Getting Started in Japan – Fall 2023

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: September 26, 2023)

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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 move-in orientation 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.

Moving in Procedures and Access to Dormitories

Be sure to read the following information about your dormitory before your arrival. Location map and access to dormitories are available here.

Reminders:

- Must read: Important Note

~~- No airport/Sendai station pick-up service is available.~~

- No parking space is available for exchange students.

- Bringing electric home appliances or furniture into your room is restricted (except for PCs).

Pick-up At Sendai Station (Updated)

The University will operate a shuttle bus that runs from the east exit of Sendai Station to the university dormitories. If you wish to ride the bus, please apply according to STEP 5: Applying for Additional Support Services (Optional). Detailed information on where to board the bus will be sent later to those who have applied for support.

Operating Period: September 21 - September 29, 2023 (excluding Sundays and Saturdays)

Departure times from Sendai Station: 10:00, 12:00, 15:00, 17:00

Route: Sendai Station East Exit - Sanjo Dormitories - Aobayama Dormitory - Sendai Station East Exit

Note: If you are arriving at Sendai Airport and wish to be guided upon your arrival in Sendai, please let us know when you apply for support. In addition, if you are an IPLA student and do not wish to take the bus, your tutor can pick you up at Sendai station, so please ask your tutor for support by contacting him/her via email. Please note that you cannot take the shuttle bus with your tutor so you and your tutor will be taking public transportation to the dorm.

First Payment of Dormitory Fees

The first payment for the dormitory will be for October and November, plus the deposit. It depends on the dormitories, but you will be asked to pay approximately 70,000 to 90,000 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. You will also receive an envelope of your important documents at the orientation on the 25th, which includes your student ID card, library card, original residence permit, Tohokudai ID, and insurance payment slips. Attendance at the orientation is mandatory. Make sure you know the date, time, and location of your program's orientation.

Program	Date	Time	Place	Material	Things to Bring
IPLA	Monday, September 25, 2023	10:00-11:30	C200, Lecture Rooms C, Kawauchi Campus (A04): Map	N/A	Signed oath, Activity Fee (10,000 yen in cash)
COLABS		12:30-13:30	A102, Lecture Rooms A, Kawauchi Campus (A02): Map	COLABS Guide	Signed pledge and oath
JYPE		13:50-14:50	A105, Lecture Rooms A, Kawauchi Campus (A02): Map	JYPE Guide
DEEP		15:10-16:10	A105, Lecture Rooms A, Kawauchi Campus (A02): Map	DEEP Guide (JP) DEEP Guide (EN)
JASSO Scholarship Guidance (Mandatory for all recipients)	Available for watching from October 2nd, 2023. ※Must be watched by the date of your first scholarship receipt. Previous Guidance Video	Not specified; watch the online video	Google Classroom ※Accessible from October 1st, 2023. Please wait for the invitation email.	Google Classroom	none
Japanese Class Orientation for JYPE/COLABS Students	Monday, October 2, 2023	10:30-12:00	A105, Lecture Rooms A, Kawauchi Campus (A02): Map	1. JLPK Guide 2. Credit Subjects	PC or tablet to view the orientation material
Orientation for International Students (Mandatory for all students)	Available for watching from October 1, 2023.	Not specified; watch the online video by October 15	Google Classroom	1. Video (日本語のビデオはこちら) 2. Contents of Orientation Video	none

Course Information for Fall 2023 Semester

Course information for Fall 2023 will be finalized and will be available in mid-September or late September. For your reference, please refer to the course information for the past Fall semester offered in the previous year. Note that the courses offered for Fall 2023 may differ from the courses offered last year.

Past Course Information: (IPLA) (JYPE) (DEEP) (COLABS)

2023 Fall Welcome Week - Optional -

The Welcome Week offers new international students workshops that provide important information on daily life in Sendai, minimum necessary language skills, and opportunities to make new friends. Please visit the website below for details and apply by the deadline if you are interested. Note that if you have a schedule conflict with the residence procedures mentioned next, your priorities are residence procedures (Step 1 - Step 4). Also, the IPLA students cannot apply for the Kawauchi Campus tour, which will be conducted separately.

Welcome Week

Application deadline: September 19, 2023

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 Aoba 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 Ward Office

Task	You will do three things at the Aoba Ward Office: 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 ward office.
Date and Time	You are assigned to go to the Ward Office on the following date. COLABS students: September 26 IPLA students: September 27 JYPE and DEEP students: September 28 Meeting Time: 8:30 AM
Meeting Place	Aoba Ward Office (Google map), Conference Room on the 4th floor. 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.
Things to Bring	Residence card, passport, dormitory residence permit in PDF or a hard copy, Social Security Number (US citizens and US green card holders only), a note of your name in Japanese Katakana (Student Exchange Division will email you your finalized name in Katakana)
Notes	There will be a reception desk set up for Tohoku University international students at the Aoba Ward Office to assist them with these procedures. Please come to the ward office at the specified time on the specified date. You should bring something to kill time as the wait will be long because the ward office is very busy during the school entrance season. You need to stay in the ward office and cannot leave the building while waiting.
How to Reschedule	If you cannot make it on your assigned date, you should visit the ward office on the earliest day possible during the period below. No need to contact any office or staff to reschedule. Available dates: September 26, 27, 28, and 29 Office hours: 8:30 am - 3:00 pm (You are encouraged to arrive as early in the morning as possible.)

