Japan Program at Chiba (J-PAC)
J-PAC (Japan Program at Chiba) is offered to undergraduate students from academic institutions with which Chiba University has university-level student exchange agreements, and whose academic interest is in the area of Japanese culture and society.
J-PAC students will be exempted from the registration, admission and tuition fees at Chiba University.
※ Major at home university is not a requirement.
※ Graduate students cannot apply for J-PAC.
<Study period of J-PAC>
J-PAC students can study at Chiba University during the study periods listed below.
① From October to August
② From October to February (i.e. Fall semester)
③ From April to August (i.e. Spring semester)
※ In general, study period cannot be changed. Please decide it after a discussion with your
academic advisor and international office.
(a) Aims
J-PAC is a program designed to deepen understanding of the Japanese culture, and society while learning Japanese. It offers numerous liberal arts courses centered on Japan and emphasizes collaborative learning with Chiba University students and international students from diverse nations and regions in actual classes. While deepening students' knowledge of Japan, the program aims to cultivate new perspectives on their own cultures and societies, critical thinking and insight into global issues, and the ability to understand and resolve problems arising from similarities and differences in language and behavioral patterns.
(b) Characteristics
Students can choose subjects according to their interests and concerns. Courses are offered to attain the following five goals:
① to deepen understanding of Japanese culture and society;
② to participate in courses in the areas of Chiba University's greatest strengths;
③ to promote intercultural understanding through exchanges with Chiba University students;
④ to acquire sufficient proficiency in the Japanese language for daily life and university study.
⑤ to acquire the fundamental skill necessary to conduct to serious Japanese studies.
Participants can select from the offerings that match their interests and language proficiency, tailed to their individual goals. Another distinctive feature is the use of active learning in classes. Through various forms of group work, students collaborate and learn from each other, taking on the role of shaping the class themselves. While taking Japanese language courses at their own level, students can also enroll in foundational Japanese studies courses alongside Chiba University undergraduates.
(c) Application Conditions
Applicants must :
˙ be undergraduate students from academic institutions with which Chiba University has university-level student exchange agreement
˙ be at least second-year student at the time of application
˙ return to the home country (or the country where the home institution is) after the study period at Chiba University
˙ have studied Japanese language for at least 50 hours at the time of application.
˙ have either the following language proficiency at the time of application.
① Have sufficient English proficiency to take classes offered in English, equivalent to CEFR B2,
TOEFL iBT 72 or IELTS 5.5 or over.
② Have sufficient Japanese proficiency to take classes offered in Japanese. equivalent to
passing JLPT N2 or CEFR B2 or over.
(d) Completion of the course
To be granted a Certificate of Completion at this program, J-PAC students must have acquired at least ten credits in each semester (from October to February and from April to August) and have attended at least seven classes in each term.
Participants willing to concentrate on a specific area of Japanese studies and pursue their academic interests in the future can apply for a scholarship from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (MEXT). We accept several embassy-recommended students every year. Note that the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship (Nikkensei) only lasts for eleven months, from October to August of the following year.
