As an exchange student, you will choose one of the following exchange programs offered by Osaka University. Osaka University will accept exchange students in any field of study. However, some programs require Japanese language proficiency in order to take courses taught in Japanese. These requirements vary depending on the school at Osaka University and the specific exchange program, visit the specific program’s webpage for more information.
Class Standing/Enrollment Requirements: Students must be enrolled at the UO for at least once year (6 months for graduate students) at the time of application to Osaka University. This would be by March for Fall/Winter programs, and September for Spring programs.
Osaka University Short-term Student Exchange Program (OUSSEP): The OUSSEP program is primarily designed for students in their third year. You will take special academic lectures taught in English, which are referred to as International Exchange Subjects. Japanese students are also encouraged to enroll in these lectures, so as an OUSSEP student, you would be well-positioned to build relationships with local students.
Immersion Exchange Program Osaka (iExPO): The iExPO program allows students to enroll in regular classes taught in Japanese within one of the schools at Osaka University, which makes it an excellent choice if you are seeking to immerse yourself in Japanese culture and use your language skills to take content courses. This program requires a high level of Japanese language proficiency, with a Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) level of N1 or N2 required depending on the school at OU.
FrontierLab@OsakaU: The FrontierLab@OsakaU program is designed to place exchange students in laboratories in the Science, Engineering Science, Engineering, or Information Science and Technology schools at Osaka University. In addition to gaining valuable international research experience, you can also enroll in International Exchange Subjects (taught in English) and take Japanese language courses. There is both an English-based track and a Japanese-based track.
FrontierLab Prerequisites: Undergraduate students are required to have completed at least two years of study before participating in the program. Both undergraduate and graduate students in science, engineering and other relevant fields are required to have completed science and/or engineering foundation courses.
The Maple Program: The Maple Program was designed by Osaka University’s Center for Japanese Language and Culture, and it is an ideal choice if your goal is to increase your Japanese language proficiency and learn about Japanese culture and society. This program is only available for the full academic year and starts in September annually. The Maple Program is open to students with a low intermediate level in Japanese and up – applicants need to have a Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) level of N4 or equivalent. The program requires you to be in at least your third year of study.
A significant number of classes are offered in English at Osaka University. However, there are various enrollment restrictions that are managed by the department listed in the "Course Affiliation" section of each course. Osaka University requests that international exchange students look into enrolling in classes with restrictions after arriving in Japan.
The minimum credit load in the OUSSEP, iExPO, and FrontierLab@OsakaU program is 14 semester credits hours per semester. Students in the Maple program are expected to enroll in at least 30 credits over the academic year.
Students should work closely with their UO academic advisor before selecting courses at Osaka University. Each 1 credit at Osaka University = 1.5 UO quarter credits.
