Program Terms:
Spring Semester & Academic Year
Overview:
A little less than 25,000 students attend Chuo University, with around 800 of those students being international exchange students. The University also offers various events and programs promoting international and intercultural exchanges, including a Peace Seminar Camp, sports events, welcome parties, and the Hakumon festival. Chuo University has released Chuo Vision 2025, a 10-year development plan focusing on the establishment of multiple new faculties, relocation of the law faculty to the University’s city campus in Korakuen, and the promotion of global initiatives.
Chuo University also has some additional features that are centered around the needs of students. The Co-op is an organization run with union fees collected from members to serve the students and university personnel. The Co-op sells necessities such as books, stationary supplies, and computers, and also provides a wide range of services including domestic and international travel arrangements, tickets, bookings for driving schools, and mutual society insurance. As for dining facilities, on the Tama campus, there are dining facilities on every floor of the Hilltop ’78 building. The cafeteria building offers a diverse selection of foods, such as Japanese and Western foods, noodles, coffee and tea, and fast food. There is also the Basu-Tei restaurant, which serves mainly Chinese food, and the Leaf Café in the C Square Building serves light meals and beverages. The Co-op operates canteens at the Korakuen Campus, as well.
Another exciting addition to the university is the Japanese Culture Day, which is held at Chuo University’s Tama Campus G Square. Many international students attend the event to experience calligraphy, origami, and traditional card games called “menko.” At G Square, various events and seminars are organized to promote cultural exchange, including the Language Lab, where study groups are held in English, Chinese, Germany, and other languages. (Source: Chuo University website)
Academic Details:
It is important to note that most of the courses at Chuo University are taught in Japanese. There are currently no specific requirements for Japanese language proficiency for non-degree students, and Chuo University also offers some courses taught in English in the fields of Law, Environmental Studies, International Relations & Politics, Cultural & Social Studies, Economics, History, Philosophy & Religion, Language & Linguistics, Literature, and Psychology. The Faculty of Science and Engineering does not have courses in English, and students who wish to study at the Faculty of Science and Engineering are required to have at least JLPT N3 level.
Chuo University also offers Japanese courses specifically designed for exchange students across 7 levels, from beginner to advanced. The class sizes are small, and students must take a placement test to be assigned to a class. The University also offers opportunities for cultural exchange, encouraging their students to become global citizens. This includes G-square, a space for international and Japanese students to mingle that often hosts social events such as cross-cultural seminars, language exchanges, and foreign language discussion groups. There are also a number of International Weeks, that include cultural events from all over the world, and the Chuo Peace Seminar which allows students to discuss world issues with local Japanese people, and has previously been held on Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Okinawa, Hokkaido, and South Korea.
Chuo University also has a number of highly regarded research institutes in Comparative Law, Accounting, Economics, Social Sciences, Business, Cultural Science, Health and Sports Science, Science and Engineering, and Policy and Cultural Studies.
One thing to be aware of is that the academic calendar is also quite different to that of UH Mānoa. For example, the spring semester of Chuo University’s academic calendar starts from April to August, while the fall semester is from September to February.
(Source: Chuo University website)
Housing Details:
For more details on housing at Chuo University, please see Chuo’s Accommodation page.
If students prefer to live on their own, Chuo also provides a referral service, for a wide range of inexpensive accommodation though the Co-op, including apartments buildings geared towards students.
(Source: Chuo University website)
Eligibility:
- Sophomore standing
- 2.5 cumulative GPA
