Please tell me about life in the dorms or on campus (Toilets, shower, kitchen, etc.).
Renmin University of China (RUC) dorms are 2 people per room, with shared showers, toilets, and laundry machines. On-campus facilities include grocery stores, cafes and restaurants. Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) provides different types of dorm rooms, including I-House which are 2 people per room with attached showers and toilets, and a shared kitchen. It has good security, with on-site managers and fingerprint door access.
What did you do for everyday meals while studying abroad? Did you have any problems?
RUC：There is a kitchen in the dormitory, but I usually ate outside. The school cafeteria was cheap, so I usually spent around 300 yen. I also used Waimai (Chinese Uber eats).
SKKU：Some people ate outside, some people cooked in the dorm. There’ s a Japanese restaurant nearby, which is comforting if you ever miss Japanese food.
SKKU：Some people ate outside, some people cooked in the dorm. There’ s a Japanese restaurant nearby, which is comforting if you ever miss Japanese food.
How much does it cost to study abroad?
Scholarships are provided (*Amount subject to change), so there’ s no need to worry about not having enough money for living costs. There were no problems even though I ate out every day. My actual expenses were pretty much just the cost of getting my passport and enrolling in travel insurance. The cost of enrolling in travel insurance can be very different depending on the plan.
Is the study abroad duration of one year the only option?
You can choose between half a year or one year. You can also choose to start with half a year and extend it to one year during your study abroad. In fact, several students have extended their stay from half to one year.
Please tell me what the lectures were like in each university.
All classes for study abroad students were conducted in English, similar to Nagoya University’ s G30 classes. Some classes involved a lot of presentations, some classes were two-way classes between teacher and student, so overall, classes tend to be more participation based compared to Japan.
Did you struggle with language when participating in extracurricular activities?
Some students struggled because club activities were conducted in Chinese or Korean, but you get used to it. Some people use English to help, and it’ s also a great motivator to improve your own proficiency in Chinese or Korean.
Can you live and study abroad even with beginner level Chinese or Korean?
There were indeed some students who had not taken Chinese or Korean as their second foreign language at Nagoya University, but because the host universities provide language courses, you improve and adjust. Specialized classes are taught in English, so even beginners of Chinese or Korean can still study abroad.
What is the system like for earning credits at the host universities and transferring them to Nagoya University?
The number of credits you can earn in one semester is limited in each university, but all credits earned during your study abroad can generally be transferred back to Nagoya University.
What kind of classes did you take other than the mandatory courses?
Some students who studied in RUC took classes on Intellectual Property Law and Labor Law, and some students who studied in SKKU took classes on Intergovernmental Relations and International Human Rights Law. There are various classes which are not offered in Nagoya University, and you are free to choose any.
Were there any impact on job hunting, employment exams, or grad school applications?
Most people were able to graduate in 4 years because of the credit transfer system and are not significantly impacted. Many internships happen after coming back to Japan, so there are no delays in the timing of starting job hunting. People have successfully applied to graduate school starting from the second half of their 3rd year. Many people have expressed that their study abroad experience helped with their job hunting process and are glad they participated.
What did you study in preparation for studying abroad?
Many students study English, especially their listening skills. People used various methods to increase their chances to use English.
How did you prepare for studying abroad?
Students took all the preparatory courses and made sure to earn enough credits at Nagoya University even if study abroad credits are transferable. Many also studied Chinese or Korean on their own and took the HSK or TOPIK exams.
Please give advices to potential students.
You should create a vocabulary notebook, or take a vocabulary book with you. You can never study English enough, and words used in class are especially important. It’ s also a good idea to learn things about Japan before you go in addition to learning about China or Korea.