STEP 2: 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 2.

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.
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 October 2 or 3. Open hours: October 2 - October 13 from 8:30 am - 4:00 pm every day (excluding weekends)
Venue	Lounge on the first floor of the International Exchange Building (A12) on Kawauchi Campus (map)
Things to Bring	Residence card, passport, Tohoku University Student ID card, Dormitory Residence Permit, Japan's National Health Insurance card, and Social Security Number (US citizens and US green card holders only) It will be used to confirm your name in Katakana. You must register your name in Katakana exactly as shown on your National Health Insurance card.
Notes	Banks are very busy during the school entrance season, therefore, all Tohoku University exchange students are asked to open a JP Bank account using a smartphone app called “Yucho Direct Plus”. Note that you cannot open an account before completing the procedures at the ward office. <Exception> Opening a bank account at a bank counter: For those who are unable to open an account on the app due to special circumstances, you will be instructed to open an account at a bank counter in person. The university will make an appointment, prepare the application form, and accompany you to the bank counter. Japan Post Bank requests international students to make an appointment through the International Support Center. Note that International Students are not allowed to visit the bank to open an account without an appointment.

STEP 3: Paying the Student Insurance

All exchange students are required to enroll in the two types of insurance below:

1. Personal Accident Insurance for Students Pursuing Education & Research (Gakkensai Insurance)

2. Comprehensive Insurance for Students Lives Coupled with "Gakkensai Insurance" for International Students (Inbound Futai Gakuso)

Student Exchange Division will apply for them on your behalf, so there's no need to fill out applications on your part. Insurance premiums vary slightly depending on your department and the length of your stay. Please refer to the table below. When transferring the money, a handling fee will be charged in addition to these amounts.

	School of Science		School of Medicine / Dentistry		Other Departments
Period of Study	1 semester	2 semesters	1 semester	2 semesters	1 semester	2 semesters
1. Gakkensai	1,000	1,000	1,020	1,020	1,000	1,000
2. Inbound Futai Gakuso	9,150	13,060	9,350	13,340	9,350	13,340
Total (yen)	10,150	14,060	10,370	14,360	10,350	14,340

You need to pay the fees in cash with the payment slips at the ATM at the beginning of the semester. The university will help you with the payment. Please follow the instructions below.

Task	Paying the two types of student insurance by cash at Kawauchi Post Office's ATM. University staff will assist you with handling the money transfer with an ATM. Keep the receipts as you will need them later.
Date and Time	September 27 and September 28; 10:30 - 11:30 am September 29, October 2, and 3; 10:30 - 11:30 am and 2:30 - 3:30 pm Please meet the staff at the Kawauchi Post Office during one of the above sessions. The staff will be there to help you with payment. Appointment is not necessary.
Meeting Place	Kawauchi Post Office (Google map)
Things to Bring	2 types of payment slips (you receive them at the orientation on September 25), cash for the amount of insurance including 550 yen of handling fees
Notes	It is ok to do this STEP 3 before completing STEP 2.
How to Reschedule	JYPE, DEEP, and COLABS students: If you cannot make it to any of the above sessions due to unavoidable circumstances, please come to the 6-C counter of the Student Exchange Division (map) anytime between 9:00 - 10:30 am or 3:30 - 4:30 pm on September 26 - October 6 with the money and payment slips when it is convenient for you. A staff member will accompany you to the Kawauchi Post Office and assist you with payment. You do not need to email or make an appointment in advance. Also, to avoid mistakes in the amount of your insurance payment, you are not allowed to pay by yourself without assistance from the university. You must make your payment with a university staff member. IPLA students: If you cannot make it to any of the above sessions due to unavoidable circumstances, please arrange a schedule with your tutor and ask them to help you with the payment. You can meet up with your tutor at the Kawauchi Post Office. To avoid mistakes in the amount of your insurance payment, you are not allowed to pay by yourself without assistance from the university. You must make your payment with your tutor.

STEP 4: Submitting a Copy of your Residence Card to the University

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: October 22 at 11:59 pm, 2023

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.

STEP 5: Applying for Additional Support Services (Optional)

The International Support Center provides various other support services such as pick-up shuttle bus, 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

"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 mid or late September. 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 whether they will apply for additional services or not. However, if you do not need to apply for additional services, there is little opportunity to use this system. You are at least 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.

Support Services

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 a sealed envelope when you attend the orientation of your program on September 25. Starting October 1, you can set up a campus Wi-Fi connection with your Tohokudai ID. Note that you cannot use campus Wi-Fi before October 1. See below for instructions.

Campus Wireless LAN Service

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.

Campus Map

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.

Help Desk

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.

Certificate Request Form