A distinctive feature of Waseda University’s School of International Liberal Studies (SILS, established in 2004) is that unlike other faculties which focus their studies on one specific field of study, it has a unique curriculum that combines Waseda University’s long tradition in the field of education with a Liberal Arts education that focuses on developing logical thinking skills and the ability to see things from multiple perspectives, offering the opportunity to gain knowledge in a diverse range of fields in small-size classes.

In addition, SILS offers a campus environment in which students can become globally-minded through school life, since it accepts students with diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds from all around the world, and English is the common language of communication within the faculty. All students whose mother tongues are Japanese can also expand their international mindedness through the required one-year study abroad program.

Through the Liberal Arts education and interaction with students from around the world, SILS nurtures global citizens who have character, global competitiveness, and high ambitions and moral values to help find solutions to world issues. (Source: Waseda Univeristy homepage)

As the pioneer of international education, Sophia University Faculty of Liberal Arts (Previously the Faculty of International Affairs, established in 1949) has been providing a Liberal Arts education in English that fosters logical thinking skills and offers a wide range of knowledge for over half a century.

In a global society that is becoming more and more complicated, the Faculty of Liberal Arts aims to nurture people who are well-educated and have the capacity to contribute to global mutual understanding.

Since students from different cultural backgrounds (including those from Japanese schools, those who have experience receiving education in foreign countries, and exchange students) come to study at the Faculty of Liberal Arts, and students learn in English, FLA provides an environment in which students can seek mutual understanding that transcends differences in culture, history, and customs.

Basic education is offered from the first year, and from the second half of the sophomore year, students choose their major from three specialized fields (International Business and Economics, Social Studies, Comparative Culture). The Faculty of Liberal Arts nurtures global-minded people who have a high level of foreign language ability, second-to-none professional knowledge, the ability to reach out to people from different cultures, and the ability to contribute to international organizations and multinational businesses. (Source: Sophia University Website)

Established in 2004 as the first public university corporation, under President Mineo Nakajima, AIU produced a curriculum that places emphasis on international communication skills, and has frequently been commented on by the mass media, becoming a university that is rising in both popularity and the quality of students.

All lessons are conducted in English, and students are required to study abroad for one year. It is a very unique public university as Japanese students gather from all over Japan, exchange students come from all over the world, and 60% of professors come from foreign countries.

As a result of aiming to attract a wide range of talented students to the university, the admission policy was reformed to have 16 different admission options.

Also, the environment in which all students must live in the school dormitory for one year, and where students have access to the library and IT classrooms that are open 24 hours a day to help focus on study has been very popular with students and guardians.

We recommend AIU, which strives to “develop into a globally-recognized university that has no precedent in Japan”, to people who are serious about studying and want to lead a fulfilling student life.

Under the educational philosophy of “Freedom, Peace, Humanity”, “International Mutual Understanding”, and “the Future Shape of the Asia Pacific Region”, APU gathers a wide range of students from many countries and regions, provides opportunities for cross-lingual and cross-cultural exchange, welcomes diverse values, and has the mission of developing internationally-minded human resources capable of intercultural communication. Although it is located in Oita prefecture in Kyushu, a large number of students from TOFL Seminar in Tokyo decide to study at APU every year. 

APU provides an international environment where talented foreign students from over 90 countries and regions come to study, and the percentage of students who are exchange students is extremely high compared to all other universities in Japan. APU has ties with universities and research institutions from over 60 countries and regions, and participating in overseas language seminars during long vacations, as well as studying abroad at affiliated universities is extremely popular among the students.

GIS was established in 2008, based on the cross-faculty international education program, IGIS (Institute for Global and Interdisciplinary Studies), which was set up in 2006.  

It is a faculty which

1 has an interdisciplinary curriculum that promotes global-mindedness
2 provides quality instruction to small-size classes

3 offers subjects that can be studied progressively

4 nurtures international-minded professors with a high level of English proficiency

Since studying at GIS requires a high level of English ability, those who apply to Waseda University’s SILS and Sophia University’s FLA often also apply to GIS.

The Department of Global and Transcultural Studies was established inside of the Faculty of International Studies in 2011.

Distinctive features include:

1 an international learning environment where students from diverse cultures and nationalities study together
2 stimulating lessons in which students develop global perspectives, thought processes, and initiative
3 interactive, small-size classes all conducted in English

4 a double degree program that allows students to also gain a degree at an affiliated university

Like other international colleges, the Department of Global and Transcultural Studies aims to nurture human resources capable of making a contribution to the world.

ICU was established in 1953 as a liberal arts college in Japan. It consists of a single department: the College of Liberal Arts, and offers over 30 majors.

Students do not have to choose a major upon entering the university. After studying a broad range of subjects and the foundation-level subjects of each major, and discovering what field they are truly interested in, students will choose their major before the third year.

At ICU, where one of their missions is to foster internationality, students are required to have proficiency in both Japanese and English. For this reason, “the English for Liberal Arts Program” and “Japanese Language Programs" are mandatory courses.

After studying at the College of Liberal Arts for four years, gaining competence in both Japanese and English, and fulfilling the required number of credits, for those who submit a graduation thesis, a bachelor's degree (liberal arts) will be conferred.

In a world where sophistication, complication, and specialization are progressing, in order to solve unprecedented challenges, a solid foundation of basic knowledge, advanced investigative skills, the ability to deepen and integrate knowledge, and the initiative to tackle the world's problems are necessary.

By offering a Liberal Arts education, and opening the students'eyes to a world beyond academic study, ICU aims to nurture human resources capable of facing the challenges of the 21st century.
(Source: ICU homepage)