The W offers an exchange program with Aichi Shukutoku University, which is located near Nagoya, Japan.  This exchange program allows W students to attend ASU, and ASU students to attend The W, for one or two semesters at the cost of their home institution’s tuition and at the cost of the host institution’s room and board. W students will take Japanese language and studies courses for a total of 12-14 hours.  No prior Japanese knowledge is necessary unless students enter ASU in the spring semester, when no beginning courses are offered.  Although no prior Japanese knowledge is  necessary, it is highly recommended that students be familiar with Japanese language and culture, i.e., 2 semester courses of the Japanese language would suffice.

To learn more about this program, click on the following site: Japan

If you are interested in this exchange program, please follow this recommended timetable:

1. Make an appointment with Professor Erinn Holloway, Coordinator of Study Abroad Programs, early in the semester prior to the semester in which you plan to attend the program. You should also consult with your academic advisor and your financial aid advisor about the academic and financial feasibility of the program. If the program seems like a good fit for your goals, submit the on-campus study abroad application. To qualify for the exchange program, you must be a full-time sophomore, junior, or senior with a minimum GPA of 2.75. Preference will be given to juniors and seniors with a 3.0 or higher. The study abroad scholarship committee will review the application and typically will select one student to attend ASU each academic year.

2. Once your on-campus application has been approved, get program materials from Professor Holloway and make an appointment with your academic advisor.  At that meeting, review course descriptions, and ask your advisor to fill out course transfer forms for the courses that you plan to take and to send those forms through the proper academic channels.

3. Make an appointment with your financial aid advisor if you plan to use federal financial aid.  At that meeting, review the cost breakdown, and ask your advisor to help you plan for an increased financial aid package. Also, make plans with your advisor for filling out federal financial aid forms for the next academic year because you may be out of the country when they are due. Finally, ask Professor Holloway about the availability of study abroad scholarships.

4. Fill out the ASU application in consultation with Professor Holloway.

5. At pre-registration for the semester in which you plan to attend, sign up for UN 390: Study Abroad for the appropriate number of hours.  This course will serve as a placeholder for you in computer for federal financial aid and enrollment purposes.

6. Finalize fees as you normally would do so.  

7. Before departure, you must sign a liability waiver.

8. If you make any changes to your schedule while in Japan, you must notify your advisor and Professor Holloway.  Unless you fill out a new course transfer form and it gets accepted, you may not receive proper transfer credit.

9. Upon returning, make sure that the Registrar’s Office has received a copy of your transcript and that you have received appropriate credit.  You will receive an S or a U for UN 390.