Study Abroad destinations
University of Shiga Prefecture
Shiga, Japan
The University of Shiga Prefecture (USP) was established in 1995 with the slogan of 'Our campus is Lake Biwa and our text is Humanity'. The campus is located on the eastern shore of Lake Biwa, in Hikone City.
About 2,800 undergraduates study general education courses along with school and department specific courses. The common idea for all studies is 'to learn how to live in harmony with nature'. Students can learn not only on campus, but also from Lake Biwa and its surrounding region, which is traditionally known as 'Ohmi'.
In all departments, students spend a great deal of their time on field work, experiments and seminars, in which an emphasis is placed on ties to and bonding with local communities in Shiga Prefecture.
What you can study
| Course | When you can study |
|---|---|
| Japanese, TESOL and Linguistics BA | 3rd year, full year |
| Japanese, Intercultural Communication and Linguistics BA | 3rd year, full year |
Academic information
Choosing your modules
You will need to gain the following credits from your modules:
- 12 to 16 Japanese credits per semester
- 24 to 32 Japanese credits per year
For information on module options, visit the University of Shiga Prefecture website.
Academic calendar
The academic calendar is split into 2 semesters:
- Semester 1: Early April until late September
- Semester 2: Late September until late March
For a full list of academic dates, visit the University of Shiga Prefecture academic calendar.
Accommodation
Accommodation abroad
Accommodation must be arranged directly with the University of Shiga Prefecture.
All accommodation options are off-campus but not too far away and it may be either a single or shared room. Prices range from 144,000 JPY to 270 JPY per semester.
A refundable deposit will need to be paid: 20,000 JPY.
Accommodation must be arranged directly with the University of Shiga Prefecture. Students have 3 options, ranging from ¥24,000 to ¥40,000 per month.
For more information, visit the University of Shiga Prefecture accommodation pages.
Costs and visas
Funding
Funding is available to help you with study abroad costs. Please see our Funding page for more details.
Additional costs
This information is about additional costs of studying at this host university. Please be aware that prices are subject to change, and the list may not be exhaustive.
We recommend looking at the host website, as well as entry requirements for the country, to get a full understanding of the costs involved.
Students are required to pay into:
- Japanese National Insurance: this costs approximately 20,000 JPY per year
- Gakkensai (personal accident insurance): this costs approximately 1,000 JPY per year
- Futai-Gakuso (comprehensive insurance): this costs approximately 1,860 JPY per year
Visas
Please make sure you have an up to date passport that expires no earlier than 6 months after you intend to return.
You will be provided with guidance and documentation from the partner university but it will be your responsibility to obtain the correct visa. Neither the Study Abroad team here or at the partner university are qualified to offer consultations or detailed advice regarding visa applications.
Immigration laws are complex and subject to frequent changes. If you do have any visa-related questions you will need to contact the appropriate Embassy directly.
