Last Update: 4th November 2022 JST

1. Application form

1-1 Expected Graduation

Q1-1-1. I will graduate during my study period at Sophia, can I still apply?
A. No.
Exchange students must be enrolled in their home universities until the end of their study abroad.
Please be advised that our Spring semester is from April to the end of July, and the grades for Spring semester will not be available until the middle of September. Our Autumn semester is from late September to the end of January, and the grades for Autumn semester will not be available until the middle of March.

1-2 List of courses you wish to take at Sophia

Q1-2-1. How do I choose courses?
A. First choose the Sophia University Faculty based on your preferred area of study.
Then refer to the Course List in it’s Bulletin.
You can search for details of each course by syllabus inquiry system.
You must choose courses mainly from the Faculty you are applying.

Please refer to the Course Information & Bulletin below.
Course Information & Bulletin

Q1-2-2. Can I take language courses?
A. No.
Language courses except Japanese are not offered for exchange students.

Q1-2-3. When will the latest course list be published?
How do I choose a course when I apply?
A. The updated course information will be finalized and published in March.
Basically, the syllabus is almost same every year, but the schedule of some courses might be different next year.
We can’t guarantee that all of the courses will be offered and there might be time conflict in the schedule.
We advise students to refer to the current course list at the time of application, and fix the courses during the course registration period after coming to Sophia.

Q1-2-4. Are there any courses that exchange students cannot take?
A. FLA core programs, FST laboratory classes, the foreign language courses (except Japanese language), seminar and Studies in Christian Humanism courses are NOT open to exchange students.

Please refer to the page below for more details.
Course Registration and Obligations at Sophia

Q1-2-5. Are there any rules for taking courses?
A. Exchange students must register and attend more than 10 hours of classes per week to keep student visa status.

1-3 Japanese Language Course

Q1-3-1. Are there any points to keep in mind when taking Intensive Japanese?
A. The Intensive Japanese is a very demanding course. We usually recommend students to take no more than two courses besides Intensive Japanese.

Q1-3-2. Which Japanese language courses should I choose for my application?
A. Regarding Japanese language course, unless you are a complete beginner who has never studied Japanese, you will have to take a Japanese placement test upon your arrival at Sophia.
You will be placed to the appropriate level following based on the results of the placement test.
In the meantime, please choose your expected level of the courses on the application form referring to the course syllabus.

Q1-3-3. How many credits may I take for one semester?
A. In the FLA program, students can only take up to 20 credits (one lecture course offers 4 credits).
In the GPGS program, students in their first semester at Sophia can only take up to 12 credits.

1-4 Reasonable Accommodation

Q1-4-1. Can I get Reasonable accommodation, and what procedures do I need to follow?

A. If you need Reasonable Accommodation for classroom during study abroad at Sophia as well, upload the following documents.
-An official letter from your home university explaining the adjustment offered at home university

-A medical certificate issued by a medical institution
*Must be within the first 3 months of acquisition
*Name of diagnosis, support and consideration necessary for study

-For Students with Developmental Disabilities; Psychological test results/data and findings
*Must be the most recent data
*Must be within the first 24 months of acquisition

The adjustment will be decided based on the documents and interview which will be held upon your arrival at Sophia.
Please kindly noted in advance that you may not receive the same reasonable accommodations as your home institution.


If you apply for our exchange student supporter program, your supporter can guide you around the campus in the beginning of the semester before classes starts. Also, you have enough time to explore our campus for about 10 days after the orientation.

Q1-4-2. Are there any policies for the Support for Students with Special Needs?
A. Please refer to the following web page
Support for Students with Special Needs

2. Letter of academic recommendation

Q2-1. May I ask a teacher from another university to write a letter of recommendation?
A. No.
We require applicants to submit the letter from faculty member of their home institutions.

Q2-2. Can I ask a teacher who have not taught me in their class to write a letter of recommendation?
A. No.
The letter must be from a professor who has taught the applicant an academic course at your home institution.
We cannot accept the recommendation letter because if the teacher describes that they has not taught you in a class.

Q2-3. May I ask a tutor (such as “Graduate Instructor”) to write a letter of recommendation?
A. No.
This letter must be written by professor, assistant professor or lecturer.
We do not accept a letter written by a graduate student.

Q2-4. What points should the letter of recommendation cover?
A. The letter is required to be stated the following comments to recommend you.
1 How long have you known the applicant? In what capacity have you known him/her?
2 Course Title and Course Code which you have taught.
3 As far as you know, what is the applicant’s purpose in coming to Sophia?
4 Judging from your intelligence, steadiness, and social adaptability, how do you assess your chance of fulfilling such purpose?
5 Any other information or remarks.

3. Official academic transcript(s)

Q3-1. Can I submit transcripts from previous semesters?
A. We require applicants to submit the most recent transcript.

Applicants for spring semester entrance: submit transcript including grades of previous spring semester.
Applicants for autumn semester entrance: submit transcript including grades of previous autumn semester.

