Japan: Akita International University

‌Thought of as the top international studies university in Japan, Akita offers English taught courses in Japanese Studies, Japanese Language, Basic Education, Global Business and Global Studies. Akita boasts a state-of-the-art sports facility, in addition to easy access to the areas hiking trails, golf courses, and shopping malls. As a leading Liberal Arts University in Japan, Akita places emphasis on a well-rounded humanities education.

Dates & Deadlines

Term: Summer
App Deadline: Saturday, March 1, 2025
Program Dates: July 17th- July 29th, 2025

Term: Fall 2025
App Deadline: Saturday, March 1, 2025
Program Dates: September 2nd- December 23rd, 2025

The application cycle for Spring 2025 is currently closed. Summer and Fall 2025 applications are open. Students can click the link below to schedule their First Steps Meeting.

Schedule First Steps Meeting

Interested in studying abroad in Spring 2026 or later? Please fill out the waitlist form below and the study abroad center will notify you when applications for future terms open. If you are still deciding where or when you want to go abroad, you can also schedule an informational meeting with our office to learn more about the programs we offer and find one that works best for you!

Study Abroad Waitlist Schedule Info Meeting

Unsure where to begin? Visit our Application Process page to learn more!

Location

AIU is located in Akita city which has a population of about 313,000. Akita is known as an ideally-sized city that provides the opportunity to get immersed in the friendly, local culture while also offering convenient access to international goods and services.

A state-of-the-art sports facility, hiking, cycling, golf courses, and a large shopping mall, are all in the vicinity of campus. The university is located close to ski areas, scenic hiking opportunities, and the Sea of Japan coastline. The university organizes various events, activities, and field trips providing students with hands-on experience in Japanese culture.

Akita prefecture is known for its natural beauty and resources. Akita is particularly famous in Japan for producing the country's most delicious rice and sake, as well as for the beauty of its people. The university is easily accessible from Akita International Airport, with flights to Tokyo, Osaka, Hokkaido, and Seoul, Korea.

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Academics

Akita International University's exciting and rigorous academic programs offer opportunities for international students to gain vital and exploratory knowledge about Japan and the world. Akita International University offers extensive programs in Japanese Studies and Japanese Language for international students. They offer Japanese language courses at various levels to provide the most appropriate instruction for all exchange students.

For courses in English or Japanese, AIU's curriculum is divided into five categories:

Japanese Studies courses
Japanese Language courses
Basic Education courses
Global Business programs
Global Studies programs

UNI students typically take four to five courses each semester. Each class hour is 50 minutes.

Credits:

Most courses will be 3 credits at UNI (3 hours per week and 45 hours for the semester), though not always.

Grades:
A+    = A
A (Excellent) = A
A- = A-
B+ = B+
B (Good) = B
B- = B-
C+ = C+
C (Satisfactory) = C
C- = C-
D+   = D+
D (Poor) = D
F (Failure)    = F

For one UNI credit, use the following:
a) 15 class hours for a lecture class
b) 30 class hours an experimental, laboratory or an activity course
c) 15-30 class hours for a seminar

For more information on the grading system, see Akita's page.

Participant Info

Meet your Advisor:

Stephanie is a full time study abroad advisor who will help you throughout the application process to Japan, including documentation, finances, scholarships, and more. From the application process to financial assistance to preparing for your journey abroad, Stephanie will be with you every step of the way providing guidance and reassurance.

Important information to Review:

Study abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be challenged by new experiences in new environments and cultures. UNI study abroad programs are designed to prioritize educational opportunities for students. Students are encouraged to embrace the adventure of exploring how housing, meals, and daily routines differ abroad.

Entry and Exit Requirements:

Review and follow the travel recommendations of the U.S. State Department for travel to Japan.

Immigration Information:

Students going to Japan for more than 90 days will need to apply for a student visa.

Your Study Abroad Advisor will help you through this process but it is the student's responsibility to stay on top of the visa application process and to review the latest updates related to their destination country.

