Getting Started in Japan – Spring 2026
This page explains instructions for exchange students in JYPE, IPLA, DEEP, and COLABS for the period after their arrival in Japan and the first few weeks on campus.
(Last updated: March 9, 2026)
- Moving Into Dorm
- Orientation
- Ward Office
- Bank Account
- Insurance
- Tohokudai ID
- Map & Directions
- Useful Websites
Moving Into the Dormitory
You can move into the dormitory on the date and time that you have requested on the Arrival Information Form. Upon arrival at the dormitory, you must attend a 30-minute registration meeting first. After that, you will be allowed to enter your room. In the unlikely event that you cannot arrive at the dormitory at the scheduled time due to flight delays, etc., you should contact the Student Exchange Division from here. Please note that the available time to move in is between 9:00 and 16:00 on weekdays. If you wish to send your luggage from the airport to the dormitory, please specify that it should arrive on or after the day you move in. Make sure to include the following information on a delivery slip: full name, program name, dormitory address, and room number.
Note that available dates for moving into the dorms are as follows: March 26, 27, 30, 31, and April 1.
Moving in Procedures and Access to Dormitories
Be sure to read the following information about your dormitory, including bedding rental service and internet application, before your arrival.
You can find an application form and more details at the following "Moving into" links.
In particular, those who will be moving into a dormitory in the Sanjo area and wish to rent bedding must apply at least seven weekdays before your move-in date.
Please contact the Student Exchange Section (studyab@grp.tohoku.ac.jp) by email if you have any questions regarding bedding rental applications.
Location map and access to dormitories are available here.
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- Moving into International House Sanjo1 2026.4
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- Moving into International House Sanjo2 2026.4
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- Moving into University House Sanjo 2026.4
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UH Sanjo A: A hair dryer is available in the shared space.
UH Sanjo B: A hair dryer is provided in the bathroom of your room.
Other dorms: There is no hair dryer, so you must bring your own.
Reminders:
- Must read: Important Note
- No parking space is available for exchange students.
- Bringing electric home appliances or furniture into your room is restricted (except for PCs and hair dryers).
If you have any questions about dormitories, please contact to Life Support Section, Student Services Division, Tohoku University.
Contact email address : ihome@grp.tohoku.ac.jp
Revision of Fees for the University House and the International House
Applicable to residents moving in from April 2026
First Payment of Dormitory Fees
The first payment for the dormitory will be for April and May, plus the deposit. It depends on the dormitories, but you will be asked to pay approximately 70,000 to 100,000 yen in cash via bank transfer at a bank ATM shortly after moving in. Please be prepared for that. Students living in the UH Aobayama can pay by credit card alternatively. If you have any questions about dorm fees, please ask the management office of your dormitory.
Orientations
Before the semester begins, an orientation will be held for each program to explain the curriculum, course registration, etc. Make sure you know the date, time, and location of your program's orientation. Attendance at the orientation is mandatory. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you move into the dorm by by April 1st.
A common orientation for all programs' participants (IPLA, COLABS, JYPE, and DEEP) will be held at 11:00 a.m on April 2nd. After that, orientation will be held separately for each program.
| Program | Date&Time | Place | Material | Things to Bring | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All programs（IPLA,COLABS,JYPE,and DEEP） |
Tuesday, April 2, 2026 11:00-11:40 |
A200,Lecture Rooms A (A02), Kawauchi Campus(A02): Map | - | - | |
| IPLA |
14:00-15:00 |
A200,Lecture Rooms A (A02), Kawauchi Campus(A02): Map |
- |
【Activity Fee】 10,000yen in cash |
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| COLABS |
13:00-13:50 |
A101,Lecture Rooms A (A02), Kawauchi Campus(A02): Map |
- |
-
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| JYPE |
14:30-15:30 |
A106,Lecture Rooms A (A02), Kawauchi Campus(A02): Map |
- |
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| DEEP |
16:00-16:30 |
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| JASSO Scholarship
Guidance (Mandatory for all recipients) |
※Must be watched by the date of your first scholarship receipt. Guidance Video(TBA) |
Not specified; watch the online video |
Google Classroom ※Accessible from April 1st, 2026. Please wait for the invitation email. |
Google Classroom |
none |
| Japanese Class Orientation for JYPE/COLABS Students |
There will be no face-to-face orientation. |
Not specified; watch the online video and read the guide carefully |
- |
- |
none |
| Orientation for International Students
(Mandatory for all students) |
Available for watching anytime online | Not specified; watch the videos by April 4th |
Fill out the Orientation Videos Access Form to get a password and a link to view videos
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- |
none |
Course Information for Spring 2026 Semester
Course information for Spring 2026will be finalized and will be available in late March. For your reference, please refer to the course information for the past Spring semester offered in the previous year. Note that the courses offered for Spring 2026 may differ from the courses offered last year.
