher about your final exam schedule or consult with your host university about the timing of your trip. Please contact Ms Noguchi at the Global Student Exchange Promotional Center for advice on how to deal with the situation.

Global Student Exchange Promotional Center

E-mail: noguchi.mika.319[at]m.kyushu-u.ac.jp

Please replace [at] with @.

There are cases where international students have gone to study in other countries Faculty Level Exchange Students in design. The situation differs depending on the type of international student enrolled. Please contact Ms Noguchi at the Global Student Exchange Promotional Center for more information.

Global Student Exchange Promotional Center

E-mail: noguchi.mika.319[at]m.kyushu-u.ac.jp

Please replace [at] with @.

The following are the main costs of studying abroad.

• Housing and living expenses
• Travel expenses
• Insurance fees for studying abroad
• Visa application fees (depending on the country)

If you study at Kyushu University’s partner universities, you need to pay tuition fees to Kyushu University and not to the partner university. The average cost per country is shown in the “Study Abroad Guide: Kyushu University Students travelling around the world!”. Please refer to page 24 and 25 on “Scholarships for Study Abroad”.

Study Abroad Guide: Kyushu University Students travelling around the world! (Japanese Only)

There are two types of study abroad support systems (scholarships). Kyushu University administers one type. Organizations outside the university administer the other type. You can find information on scholarships at “Kyushu University Global Gateways” and “Scholarships for Study Abroad” in the Study Abroad Guide. You can also find information on various scholarships on the website of the Japan Student Services Organization.

Kyushu University Global Gateways

Study Abroad Guide: Kyushu University Students travelling around the world! (Japanese Only)

Japan Student Services Organization (Japanese Only)

For Academic Year 2020, study abroad program in the second semester has been cancelled. From Academic Year 2021 onwards, decisions on study abroad programs will be based on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Overseas Safety Information Risk Level (Level 2 and above are not allowed to travel), and the immigration restrictions at the study abroad destination, and other factors.

If your study abroad period coincides with your job-hunting period, you may start your job hunting while you are studying abroad. In some cases, you can make use of joint information sessions for students studying abroad (e.g. London Career Forum) or negotiate with companies about the timing and methods of selection while studying abroad.