Housing & Meals

Housing:

Akita International University's housing facilities have students live together with students from various cultural backgrounds as a critical part of the international experience. All students, whether degree-seeking or short-term exchange, are guaranteed housing in one of the following dormitories:

Komachi Dormitory
Global Village Apartments
Sakura Village Apartments

Students have the opportunity to express their room preference on the Housing Application Form. AIU will consider student housing preferences and other information carefully (please note that they cannot always meet students’ requests). Individuals who need special arrangements or a particular room assignment for special circumstances (physical or medical condition, etc.) should request that in advance and supply an official document, such as medical doctor’s report, to verify.

Meals:

AIU offers students options to have a 21-Meal Plan (21 meals per day/3 meals per day) or the 10-Meal Plan (typically lunch and dinner), Monday-Friday. There are two main dining spaces on-campus: the cafeteria and the College Cafe. The cafeteria serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner to residential students. Students also have the option to cook on their own or purchase individual meals from the cafeteria in cash.

Meal costs are approximately:

Breakfast: 310 JPY
Lunch: 410 JPY
Dinner: 410 JPY

Visit AIU's Dining Information page to learn more!

Summer School

Akita International University's exciting and rigorous academic programs offer opportunities for international students to gain vital and exploratory knowledge about Japan and the world. Akita International University offers extensive programs in Japanese Studies and Japanese Language. All Japanese language courses are held at various levels to provide the most appropriate instruction for all students.

AIU's Summer Program is a six-week, six-credit, intensive Japanese language program designed for highly motivated undergraduate students around the world. Participants can take courses taught by experienced Japanese instructors to apply their Japanese language skills in a small class environment.

Students are assigned double rooms in Komachi Hall. Each student will have a chance to have a Japanese roommate and/or suitemate(s). A roommate is a student who shares a room and a bathroom, and a suitemate is a student who shares only a bathroom. Specific room assignments and information about your roommate/suitemate(s) will be announced upon your arrival. We are not able to provide the information such as name, nationality, and contact address of your roommate/ suitemate(s) in advance. We are not able to offer single rooms except in special circumstances because of limited room availability. The program fee includes a meal plan at the Cafeteria, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner to residential students.

Akita Summer 2025 Cost Estimate (PDF)

Program Costs

Estimated Program Cost: $12,733*

*estimated total cost of participation, actual amount depends on type of housing accommodation selected, actual airfare purchase price, personal spending habits, and other factors

Estimated Total Program Cost	$12,733
Estimated U-bill Charges	$5,423
Estimated Out-of-Pocket Costs	$7,310

Akita Cost Estimate Fall 2024 (Pending Update of UNI Tuition)

Akita Cost Estimate Spring 2025

Cost of Studying On Campus at UNI

Tuition & Fees	$4,864
Room & Board	$4,993
Books	$400
Personal Expenses	$902
Transportation	$385
Total	$11,544

Source: https://admissions.uni.edu/costs

Pending Updates for UNI Fall 2024

‌Eligibility Requirements to Study Abroad

The Study Abroad Center reserves the right to determine participants' eligibility to study abroad. Students must have a completed study abroad application, including supportive recommendation form(s). Additionally, students must meet all of the following in order to be eligible to study abroad:

Have a cumulative 2.5 GPA or higher at the time of application and maintain this cumulative GPA prior to departure and throughout the study abroad process
If your cumulative GPA is lower than 2.5, submit the following to the Study Abroad Center (103 East Bartlett):
- Letters of reference from two academic contacts (e.g. academic advisor and former or current professor) supporting your pursuit of study abroad. If you are attending a faculty-led study abroad program, one of the letters must be from a course leader. However, if the program has two course leaders, only one of the letters can be from one of the course leaders.

Must be over the age of 18 years old
Must meet the course prerequisites (participation in the program is dependent upon meeting these)
Must be in good standing with the university
UNI's partner institutions may require additional eligibility requirements to be met, these vary from institution to institution. Please consult with the Study Abroad Center staff to discuss these additional requirements, if applicable.
Applicants traveling to a region of a country or a country with an overall Travel Advisory Level 3 (Reconsider Travel) or 4 (Do Not Travel) will not be eligible.