2026 Spring Welcome Week - Optional -
The Welcome Week offers new international students workshops that provide important information on daily life in Sendai, campus tour, and opportunities to make new friends. Please visit the link below for details.
Application deadline: March 29, 2026
Please note that participation in the Program Orientation on April 2 is a priority.
Applying for TU Support Services
The International Support Center provides various other support services such as getting a cell phone contract and buying a sim card. If you wish to apply for these additional services, please refer to the "Support Services" below and apply through the Support Services. Details of what kind of additional support services are offered are mentioned on the website below.
"Support Services" is an online application system where you can apply for additional support services. You will receive an email from the International Support Center inviting you to My Page of "Support Services" in March. Follow the instructions in the email and set up your password to log in to your My Page. Please note that you do not need to fill out the application form mentioned in Step 2 here; For exchange students, your step starts with "Step 3: Receive My Page Login Details." All exchange students will receive the email of My Page login details and they should set up a password. You are asked to log in and check when you receive a message from the system. Make sure to read the instructions available on your My Page as well.
First Meeting with Academic Advisor - For JYPE, COLABS, and DEEP
JYPE, COLABS, and DEEP students will have a first meeting with their academic advisor to get to know each other and discuss their study plans. For details, please refer to Instructions.
Residence Procedures - VERY IMPORTANT -
Once you arrive in Sendai, there are mainly three things to get done before the semester starts. They are 1) Resident Registration at the Ward Office, 2) Opening a Bank Account with Japan Post Bank, and 3) Paying the Student Insurance. These procedures are complicated and they must be done in the exact order described below. The university will help you with these procedures. Please read carefully and follow the instructions.
STEP 1: Resident Registration at the Ward Office (Ward Office Special Venue, AER Building 5th Floor）
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Task |
You will do three things at the Ward Office Special Venue, on the 5th Floor AER Building: 1) Resident registration, 2) Join Japan's National Health Insurance and receive your insurance card, and 3) Enroll in Japan's National Pension Plan and apply for the exemption. These processes will take about 2-3 hours in total to complete. The university staff will help you with the paperwork at the venue. |
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Date and Time |
The Ward Office Special Venue is available on the following dates: Dates: March 31, April 1,3,6, and 7. ※Spring semester will begin on April 8.
Time : 9:00 am - 5:00 pm (Last entry 4:00 pm)
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How to Book |
To schedule a date and time for the procedure the Ward Office Special Venue, you have to log in to the dedicated website and apply for the service. Follow the instructions to make an advance reservation via the online form.(TBA) You will receive a confirmation email with a link to access your ”My Page”. |
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Meeting Place |
Ward Office Special Venue (Google map), on the 5th Floor, AER Building（Available only March 31, April 1,3,6, 7,8 and 9 ） ※Since the Spring semester will begin on April 8, we recommend that you visit the Ward Office Special Venue between March 31 and April 7 (weekdays). Address: 1-3-1 Chuo, Aoba ward, Sendai city 980-0021 【How to get the Ward Office Special Venue】 For those living in UH Aobayama, it's best to take the subway and get off at Sendai station. For those living in Sanjo dormitories, you can take the local bus bounds for Sendai station or via Sendai station and get off at Sendai station. From Sendai station to the venue, it takes about 3 minutes on foot.
（before March 31st and after April 9th）Aoba Ward Office (Google map) Address: 1-5-1 Kamisugi, Aoba ward, Sendai city 980-8701 【How to get there】 For those living in UH Aobayama, it's best to take the subway and get off at Aoba-Dori Ichibancho station. From there, it takes about 20 minutes on foot. For those living in Sanjo dormitories, it is not very convenient, but you can either take the local bus, walk the whole way for 35 minutes, or take a taxi and share a ride with your friends. |
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Things to Bring |
Reservation confirmation email（To show it desplyed on your smartphone or tablet.), residence card*, passport, dormitory residence permit in PDF or a hard copy, social security number (US citizens and US green card holders only) |
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Notes |
-Note that there is a limit to the number of people who can make reservations at the same time, we recommend that you reserve your desired time slot as soon as possible. Also, please come to the ward office special venue on time for your appointment. If you are late for your appointment, you may have to wait a long time, or may not be able to complete the procedure on the same day.
