PROGRAM OVERVIEW
SJU has a direct exchange with Sophia University, our fellow Jesuit institution in Tokyo. Tokyo provides an amazing backdrop for a yearlong or spring semester study opportunity. Students from Saint Joseph's University are considered exchange students and will be eligible to enroll in the program of study in the Faculty of Comparative Culture and, on a space available basis, in other Sophia faculties for which they are linguistically and academically qualified.
The Faculty of Comparative Culture is distinguished from other universities in Japan and other faculties within Sophia by several notable characteristics. The student body as well as teaching staff is international in character. It includes graduates of ordinary Japanese high schools, foreign students who have been educated in high schools and universities overseas, Japanese students returning from abroad, exchange students from overseas, and dependents of foreign families resident in Japan. The aim is for all students to acquire a bilingual capacity in both English and Japanese.
ACADEMICS
All courses are offered at Sophia University's Ichigaya campus in central Tokyo. There is also the option of attending Sophia's Summer Session in Asian Studies, offered every summer.
SJU students are admitted to Sophia University as Visiting Students. Visiting students are admitted for a period of one semester or one year. Please keep in mind that a Visiting student is not being admitted to a program leading to a degree, diploma or any other award from Sophia. The normal course load for Visiting Students is five courses per semester.
All courses except language classes are conducted in English. At the same time, intensive training in the Japanese language is offered for students whose native language is not Japanese, and classes in reading and writing in Japanese provide special training for native speakers who have been educated abroad or in a non-Japanese speaking environment. Fields of study offered by the Department of Comparative Culture include:
Anthropology, Art History, Business, Economics, History, Japanese, Japanese Studies, Linguistics, Literature, Mathematics, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Religion, and Sociology. Course listings and descriptions can be found on Sophia University's website under the category “Exchange program.”
The academic calendar is quite different from that at SJU. For the Fall semester, students are expected to arrive in mid-September and stay through early February when exams end. The Spring semester begins at the end of March and continues to the end of July. Due to the academic calendar a full academic year or Spring semester study abroad are recommended. Please note that it is not possible to ask for early scheduling of exams to return home or to leave Sophia at the middle of the semester.
HOUSING
Because of a shortage of space and the high cost of land, housing remains a major problem for Japanese living in Tokyo. Students coming to study at Sophia need to be aware of the difficult housing situation and must be prepared for small quarters and a lack of privacy.
Sophia University offers three types of housing: 1) Live with a Japanese family, 2) Live in a dormitory, 3) Live in an apartment-type facility. For more details on each of these housing options at Sophia, please visit their website.
REQUIREMENTS
- Applicants must have an overall grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and receive the approval of St. Joseph 's for participation on the program.
- Prior Japanese language study is highly recommended
- Students must be in good academic and disciplinary standing
- Students should have junior or high sophomore status
PROGRAM COST
Students will pay the Saint Joseph 's university tuition fee plus a Continuing Registration fee of $100. Tuition rates are assessed to a student based on the student's primary matriculation at Saint Joseph 's University as determined by the academic policies of the University.
Students will pay Sophia University directly for housing. Meals are included in some of the housing options. If meals are not included with housing, students are expected to cover the cost of meals on their own.
Housing costs vary depending on option selected. A summary of the housing costs (and meals) can be found in Sophia University's Housing brochure, which is part of Sophia's general application.
To request a copy of the Financial Information Sheet which outlines additional estimated costs for this program, please send an email request to: cip@sju.edu
For more information on scholarships and financial aid for study abroad visit our scholarships page.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
In addition to the SJU Study Abroad application students will need to complete the application for Sophia University. The application for Sophia includes many forms/documents. Please stop by CIP to pick up the complete application and checklist for Sophia University. All forms should be completed and turned in to CIP by the deadline:
1. SJU Study Abroad Application
2. Sophia University Application (available in CIP) which includes the following:
- 5 photos and Photocopy of Passport
- Academic Purpose Essay
- Two Recommendations on Sophia's forms
- Housing form(s)
- Medical Certificate
- Application for Certificate of Eligibility
3. CIP will obtain a copy of your official transcript and forward it to Sophia University on your behalf ONLY after we receive your completed application materials and your application is approved by our office.
A passport and visa are required for this program. If you do not already have a passport, go to the following site to apply for one: http://travel.state.gov/passport/index.html
If you already have a passport check the validity dates. Your passport will need to be valid for 6 months after the END of your program. Details on how to apply for a visa will be provided to accepted students at a later date. You MUST have your passport before you can apply for a visa!