The Ceter for Japanese Studies Program  offers a combination of two components: The first is an intensive language component designed for students who are serious about studying Japanese. The second encompasses a broad spectrum of courses in Japanese area studies, perfect for students interested in learning about Japan. Outside of class, students can enjoy daytrip excursions to Toyota Motors or relax on campus in the Japan Plaza with their new Japanese friends.

What do ISEP students think about their programs in Japan?

"The Japanese program here is excellent and Nagoya is so unique. The courses are fantastic and I'm able to study things that are both relevant to my career and that I enjoy." -ISEP Nanzan Alumni

Program Website

Course Description

Nanzan's CJS program offers intensive Japanese language courses, plus English and Japanese-taught electives. Students will take a proficiency test once they arrive to establish their Japanese language ability for both Japanese language courses, and Japanese-taught subject courses.

Intensive Japanese courses are taught in the mornings four days per week, while elective classes are taught in the afternoons on one or two days per week.

For a breakdown of the classes offered, please see the CJS website.

Credits Earned

Students are required to register for an Intensive Japanese course for 8 Nanzan credits per term, and can register for additional elective courses at 2-3 Nanzan credits per course.

ISEP recommends that the US equivalent for a 2-credit lecture class is 2 US credits, and a 2 credit language class is worth 2 US credits. So 14-16 Nanzan credits is the equivalent of 14-16 US credits.

If you use financial aid, please speak with a qualified financial aid advisor to understand your academic obligations and the requirements for using financial aid. 

 

Sample Classes Available: 

Japanese Language 

Japanese Seminar 

Japanese Studies 

Japanese I 

Writing for Communication 

History of Fine and Decorative Visual Arts 

Japanese II 

Elementary Translation 

Traditional Japanese Dance 

Japanese III 

Introduction to Business Japanese

Japanese Cinema

Japanese IV 

Readings in Japanese Literature

Japanese Religions

Japanese V 

Oral Interpretation

Japanese Foreign Policy

Website for Course Availability

ISEP STUDENT SERVICES OFFICER Molly Fox 571-319-4016 | mfox@isep.org Thank you for your interest in ISEP Study Abroad! I’m your Student Services Officer and main point of contact here at ISEP. As you search for programs, I’ll be available to answer any questions you might have. Feel free to contact me at any point in your search process for help, tips or advice.

Academics

Undergraduate
(in Japanese)

*This program is OK for Sophomores

Fields of Study

  • Area Studies

    Japanese Studies

  • Foreign Languages and Literatures

    Japanese Language and Literature

  • Language and Culture Recommended!

Academic Requirements

  • U.S. GPA: 3 or higher

Special Application Instructions

Students who at least have a basic understanding of hiragana and katakana and/or have taken at least a semester of Japanese at their home institution are highly encouraged to apply. However, Nanzan University does not require any proof of Japanese language proficiency to apply and allows students of all proficiency levels in Japanese to attend the program. If you have any questions regarding Nanzan University’s language expectations, please reach out to your ISEP Student Services Officer.

This application requires additional documents to be uploaded within the ISEP application. In addition, students must submit an internal application on Nanzan University's website by 11:59PM Japanese Standard Time on the following dates:

Spring/Calendar Year: September 12, 2025
Fall/Academic Year: March 20, 2026

ISEP students must include the following documents. Click here for an explanation of each document and a link to the application website. We recommend you start collecting some of the documents as early as you can.

Official Transcript

Passport

Photo for Student ID/Certificate of Eligibility

Official Bank Statement

Casual Photo

Students must also request a faculty reference (preferably a current or previous Japanese language instructor) to submit a Nanzan recommendation form. Your faculty member must email the recommendation form to cjs-forms@ic.nanzan-u.ac.jp by the above deadline as well.

Students who do not submit Nanzan University’s internal application and additional documents on time cannot be formally admitted into the program.

Be sure that the housing you select on Nanzan's internal application matches the housing on your ISEP application.

Japanese National Health Insurance is required of all residents of Japan in addition to ISEP's health insurance. Nanzan University requires students also purchase accident insurance upon arrival.

Other Academic Conditions

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale or the equivalent at their home institution.

PASSPORT: All students must have a valid passport to participate in this program. If you do not have a valid passport, we suggest you start the application process as soon as possible.

VISA/RESIDENCE PERMIT: Most students attending this program will be required to obtain a visa/residence permit. For more information on the process and estimated cost, please review the ISEP Country Handbook here.

Semester & Prices (based on your filters)

Select a semester to calculate the price. Semesters are named according to host university's calendar.


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