-When scheduling ward office procedures on the same day as your move-in to your dorm, please make reservation at the ward office with enough time to make sure you can finish by the latest move-in time to the dorm (16:00).
-Special auditing students and Special Research Students (IPLA, JYPA, DEEP, and COLABS) are exempt from paying the pension. If asked about your student status, please respond that you are a "non-degree/non-regular student". Note that there is no document that you need to submit to the university regarding your pension. If you are given any such document, please inform the ward office staff that you are a non-degree/non-regular student and return it.
-Please wait at the venue while the procedure is in progress.
Related Materials - Support for Bureaucratic Matters （TBA） |
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Q & A |
Any questions, check the FAQ（TBA） first. If your question is not covered in the FAQ, please contact the address below. |
STEP 2: Receiving Your Welcome Package at the Student Exchange Division
Please come to pick up your Welcome Package, which includes the student ID, the original residence permit, etc. Please come during one of the sessions below:
Date: March 30 and 31.
Time: 1st) 3:30 pm, 2nd) 3:45 pm, 3rd) 4:00 pm, 4th) 4:15 pm
Meeting Place: Meeting Room on the 4th floor of Building (East Wing) A01 on Kawauchi Campus (map)
In case you cannot make it to any of the sessions above,we will hand it out on the orientation day.
STEP 3: Paying the Student Insurance（TBA）
All exchange students* are required to enroll in the two insurance below:
*Even if you have insurance from your home country, all individuals must pay the Insurance premium.
For insurance item 1, the university will enroll on your behalf. For item 2, please apply yourself through the online app and make the payment at your nearest convenience store.
Please refer to the instructions below for details on how to apply.
1. Personal Accident Insurance for Students Pursuing Education & Research (Gakkensai Insurance) *Pamphlet
2. Comprehensive Insurance for Students Lives Coupled with "Gakkensai Insurance" for International Students (Inbound Futai Gakuso) *Pamphlet *Pamphlet for students enrolling in Graduate School of Science or Faculty of Science.
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School of Science |
Other Departments *Except for IPLA |
IPLA | |||
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Period of Study |
1 semester |
2 semesters |
1 semester |
2 semesters |
1 semester |
2 semesters |
| 2. Inbound Futai Gakuso | 10,280 |
14,690 |
10,480 | 14,970 | 9,740 | 14,220 |
Instructions for Students
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Task |
Apply yourself through the online app and make the payment at your nearest convenience store. Keep the receipt as you will need it later. |
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Place |
Convenience stores |
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instructions |
Step by Step Guide (TBA) |
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Date |
Payment must be made by April 6. |
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Things to Bring |
After applying in the app, present the barcode displayed to the convenience store. |
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If need help |
If you need any help to apply to the insurance, visit to International Help desk, or 6-C counter of the Student Exchange Division (map) anytime between 9:00 am - 12:00 pm or 1:30 - 4:30 pm. Also, to avoid mistakes in the amount, make sure to check the amount of of your insurance payment before applying. |
Instructions for IPLA Students
If you have any questions regarding insurance enrollment or payment, please visit the International Help Desk or consult your assigned tutor.
STEP 4: Opening a Bank Account
It is mandatory to have a bank account in Japan for those who will receive the JASSO Scholarship. All JASSO Scholarship recipients are asked to open an account as instructed below. Those who do not receive the scholarship do not necessarily need to open a bank account. But if you wish to have one, please follow the instructions below. Those who do not receive the JASSO Scholarship or do not wish to have a bank account in Japan can skip STEP 4.
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Task |
Open a Japan Post bank account using a Japan Post Bank's app. University staff will help you apply in person using a tablet. |
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Date and Time |
Please come to the venue whenever it is convenient for you during the below open hours. The bank account application takes approximately 15 minutes. However, you may be asked to wait some time if the venue is busy. Note that the JASSO Scholarship recipients are strongly recommended to open an account on April 1 or 2.