Also, please submit the List of courses currently enrolled if the courses are not listed on the transcript. Please send us the information about what courses you are taking in this semester. The course title sent by text is fine for us.

Q3-2. I have no grades because I was on a leave of absence, what should I do?
A. If your transcript doesn’t include the grades for certain semesters, please let me know the reason for your leave of absence.

Q3-3. Can I submit a transcript written in a language other than English?
A. In case your transcript is not written in English, we would like to ask you to provide us with an English version or translation.
Documents in a language other than English or Japanese have to be translated into English or Japanese and certified by the home institution.

Q3-4. I am a transfer student and have no grades. What should I do?
A. Applicants must have completed at least one semester at their home institutions by the time of applying.
We are sorry that we will not be able to consider an application of students unless they have an official academic transcript showing courses taken and grades received from one of the partner institutions at the time of application period.
We cannot accept the transcript showing courses taken and grades received only from your previous home institution.
We need to know your grades of at least one semester taken at the current home university.

4. List of courses currently enrolled (if not listed on the transcript)

N/A

5. TOEFL / IELTS(Academic) / TOEIC / Cambridge English* official test report

N/A

6. JLPT official test report

Q6-1. I will take Japanese Language Program and apply for FLA to take a couple of English-taught courses.
Do I have to take JLPT?
A. No. As far as you do not take Japanese-taught courses, except Japanese Language Program, you do not need JLPT score.
You will be placed to the appropriate level following based on the results of the placement test.

7. Certificate of health

Q7-2. Can I get reasonable accommodation, and what procedures do I need to follow?
A. If you need Reasonable Accommodation for classroom during study abroad at Sophia as well, upload the following documents.
-An official letter from your home university explaining the adjustment offered at home university

-A medical certificate issued by a medical institution
*Must be within the first 3 months of acquisition
*Name of diagnosis, support and consideration necessary for study

-For Students with Developmental Disabilities; Psychological test results/data and findings
*Must be the most recent data
*Must be within the first 24 months of acquisition

The adjustment will be decided based on the documents and interview which will be held upon your arrival at Sophia.
Please kindly noted in advance that you may not receive the same reasonable accommodations as your home institution.

If you apply for our exchange student supporter program, your supporter can guide you around the campus in the beginning of the semester before classes starts. Also, you have enough time to explore our campus for about 10 days after the orientation.

Q7-3. Are there any policies for the Support for Students with Special Needs?
A. Please refer to the following web page;
Support for Students with Special Needs

8. Digital color photo

N/A

9. Photo copy of passport

Q9-1. My passport is expiring (has expired), what should I do?
A. Please complete your application with your current passport.
Please renew your passport and send a copy of renewed passport via email as soon as possible.

Q9-2. Which pages of my passport should I submit?
A. We need a copy of the entire passport photo page, but the information that should be printed at the bottom of the page is missing on your passport copy. Please do not submit any other pages, such as the cover page.

10. Essay explaining motivation and academic background for GPGS courses

N/A

11. Application for Certificate of Eligibility (CoE)

Q11-1. How much should I enter in the column “Method of support to pay for expenses while in Japan” to make the total?
A. Please make the amount 150,000 JPY per month in TOTAL.

12. Housing Application

Q12-1. What are the procedures for housing placement?
A. Please refer to the following page (Housing Arrangement Procedures and Policies);
Sophia University will send housing notice to students in mid January (for Spring semester) / mid June (for Autumn semester).
Living Expenses/Statistics/Housing Arrangement Policies

Q12-2. Can I change my dormitory preference?
A. If you haven’t received the housing notice, yes you can. Please tell us to unlock your Housing form.

No cancellations can be made after you accept our “Housing Notice”.

80. Graduate Students

Q80-1. Can graduate students apply for undergraduate program?
A. Yes.
You can apply for Undergraduate program, but please be noted that it means you cannot take courses from the Graduate Program.

Q80-2. I have completed my undergraduate degree and will be entering graduate school. Can I apply for graduate school?
A. You can apply to the Graduate program, but you are required to submit Certificate of expected graduation of Bachelor’s program and expected enrollment in Master’s program.
You must submit official documents which certify that you will complete undergraduate level study before coming to Sophia.
Also, please send us the Certificate of expected enrollment in Master’s program issued by your home university.

Q80-3. Are there any documents required when applying to graduate program?
A. All students who apply for Graduate level program must submit Diploma of Bachelor or official documents which certify that the student has completed undergraduate level study.
A transcript of bachelor’s program is also acceptable for us.

Q80-4. I have entered graduate school but have not yet received my transcript.What should I do?
A. You are required to submit a certificate of enrollment in the Master’s level program at your home university.
A transcript issued by the master’s program is fine for us, but if your transcript has not been issued yet, we request you to submit a certificate of enrollment instead of a transcript.

Inquiries about the
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Department Name
Center for Global Education and Discovery
Location
Bldg.2, 1F