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Shizuoka University

Japan 2018/2019 Partner universities

Personal data
Mobility type:
study

Faculty at MU:
Faculty of Arts

Field of study:
Japanese language and culture

Level of study during period of placement:
Bachelor

Language used:
Japanese

Summer/winter school?:
no

Period of studies:
spring 2019

Period of placement (from-to):
2019-04-01 - 2019-09-30

Number of months:
6

Activities before my departure abroad
Where can information be found about courses taught at the foreign school?:
At website of university in confusing pdfs. When you have names of course you can look them up at http://syllabus.shizuoka.ac.jp/ext_syllabus/syllabusSearchDirect.do?nologin=on. Other way to find out is only once you actually arrive to school.

Which documents were needed for acceptance at the foreign university?:
Application for admission, Study plan, Application for Certificate eligibility, Certificate of Health, Application for accommodation, Recommendation letter from teacher, Bank deposit confirmation, Learning Agreement, Japanese visa. Several of those require photo (small passport sizes) attached.

How far ahead did you have to organise your acceptance?:
About 5 months ahead. But most of it was done 3-4 months ahead.

Did you need a visa?:
yes

Documents and materials needed for a visa:
Just passport a photo, documents can be filled in at embassy, need to fill in the information about current school and school in Japan so good to have all information with you.

Length of wait for visa:
Visa is given out for one year period.

Fee for the visa:
Actually feel like there was none in the end even though it should be like 3000 yen or something (maybe I just forgot I payed it).

Studies
Did you have a Learning Agreement signed before your departure?:
yes

If not, why not?:

Before your departure did you know how your courses would be recognised by your home faculty?:
I knew how it should be recognized, but I had kind of dummy courses selected of what I thought I'll be able to study.

During your stay did you change your Learning Agreement?:
Yes I did, because I only found out what I can actually take for courses on place and had to do changes.

When and how did course registration take place? Are there any restrictions? Possibilities of making changes?:
Registration took place within first week at university, basically had to plan out my schedule, go to classes I wanted to take and speak to teacher of those classes if it was ok to sign up for them. For japanese class there were taken test at start to know the level of students, but I never really knew results and were ok to just sign up for the classes with highest difficulty. Selected courses are written on paper (with teacher name and classroom+time) then after taken to students department they will sign them up for you in system.

Did you take any examinations at the foreign school?:
Yes I did do written tests, presentations, and wrote reports that counted towards my final marks.

Does the school use the ECTS system?:
- choose option -

If not then explain how the credits there were recalculated into ECTS:
Generally making credits amount double will equal to ECTS. But since subjects were recognized for different subjects of MU, sometimes it ended up 2 credits into 3 MU credits on one subject and sometime 2 credits in 6 MU credits on other subject.

Describe the teaching methods (theory, practical and projects) and assessment of students:
Not greatly different from here. Theoretical presentation style lectures, japanese classes were very interactive with several activities out of class scope. There were some homeworks and reports to write, also several classes require to write comment papers each lecture. No group projects done. Overall manageable.

Quality of teaching in comparison with home school:
I'd say quality was rather equal, sometimes content was bit lacking (more focus on different aspects that may be relevant in japanese society, but are not overall). Teachers on other hand were nearly all very good, many with great experience and backgrounds as well (for example multiple teachers on one class, each with some specialization in field).

How did you receive study materials?:
Sometimes they were handed out by teachers in paper form on classes, sometimes able to download them from school information system.

Can you recommend an interesting course/subject/teacher?:
If you end up on Hamamatsu campus, most interesting course of those I had was Information Control Society, learned lot from there in interesting lectures with great teacher.

How well is the school library equipped?:
Didn't have much time nor need to explore the contents of library, but it was pretty nice, lot of place for self study too.

Availability of computers, internet access, level of software needed, requirements on notebook:
There is eduroam network so internet is no issue. Could live out without laptop, but I did need my tablet (or phone works) in class with short online tests taken on beginnings of lectures.

Options from printing and copying:
Were not able to print and copy at designed places at school since actual student card was needed but I only had some temporary one. But I could use printer at my tutors laboratory. Also convenience store printing is option.

Does the foreign school/student organisation arrange special events for exchange students?:
yes

If yes then what?:
There was welcome event for exchange students and also event/fair with local companies.

How would you assess your integration with the local students (evaluation like in school from 1 to 5 with 1 as highest):
1

or describe in your own words:
As I was taking most of classes with other japanese students, I made way more friends with japanese then foreign students. Also big thanks is to joining the club and being in a way member of research laboratory.

Practical questions on your placement
Where did you live?:
I lived in somewhat apartment style university dormitory (Akebono ryo).

Cost of accommodation - monthly:
300 USD

Additional comments to the price of accommodation (as to what the price includes):
Price also includes all energy fees (electricity, water) and internet and final room cleaning fee.

Describe the equipment. Tips for future students – what should they bring with them?:
Room was pretty much without equipment, you had to buy everything yourself. Well there was obviously furniture, fridge, IH heater, AC. But for example no mattress and linens, no curtains, nothing to cook in... But everything can be bought either at 100yen stores, or for bigger things at Nitori home department store for rather cheap price, just got to plan ahead.

How and how far ahead should accommodation be organised?:
I signed up for accommodation 4 months in advance, right when I received email from university concerning it.

What are the catering options?:
There are cafeterias on campus and stores as well. All food is reasonably priced and overall very tasty.

What are the rough costs of groceries (compare with Czech prices):
About double overall, especially things like vegetables and fruits are quite expensive, cheese is like 5 times more expensive. Rest is not so bad, on other hand fish is much cheaper for example.