Open hours: March ×× - April ×× from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm every day (excluding weekends) ※TBD |
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Venue |
Lounge on the first floor of the International Exchange Building (A12) on Kawauchi Campus (map) |
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Things to Bring |
Residence card, passport, Tohoku University Student ID card, Dormitory Residence Permit, and Social Security Number (US citizens and US green card holders only) |
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Notes |
Related Materials - Support for opening a Bank Account
<Exception> Opening a bank account at a bank counter: |
STEP 5: Submitting a Copy of your Residence Card and a Receipt for Insurance (Inbound Futai Gakusoto)Payment
After going to the Ward Office to get the residence registration done, you should have your dorm address printed on the back of your residence card. Please take pictures of your residence card etc. with your phone, and submit them via the form below. The university is responsible for keeping the international students' residence card numbers.
Submission deadline: April 20 at 11:59 pm, 2026
Residence Card Copy Submission Form for IPLA
Residence Card Copy Submission Form for JYPE and DEEP
Residence Card Copy Submission Form for COLABS
Note: If you are a Japanese national and entered Japan using your Japanese passport, please submit the above form except for the part for the residence card copies.
This is the end of all the steps of the necessary resident procedures.
Tohokudai ID and Password & Campus Wi-Fi
Tohokudai ID is used to access the Tohoku University Portal Site, register your courses, access campus Wi-Fi, etc. You will receive your ID and initial password in your welcome package. Starting October/April 1, you can set up a campus Wi-Fi connection with your Tohokudai ID. Note that you cannot use campus Wi-Fi before October/April 1. See below for instructions.
Map and Directions
Tohoku University strongly encourages exchange students to commute to campuses using public transportation or walking for safety. Commuting by bicycle carries huge risks and there have been many accidents that exchange students got involved in before.
Subway and Bus Commuting Guide
日本語はこちら
Other Information and Useful Websites
Discount Pass, "Gakuto Sendai Free Pass"
The Gakuto Sendai Free Pass, a discount pass for Sendai city public transportation is available for students who use Sendai City Bus or Subway to commute to the campuses. The pass can be purchased at Sendai Station (Subway, not JR), Kōtōdai-Kōen Station, etc. It is required to present your student ID when purchasing the pass.
Note:
-This pass cannot be used for the following buses; Loople Sendai, Miyagi Shuttle Bus to Rakuten Seimei Park Miyagi, and Miyagi Kotsu Bus.
-A student discount for JR is NOT available for exchange students.
Gakuto Sendai Free Pass (Japanese only)
Other discount passes and tickets
International Student Help Desk
The Tohoku University International Student Help Desk (hereafter Help Desk) is staffed by Tohoku University students who will help answer all of your questions. The Help Desk is open throughout the semester. No appointment is needed. Visit their Facebook or Instagram for open hours and further details.
SIM Card
Buying a SIM card is quite complicated, so we strongly recommend you ask your tutor for help or get help through the Support Services. You can buy one at local electronics stores (such as Yodobashi Camera) or online, but note that you cannot sign a contract before you complete the residence registration at the ward office. You will need your residence card, passport, and credit card. In some cases, a credit card or a debit card issued in your country may not be accepted. It is also helpful to bring an official document such as the National Health Insurance card that has your name and address written in Japanese.
Certificate Request Form
Exchange students can request a certificate using the certificate request form. If you need a signature on a document for your home university or need any kind of certificate from Tohoku University, please always request it through this form. Requests can be accepted before, during, and after participation in the exchange program. Please allow sufficient time for your application, as we may not be able to respond immediately.*To prepare for the issuance of end-of-term academic transcripts, it will be closed from March 4-25/September 4-25.
ISC Call Center
Our call center provides consultation and remote interpreting services to support your daily life in Japan. For example, we can answer questions about administrative procedures, provide three-way interpreting support at city hall counters, and share information on medical facilities with English-speaking staff.
Useful Websites
1. TU Support
2. Arrival Guide
3. Sendai Tourism, Convention and International Association (SenTIA)
4. Dining and Shops on Campus
Next Step
This is the page you should refer to next:
Note: This page is not ready for the Spring 2026 semester. It will be updated by the end of March.
Go back to the top page:
Contact
Incoming Student Exchange Section, Student Exchange Division, Tohoku University
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30-12:30, 13:30-17:15
Counter #6-C, 2nd floor, Education and Student Support Center (A01), Kawauchi Campus,
41 Kawauchi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8576 Japan
Contact Form / studyab ＠ grp.tohoku.ac.jp
Please include your program name or applicant ID in the email so we don't miss your email.