Japan is a captivating and fascinating place for study abroad. The country is a dichotomy of worlds—from the serenity of bamboo forests and teahouses to its impact on the frontier of new technologies. The island nation of Japan features dense cities, imperial palaces, shrines, and mountainous national parks. Shinkansen, or high-speed bullet trains, connect Japan's main islands, creating a link between subtropical beaches, skiing meccas, and Tokyo, the nation's capital.
Academic Planning for Study Abroad
Stay on Track to Graduate
Studying abroad integrates into your degree when you plan ahead. Discover how UC credit transfers, explore courses that satisfy major or general education requirements, and read student tips on planning what courses to take abroad. Connect with your campus advisor early to build a schedule that aligns with your graduation timeline.
Planning Steps to Study Abroad
Mapping Your Study Abroad Journey
Preparing to study abroad takes up to a year, and the best way to avoid missing out is to start right now. Deadlines for program applications, travel documents, course approvals, and scholarship applications arrive quickly. Check our interactive timeline to pinpoint your next step for this term and keep your plans on schedule.
Questions about study abroad?
Get Application Support
Connect with our advising team to get your questions answered and start planning your study abroad experience! Here are some of the advising options available:
- Interactive workshops to set goals, explore academic and funding resources, and prepare your application.
- Drop-in advising to speak with region-specific advisors.
- Individual virtual sessions for specialized guidance focused on your target region.
- Don't forget to meet with advisors at your home UC campus for academic planning, major credit petitions, and campus financial aid.
Funding and Affordability
Paying for Study Abroad
Your UC financial aid, grants, and scholarships travel with you, and some programs cost less than a term on campus. Explore the Making Study Abroad Affordable Guide (written by UC students who've done it) for budgeting tips, estimating your expenses, and making your global experience fit your financial plan.
Family and Support
Involve Your Support Network
Bringing your family into your study abroad plans early helps everyone feel confident and prepared. Share key details about health, safety, finances, and academic credit using our family and support network guide. For advice on starting informative and constructive conversations, check out our tips for talking with your family and friends about your global goals.
If I hadn't gone to Japan, I would have stayed in my bubble at home. Pushing myself into challenging situations stimulated my curiosity and desire to learn. My expanded comfort zone allowed me to get to know international students and also become close friends with Japanese students, whom I still talk with today. My eagerness to experience all I could in Japan hasn't faded on my return to America either, it has grown into an appreciation of different backgrounds and perspectives.
Studying abroad for a year in Japan taught me that true growth isn't about seeing all the tourist attractions—it's about finding joy in the ordinary, like biking along the Tama River. Beyond improving my Japanese and gaining independence, I learned that happiness isn't found in radical change but in embracing the everyday. It's not about running away; it's about creating your own sense of belonging wherever you are.
I feel really lucky to have completed a study abroad experience at International Christian University (ICU). I'm very grateful to the UCEAP Tokyo team for doing their best to make our experience as amazing as possible. I'm very lucky to have had the opportunity to connect with the community as much as I did. Even though I was only at ICU for half a year, it definitely made my experience 10 times more meaningful.
Roads smaller than a bike lane, business attire to attend classes, and dining hall food cheaper than the raw ingredients—even after eight years of studying the country and its language, there were still things that surprised me when I studied abroad in Japan.
Thanks to my three UCEAP study abroad experiences, I realize the value of multiculturalism. While each person will take away different things from their study abroad experience, everyone gains something culturally from their time abroad, and the gift of experiencing another culture is something that we carry through generations.
My study abroad experience broadened my horizons, strengthened my adaptability to Japanese culture, and fortified my pursuit of academic and professional excellence abroad.
The most valuable skill I learned from interning at Shizenkan is the importance of being open-minded. Retaining a sense of open-mindedness communicates humility, and can lead one to a treasure box of opportunities.
Studying abroad in Tokyo was everything I dreamed of but I came to realize how easy it is to overlook the details that make life worth living, especially in a city filled to the brim. Once in a while, I took a trip outside of Tokyo where I could hear my own thoughts and connect with nature. In the countryside, with the laughter of children and the soft smiles and gentle voices of the elders, I found peace.
While studying abroad involves loads of paperwork and deadlines, which are especially challenging when juggling other responsibilities, you're not alone in this process. The UC system offers comprehensive support, from scholarships to financial aid teams to UCEAP advisors, making this the perfect time to pursue your dream of studying abroad!
