iuc-programs-summer

OUR PROGRAMS

Explore IUC’s portfolio of programs for gaining fluency in Japanese, including the flagship 10-month course, summer and kanbun programs, and professional coursework specializing in law, history, journalism, anthropology, Japan studies, and more.

SUMMER PROGRAM

Photo of students in IUC Kanbun program and sunflower

IUC's Summer Program runs for 7 weeks, from mid-June to early August. Morning classes are held from 10:00 to 11:50, five days a week. Afternoon classes are held from 12:50 to 2:40, four days a week. Additionally, there are five afternoon field trips, each equivalent to three class hours. In total, the program includes approximately 140 contact hours.

The morning sessions are dedicated to advanced spoken Japanese, aiming to help students express their thoughts and opinions naturally, correctly, and appropriately. Various materials are used, including written and computer-based texts, video documentaries, and films.

In the afternoons, the focus shifts to conversation, field-trips, and vocabulary building, including kanji. Several times a week, students engage in one-hour conversation classes centered around different topics. These sessions are designed to enhance fluency through free discussions, with teachers moderating, encouraging participation, and introducing suitable expressions. The vocabulary class reviews the kanji and vocabulary introduced during the week, reinforcing student learning.

This intensive program requires a full-time commitment to language study, and students should be prepared to immerse themselves fully in the learning process.

ELIGIBILITY

The IUC Summer Program is designed for individuals seeking to achieve professional-level proficiency in Japanese, including students planning to specialize in fields such as law and business, as well as those currently employed in work related to Japan. We aim to address the needs of those who wish to enhance their overall language skills through active engagement with fellow students in class.

To qualify for admission, applicants must have both completed two to three years of college-level Japanese instruction and demonstrate a clear intent to pursue a professional or academic career requiring the use of Japanese.

Successful applicants are expected to have:

a solid foundation in the fundamental structures of Japanese;
mastery of both kana syllabaries;
the ability to read and write approximately 500–700 kanji.

Applicants must submit their applications by the specified deadline to be considered for admission.

Admissions are made without regard to race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

APPLICATION DETAILS

2025 Summer Program

How to Apply
The 2025 application period will open November 1, 2025. [AK TO CONFIRM:] The application deadline is 11:59 PM EST on February 28, 2024.

Application Fee
The application fee is $100.

Applicants who have also applied to the 10-month program will be exempt from the summer fee.

Interfolio
Applications will only be accepted via our Interfolio.com online application portal.

A full IUC summer program application consists of the items listed below. Documents 1 and 2 must be downloaded from the IUC website, and 5 (application fee) must be paid through IUC’s secure online payment portal on Stripe.

1. Degree Background Form (PDF)

2. One confidential language evaluation submitted by your language instructor in English or Japanese. English (PDF) Japanese (PDF)

3. Statement of Purpose

4. Transcripts

Multiple transcripts must be combined into a single PDF document prior to uploading to Interfolio.

5. Application fee receipt

For detailed application instructions, please click on the button below

APPLY

TUITION

2025
Tuition for the 2025 Summer Program is USD 5,200. Successful applicants currently enrolled in a degree-granting program at or who graduated from an IUC consortium member institution* during the 2024–25 academic year will receive a guaranteed scholarship of USD 600..

Payments
Tuition fees are collected through our administrative office at Stanford University. All fees must be paid in US dollars. Payments are processed through the administrative office at Stanford University. Upon registration, a tuition statement will be issued in May. Payment should be completed in full upon receipt of the statement.

We strongly prefer electronic payments. Payments must be made via IUC's secure online payment portal. We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express cards, as well as ACH bank transfers, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. There are no additional surcharges or processing fees.

If you are making payments through your university (e.g., FLAS, departmental scholarship, etc.), or if you have any questions regarding alternative payment methods, please contact the IUC Stanford Administrative Office at iucjapan@stanford.edu.

Please Note
The IUC retains the right to cancel or modify the program at any time, for reasons that may include, but are not limited to, natural disasters, emergencies, or health and safety considerations. Program modifications shall not alter the student’s obligation to pay tuition.

* Members of the IUC consortium:

Brigham Young University
Columbia University
Harvard University
Princeton University
Stanford University
University of British Columbia
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Los Angeles
University of Chicago
University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
University of Michigan
University of Washington
Yale University

ACADEMIC CALENDAR

2024 Summer Program Calendar

June 20, 2024–August 7, 2024
National Holidays: July 15 海の日

June 20–21: Orientation and Placement Exam
June 24: Instruction begins
August 7: End of program

SAMPLE BUDGET

Summer Program Estimates (2024)

Tuition
USD 5,200

Successful applicants who are officially enrolled in a degree-granting program at a consortium member institution during the 2024-25 academic year receive a guaranteed USD 600 tuition scholarship.

Application Fee
USD 100 non-refundable application fee

Airfare
Cost will vary depending on the student’s selection.

Short Term International Health Coverage or continuation of Present Health Coverage Plan (mandatory)
Cost varies by individual and choice of plan

Textbooks
Included in tuition. If purchasing books for own use, then please budget accordingly.

