Overview
Osaka University was established as a national university in 1931. Today the University is one of Japan's largest and most respected institutons for research and higher learning, maintaining an especially high reputation in the fields of medicine, science and engineering.
lthough officially founded in 1931 as Japan's 6th imperial university, you may be interested to learn that Osaka University's roots reach back to1838 and Tekijuku, a private "place of learning" founded by OGATA Koan.
With the spirit it has inherited, Osaka University established unique undergraduate schools, graduate schools, and research centers. Today, Osaka University has four campuses: Suita, Toyonaka, Minoh, and Nakanoshima. Furthermore, the university boasts 11 undergraduate schools, 16 graduate schools, and 29 centers and institutes for research.
Academics
Rice student may participate in 3 different types of exchange programs at Osaka University.
iExPO (Spring and Full Year)
iExPO students apply to a school of Osaka University to take courses in a specific major under the guidance of a faculty member. Undergraduate Special Auditor is for those who wish to take specialized modules in a degree program alongside Japanese students. Since the majority of degree courses are taught in Japanese, participants need to have a high level of general and academic Japanese language proficiency (Generally JLPT N1 or N2, requirements vary by school).
OUSSEP (Spring and Full Year)
The OUSSEP program has been designed for undergraduate students in their 3rd or 4th year from overseas partner universities across the globe. Participants are offered Japanese language classes and lecture courses taught in English called “International Exchange Subjects” or CIEE courses. These courses are also opened for degree-seeking students who are interested in attending English-taught classes; therefore, OUSSEP students will have a good chance to get to know other OU students in classes.
Link here to the OUSSEP web page for complete listings of courses and activities.
Maple (Full Year Only)
In the Maple Program is designed to enable students to study the Japanese language, culture and society in a comprehensive manner, while at the same time improving their Japanese language proficiency. It also provides international students with diverse opportunities for direct communication with Japanese students. For this program, a Level N4 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test or the same level of Japanese proficiency is required and students who are in the 3rd year or higher in an undergraduate school are accepted.
Student Life
Osaka University takes pride in its lively and colorful campus life. Students at Osaka University have an extremely wide choice of extracurricular activities both sports and culture-oriented. The "Osaka University Sports Union" includes 50+ sports groups. The "Osaka University Culture Union" was set up as an organization to unify, strengthen, and promote cultural activities and groups at Osaka University.
Housing
There are both on-campus and off-campus accommodations and both dormitory and flat. Osaka University guarantee booking of one of the university accommodation for incoming exchange students. Due to the limited availability of on-campus rooms, many of our exchange students are living in off-campus accommodations. Students will be prepared to commute to the campuses as the overwhelming majority of OU students do. Public transport service in the area is pretty efficient.
Location
Osaka is the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and the largest component of the Keihanshin Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Japan and among the largest in the world with over 19 million inhabitants. Situated at the mouth of the Yodo River on Osaka Bay, Osaka is the second largest city by the daytime population after Tokyo's 23 wards and the third largest city by the nighttime population after Tokyo's 23 special wards and Yokohama in Japan, serving as a major economic hub. (Wikipedia contributors. "Osaka." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 18 May. 2016. Web. 24 May. 2016.)
