Study Abroad
Programs Offered through William and Mary
The tuition exchange agreement between the College of William and Mary and Kanazawa University allows W&M students to pay their regular tuition to William and Mary while taking classes at Kanazawa. A national university of Japan, Kanazawa is composed of eight main faculties and a College of Liberal Arts. Overlooking the Sea of Japan, the city of Kanazawa is renowned for its scenic beauty, rich traditional and modern culture, and cordial hospitality. It is nicknamed the mori no miyako (grove capital) because it retains the beauty, as well as the cultural traditions, of an ancient capital.
The tuition exchange agreement between the College of William and Mary and Keio University allows students to pay their regular tuition to William and Mary while taking classes at Keio in Tokyo, Japan. Keio University is Japan's oldest institution of higher education and is founded on the principle of academic excellence. Students enroll in the Japanese Language program at the Center for Japanese Studies. There are four levels (elementary to advanced), and students will be assigned to an appropriate level based on the results of a placement test. Students are housed in dormitories or, in some cases, with homestays.
- Japan: Akita International University
Akita is a four-year, liberal arts institution in Akita prefecture, Japan. Founded in 2004, it has earned a national and international reputation for its hands-on instruction, globally-minded curriculum, and the scenic beauty of the main campus, located in the middle of an exquisite cedar forest – an Akita speciality. W&M students may apply to study at AIU for a semester or a full year. The tuition exchange agreement between the College of William & Mary and Akita International University allows W&M students to pay their regular tuition to W&M while taking classes at Akita. The exchange program is best for Virginia in-state students. More.
Summer Language Programs Outside William and Mary
The Japanese Program recommends the following intensive summer language programs in Japan: The Hokkaido International Foundation, International Christian University, the Japan Center for Michigan Universities, and the Inter-University Center. We also recommend Middlebury College's Summer Language Schools in Vermont.
The University of Colorado at Boulder offers lots of information on Japanese study abroad opportunities.
Students can enroll in summer programs both in Japan and at various American Universities. Tuition is paid directly to the target institution, and credit transfer must be discussed in advance with William and Mary program directors.
Study Abroad Transfer Credit
The Japanese Program does not pre-approve for study abroad in Japan, but we work with students on their return to ensure transfer of their credits taken abroad and placement back into our language classes. See the departmental procedures for transfer credit.
On-Campus Opportunities
If you can't make it all the way to Japan but want to interact with foreign students here in Williamsburg, The Keio University, College of William and Mary Cross-Cultural Collaboration program is a summer internship on campus with 40 Japanese students from Keio University.