Field Trip Transportation Costs
Approximately JPY 10,000

Rent

JPY 250,000 – JPY 330,000 total (for 7 weeks) for fully furnished business apartment
JPY 120,000 – JPY 180,000 total (for 7 weeks) for a room in a boarding style house
Minimum JPY 5,000 per day for a single hotel room

Local Transportation – within Yokohama area
JPY 20,000 – JPY 35,000 total (for 7 weeks)

Food
At least JPY 80,000 – JPY 100,000 total (for 7 weeks)

Cell Phone Rental (mandatory)

JPY 14,000 – JPY 23,000 (for 7 weeks) plus talk charge for feature phone rental
JPY 27,000 – JPY 35,000 (for 7 weeks) plus talk and data charge for smartphone rental
Cost varies by provider and choice of plan
Approximately JPY 103,000 – JPY 205,000 (for 7 weeks) plus talk and data charge for prepaid SIM card
Using your own unlocked smartphone

Portable Wi-Fi Router Rental
JPY 13,000 – JPY 30,000 (for 7 weeks)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

General Information

When do I apply for the IUC Summer Program?
The Summer Program application is due February 2024.

I can’t decide between the Summer Program and your Professional Tutorials.
If you want to practice conversation on general or somewhat academic topics, we strongly recommend the Summer Program. [PENDING REVIEW]: If you already know what kind of Japanese you need for a research project, or if you want to focus completely on academic topics, then we recommend the Professional Tutorials.

Is it possible to leave the program before it is over, i.e., go home a week early?
No; the final examination and final presentation take place the last week and if you miss them we are unable to issue a completion certificate.

Scholarships

Do you offer any scholarships for the Summer Program?
Successful applicants who are officially enrolled in a degree-granting program at an IUC member institution during the 2024–25 academic year receive a guaranteed USD 600 tuition scholarship. No other scholarships or financial assistance are offered by the IUC for the Summer Program at this time. Questions concerning the applicability of outside sources of funding (FLAS, fellowships, etc.) should be directed to the funding agency.

Housing

How can I find a place to stay?
Housing arrangements are the personal responsibility of each student. Information about how to locate and reserve housing, including a list of recommended accommodations, is provided to all successful applicants in mid-April.

Visa

Do I need a visa to participate in the IUC Summer Program?
If you are a citizen of country or region that has a “Reciprocal Visa Exemption Arrangement with Japan,” no visa is required.

If you are a citizen of another country or region, you must apply for a short-term visa to enter Japan.
https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/index.html

Application

I am having difficulty downloading the application documents.
Please contact us at iucjapan@stanford.edu for assistance.

Who should I ask to write the evaluation?
Please ask someone, preferably a Japanese language teacher, who can assess your current Japanese ability. If you don’t have anyone who can fill out the form, contact us at summer@iucjapan.org.

Can I use a certificate of results and scores from the Japanese Language Proficiency Test instead?
No, but if you have one and wish to submit it, please combine the certificate with your transcripts into a single PDF file and upload the result.

How do I submit the Language Evaluation Form?
Your evaluator must upload the completed Language Evaluation Form directly to our Interfolio online application portal. Based on the contact information you provide, Interfolio will send the evaluator an e-mail message with instructions for how to submit the form. The evaluator will need to (1) obtain the form, either from you or by downloading it from our website; (2) complete the form; and (3) upload it to Interfolio. English and Japanese PDFs of the evaluation form are available on our website. Please e-mail one or the other to the evaluator or provide them with the URL.

Can I upload the evaluation form on behalf of my language instructor?
No. This will need to be submitted confidentailly to Interfolio by your evaluator.

I’ve also applied for the 10-month program. Do I have to fill out all of the summer applications materials, too?
Yes. The application materials and selection process for the two programs are different, so you need to fill out application documents for each. That said, if you are admitted to the program with a borderline/low proficiency exam score, you may still be admitted into the summer program at the recommendation of the selection committee.

If I apply for both the regular 10-month program and the Summer Program, do I need to pay an application fee for both?
No. If you have paid the application fee for the regular program, the Summer Program application fee is waived.

Do I need to take a test or an interview for admission?
There is no test or interview when you apply, but we may ask to conduct a Skype interview with you during the selection process in order to assess your conversational ability.

Results of Selection

Please tell me why I was not accepted.
We cannot respond to such requests.

Please tell me how many people are in front of me on the waiting list.
We cannot provide information about your status on the waiting list. If it becomes possible to admit you because other students withdrew, we will inform you separately.

I was not admitted, but I have funding so please admit me.
In the interest of fairness, we cannot change the results of our selection.

Agreement of Attendance

Can I hold off submitting my Agreement of Attendance?
No. If you do not submit the Agreement of Attendance by the deadline, we will conclude that you have no intention of attending and will admit someone on the waiting list in your stead.

Will it be possible to get an extension until I find out if I’ve been admitted to the IUC 10-month program?
Yes. We understand that you may need to find out your admission status to our 10-month program before you can commit to attending our Summer Program.

Application Inquiries
Alice Kada
IUC Program Manager
akada@stanford.edu

Program Inquiries
Summer coordinator email: summer@iucjapan.org