Transport to location of placement:
I used bus from Tokyo to Hamamatsu, which is probably cheapest way (3500).

Rough prices for transportation:
Transportation is way more expensive then in Czech, inside cities it's maybe just like 50% more expensive but going between cities is like 4x more expensive (and that excluding shinkansen), something like 1500yen for 100km would be guess of price average.

Tips for purchasing cheap tickets and other recommendations:
Can't really get cheaper tickets apart summer or spring holidays when special "seishun kippu" are being sold, those allow unlimited traveling within one day period per ticket going for ~2400 yen per ticket price (usually sold in pack of 5 tickets). They are limited to regular and rapid JR lines only.

What are the local transport options (public transport, cycling, on foot, rough prices):
All bus, cycle and walking are option.

What kind of formalities have to be arranged before arrival, for example residence permit?:
Not really before arrival, but since you get resident card on airport (thanks to your visa). You need to update it at city hall once you start living in the city with your current address. At same place you need to enter pension system too, but you are not forced to pay anything for it, just need to have it. Also you need to create your bank account, from where the money for accommodation are taken from. To create that you will first need to get inkan (personal stamp) made in order to sign things (you can get one cheap in specific rare vending machine which I found to be located in Don Quijote).

What health insurance did you use? (rough price, advantages, disadvantages, is it necessary to arrange insurance at the university other than your home (Czech) insurance?):
Too many of them. I had insurance from my czech bank whole time. On place I had to enter general citizen insurance, two of school insurances, that one for when something happens to me and another one for when I'd cause some damage. School insurances were really cheap and you got money back for one as well. General citizen insurance cost 2000 yen per month. There was also one more for if you wanted to drive in Japan, but I didn't need that.

Did you have any experience with medical treatment abroad?:
I only undergo initial health check examination and been to school nursery once after injuring myself, but it ended up needing no treatment just more time to heal itself.

Did you work during your studies?:
I did not work in Japan, but did some unrelated freelance job during my stay.

What are the conditions for working for MU students?:
You need some papers that allow you to work in Japan, but I didn't had those.

Tips for free-time activities:
Join school club, travel around, make friends to go out with.

Financial support and expenses
Total grant from Centre for International Cooperation:
120000 CZK

Monthly grant in CZK:
20000 CZK

Number of supported months:
6

Total number of months:
6

What other sources did you make use of to finance your placement?:
Personal savings.

If you received another grant, state which and how much in CZK:

 
Total fees associated with enrolment at the university:
0 CZK

a/ amount of enrolment fee:
0 CZK

b/ amount of tuition fees:
0 CZK

c/ amount of other fees (which):
0 CZK

 
What was your average monthly expenditure?:
25000 CZK

a/ of which for accommodation:
6500 CZK

b/ of which for catering:
7500 CZK

c/ travel and recreation:
11000 CZK

Any comments to the average monthly expenditure:
There would be more monthly expenses as mobile data or insurance.
Most of expenses were one time though, as for airplanes which end up costing about 40000 czk (since I had to cancel one flight in process too). Then some initial items for room, clothing, other shopping and events could be next 20000 czk. Don't have exact numbers for anything but overall in span of those 6 months I ended up spending about 230000 czk (would be possible to make it all with as low ~140000 likely).

Recognition of foreign studies at the home faculty
How many credits did you gain during your studies (in the system of the foreign school)?:
14

How many ECTS credits were recognised at MU?:
29

Did you know in advance which of your courses would be recognised by your home faculty?:
I did know which subjects should be recognized in advance, but was not sure if they all truly will be.

What problems did you have with recognition?:
Only that it took bit longer and system of MU in IS for adding subjects for recognition is really badly made, but even though I probably entered it not completely correct way it all gt recognized as it should be.

Overall assessment
Assessment of personal benefit (1 = excellent):
1

Assessment of academic benefit (1 = excellent):
2

Evaluate the information and support provided by the foreign school (1 = excellent):
2

Did you encounter any serious problems during your stay:
Serious problems, that is hard to define, but all the paperwork was kind of struggle. Also letters in mail were hard to understand what they are for and if you need to do anything with it. Worst part was definitely my first day coming to room in dormitory without equipment and place to sleep on (horrible night), so I went to go shopping on next day with my tutor.

What would you recommend to take with you:
Overall I ended up taking some of things I didn't really need to take with me that badly. But definitely is nice to take some czech snacks, beer or some presents you can give to best friends or those who are responsible for you. Next probably some medical stuff and cosmetics if you need that, there is huge load of brands in Japan but most of them are different from ours.

What most surprised you at the partner university in a positive way:
There is always time to eat lunch within daily schedule (was from ~11:45, which I found maybe a little bit early). School is open all days till late hours and that also during holidays (not national holidays). There is less workload then on Czech universities (but language difficulties can balance it out). Research laboratories (kenkyuushitsu) system is great thing I wish we had over in Czech. Nearly all of the students were using bicycles to get to and from school, I was just walking though. There was quite few places to sit down and relax between classes or to chat with friends.

What most surprised you at the partner university in a negative way:
Information system is quite bad, not much information there, pretty confusing. Lot of news, announcements and results are placed on notice boards around school, which you are supposed to check yourself (but overall as exchange student you don't really need those things). As not big fan of writing having more reports then tests was not so ideal for me. For most of part I got no feedback on the works I turned in. Getting final results took way too long, nearly month from end of exams period.

Further comments:
If you are interested in study of both Japanese and either informatics or engineering together, going to Hamamatsu campus of Shizuoka University is definitely huge recommendation. But I believe Shizuoka campus got to be pretty good as well. Also location is quite nice especially if you like both Tokyo and Kyoto regions and can't decide, this is nice middle way.