Osaka University
Osaka, Japan
Japan is one of UC San Diego's most popular study abroad destinations, so a study abroad program in Osaka University is a natural fit for our students! Often ranked among the top three public universities in Japan, Osaka's mission is to promote research and education to build a resilient and sustainable future society to empower “Life” and “Living.” As a study abroad destination, Osaka is a huge city filled with the delicious smells of sizzling street food packed in paper cones. Enjoy the Sunday morning fish market at Tajiri Port on weekends, walk to the beach, and take train trips to nearby Kyoto, Nara, and Kobe.
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Important Information for 2025-26
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Global Exchange Program applications open October 1 in
TritonsAbroad
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Please note that Global Exchange Programs have two applications: one for UC San Diego (TritonsAbroad) and the other for the partner university. After applying in Tritons Abroad, UC San Diego will review and approve your nomination and you will be provided instructions for submitting a second application to the partner university.
Visit the
How to Apply section for more information on the application process and the
Pre-Departure Requirements section for important steps and considerations leading up to your time abroad.
Osaka University offers four programs to UC San Diego students. There are general and program-specific eligibility requirements, so students must carefully select the appropriate program.
Eligibility:
- Academic Level: Undergraduate
- Academic Years: Junior and Senior
- Eligible Major(s): All Majors/ Campuswide Exchange
- GPA: 3.0 or Better
- Additional Program Requirements:
- OUSSEP: All Majors/ Campuswide Exchange. No language pre-requisite.
- Frontier Lab: Solid foundation of the science research lab's field of study. Strong preference for students who have completed upper division courses in their science major.
- iExPO: Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) N1 or N2 Japanese language (very advanced). All Majors/ Campuswide Exchange.
- Maple: JLPT N4 or higher. All Majors/ Campuswide Exchange.
Academic Calendar:
- Fall/ Winter Semester: late September to February
- Spring/ Summer Semester: April to August
Osaka University coordinates mandatory new student orientations each semester. Students studying abroad in Fall and for the academic year must arrive in late September and for Spring students must arrive in early April.
Program Types:
UC San Diego students are eligible for the following programs at Osaka:
- OUSSEP is a one or two semester study abroad experience in which students take liberal arts courses taught in English, take Japanese language courses, attend field trips, and have the optional opportunity to pursue internships or independent study.
- Frontier Lab is hands-on research in an Osaka University science lab. Osaka University matches applicants with labs based on field of study and the research proposal that students submit with their application for the exchange.
- iExPO is an advanced Japanese immersion program. Students enroll in major-related courses that are all taught in Japanese and will be with Japanese students.
- Maple is an intense, year-long (12 months) Japanese language and culture study program. Tours and cultural activities are included.
Please note courses at Osaka are typically worth 2-3 UC quarter units. If you would like to take coursework to fulfill specific degree requirements, you may need to petition two exchange courses in a given subject to count for one UC course.
OUSSEP
- Japanese language courses (beginner to intermediate) and liberal arts courses taught in English. There is an optional independent study or internship course (students are committed once opted in). Fourteen (14) credits per semester. Review the Course Catalog for available courses.
Frontier Lab
- Requirement: Conduct full-time research work under the academic supervision of a faculty member. Students rank their top 3 lab preferences when submitting the host institution application (after nomination). Fourteen (14) credits per semester. Must have a solid basis of the research lab's field of study.
- Lab Options: Review the lab options on pages 4 & 5 of the 2024 Application Guide for Students. Some labs are in English (no language pre-requisite), and some labs are in Japanese (JLPT N2 or higher is required).
Maple
- Requirement: Students take Japanese language and culture courses with project-based learning. Thirty (30) credits for the full year. Review the Course Information for details.
iExPO
- Requirement: Students take academic courses all taught in Japanese. Majority of coursework (10 out of 14 units) must be related to your major. Optional Japanese language courses. Fourteen (14) credits per semester. Available courses can be found on page 10 of the 2024 Application Guide for Students under the undergraduate fields of study.
Graduate-level courses are not available to exchange students.
Exchange students are typically housed at the
Global Village Tsukomodai. For a deeper immersion experience, Maple program participants are offered accommodation at
Global Village Minoh Semba. The cost is approximately 60,000 JPY/ month for Tsukomodai and 46,490 JPY/month for Minoh Semba. Students are welcome to arrange private accommodation independently; the average rent in Osaka is 35-60,000 JPY/ month. Students can apply for accommodation after being accepted into the exchange program and instructions will be provided by Osaka University. More information on accommodation can be found in the
2024 Application Guide for Students.
- Average cost of living (including study materials, public transportation and airfare, meals and incidentals): $80,000 JPY/ month. This does not include cost of housing. Please reference the prices in the "Housing and Dining" tab above for estimated cost of housing.
- Additional university/ fees costs to participate:
- College insurance (approx.12,000 JPY/semester, 16,000 JPY/year)
- National Health Insurance (2,000-3,000 JPY/month)
Osaka University offers a certain number of scholarships (JASSO / Osaka University) to incoming exchange students. The number of awards greatly varies by year and admission cycle depending on the available fund. There are no scholarships for which exchange students can apply after they arrive in Japan. Please note these scholarships are highly competitive. Information on how to apply for these scholarships per each cycle is included in the
2024 Application Guide for Students.
Non-Japanese students must obtain student visa at a Japan consulate on their own responsibility. Osaka University Support Office makes a proxy application for a Certificate of Eligibility (CESR, an immigration certification) for students who need a visa after admission offer. Students usually receive their CESR around early September for fall intake and mid-March for spring intake, therefore it is advisable students leave in mid-September for fall term and end-March/beginning of April for spring term, or book a flexible ticket. Student’s CESR document will be sent as PDF only via email.
The approximate time it takes to receive a student visa is one month. Students should visit the website of the Embassy of Japan in the United States or nearest consulate for up-to-date information.
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Students should buy travel insurance to cover travel to and from Japan. Upon arrival, students must purchase Japanese National Health Insurance and liability insurance. Students also have access to the
Osaka University Health and Counseling Center. for both physical and mental health needs.
- Buddy/ Mentor Program: Osaka organizes a Brothers and Sisters Program to promote friendly exchanges between Japanese and international students. The International Students Association also organizes various activities, welcome parties and sports festivals.
- Campus Life: Osaka University has a vibrant campus life scene, with multiple services available for domestic and exchange students.
- Recreation/ Sporting Activities and Clubs: There are more than 50 Sports Unions for students. Some clubs and sporting organizations will invite exchange students to participate.