Intrax Study Abroad: Semester in Japan

  Japan

• All Other Areas: 
Chiba,  Gifu,  Osaka,  Saitama,  Kanagawa,  Okinawa

Term: Fall, Spring 
Duration of Program: 3-6 months
Dates: Fall Semester (Sept - Jan); Spring Semester (April - June)

Description: Explore Japan!

Learn:

Students who choose a semester program in Japan will live with a host family and attend a local high school. Fall Semester students attend school September through January while Spring Semester students attend school April through June. There is a designated teacher in charge of all exchange students at each school. He or she places each student in a homeroom class and decides which subjects each student will take. In general, Japanese high schools do not offer many electives; students generally choose only between fine art, music, or calligraphy. Students stay in the same classroom all day and the teachers move from room to room. This allows exchange students to integrate quickly into the class community. The average class consists of about 40 students. Japanese high schools have three grade levels and placement is determined based on academic performance and Japanese language skills.

The Japanese school system is more rigorous than its American counterpart. Students may also find that school policies are more strict. Students are required to wear a uniform and there are rules that dictate what is acceptable in terms of appearance regarding: hairstyle, shoes, socks, length of skirt, and use of make-up or accessories.

While only one year of Japanese is required for the Fall Semester and Spring Semester programs and six months for the Summer Immersion programs, the more Japanese you know the faster you will be able to adjust to host family and school life. To ease your adjustment, it's important to try speaking Japanese as much as possible with your host family, friends and teachers.

Why learn Japanese? Japanese is spoken by over 125 million people in Japan alone!

Program Requirements:

* 1 year of Japanese language study required.
* 15-18 years old.
* Motivated students with a 2.5 GPA or higher on a 4 point scale.
* Mature, flexible, open-minded, and able to adapt to living with a host family.
* Eager for the academic challenge of studying in a foreign school.
* US Citizen/Resident- living in the US.

Highlights: On our semester high school program, you'll live with a host family, attend classes, enjoy school and community activities in the afternoon, explore Japan on weekends, and greatly improve your language skills.

Cost in US$: Please visit our website for program fees

Experience Required: yes

1 year of Japanese language study

This Program is open to American Participants.

Scholarships are Available. Intrax Study Abroad offers several High School scholarships with the support of our partners. We also encourage students to help pay for their Study Abroad program by fundraising a portion of their program fees. Youth Leader Scholarship: Awards of USD 200 to USD 1,000 are granted to high school study abroad applicants on the basis of academic merit, extracurricular involvement and financial need. Preference will be given to students who are involved in community service and have demonstrated their commitment to studying abroad by raising funds to help cover their high school study abroad program fees.

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Transcript
• Written Application

Post-Program Services Include:

• Exit Debriefing Abroad

Intrax Study Abroad's Mission Statement: Intrax Study Abroad is a premier youth exchange organization dedicated to international education and cultural exchange. Since 1980, as a part of Intrax Cultural Exchange, we've provided dynamic study abroad experiences for more than 40,000 students, enabling them to live and study all over the world for summer, semester and academic year programs.  Let us help you plan your Cultural Adventure!

Year Founded: 1980