197 reviews
3.98 / 5 based on 197 reviews
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Brandon L
Languages
Language of instruction: English
Local language was: Different than language of instruction
Was learning English a key decision factor?
No, it wasn't.
Was learning the local language a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my the local language
How much did you improve your the local language?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang)
Language difficulties
Administrative / Institutional
Personal comments
There's a huge English-speaking bubble at Kansai Gaidai, and you have to make an effort in order to actually get away from it and put yourself in situations where you can actually speak/learn japanese. With a program this big (400+ students), and while being somewhat isolated from the rest of the campus (all the international students take classes in a separate building on campus), finding opportunities to use Japanese can be difficult at times.
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dtkemon
Furman University, Greenville, SC, United States
Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies, Undergraduate, University Agreement
Languages
Language of instruction: English
Local language was: Different than language of instruction
Was learning English a key decision factor?
No, it wasn't.
Was learning the local language a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my the local language
How much did you improve your the local language?
My level before: Did not speak it
My level after: Did not speak it
Language difficulties
Administrative / Institutional
Personal comments
Somehow, I managed to mutually fall in love with a gifted linguist from Barcelona. Between her and the rest of the student community (not to mention the fact that many more Japanese speak English than Chinese do) I personally encountered absolutely no difficulty in any setting. I must admit, however, that I was uniquely blessed with a wonderfully intelligent girlfriend (and friends) who tolerated my ineptness for the Japanese language.
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Tony j
Housing
Type of housing: A room exchange
Arranged by: Host university
If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House
Why?
More freedom, want to have guests
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Personal comments
Seminar house is ok. Can*t have guests overnight, cannot drink alcohol. Room mate can be bad
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Tim K
Academic
Course recommendations
The language courses are pretty dry but not that hard, as long as you study on your own. The business courses are a bitch so don't take them unless you need them for your major. The other humanities electives were pretty easy, just make sure you take the good ones. Hollstein, Paul Scott are two really cool teachers.
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My academic experiences
Interaction with teachers
Interaction with international students
Interaction with local students
Personal comments
Not really. The classes were pretty easy so it was nice to have a kind of vacation semester when I was at Kansai Gaidai.
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My opinion of the university assessment
Exams throughout the course
Essays and/or projects at the end of course
Essays and/or projects throughout the course
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Sherise T
Student life
Describe host city:
Students equally interact with the local and student community
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Travel: Takes place mostly outside the university/student environment
Activities, Nightlife: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment
Personal social experience
Personal comments
Osaka's underlounge nightclub. Good music (trance/techno/house) and great atmosphere at the club.
We did a lot of day-trips to Osaka and Kyoto for eating, shopping, and sightseeing. Kyoto is a marvellous place for visiting Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Osaka's Shinsaibashi and Umeda areas have fantastic shopping and eating places. Don't miss Hep5 mall at Umeda with the red ferris wheel on the top of the building. Amazing!
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Dorota C
Academic
Course recommendations
Most of the afternoon elective courses are a waste of time. A complete joke compared to classes at my home institution... Grading was very easy as expectations were so low. On the other hand, this was fine for the majority of students, since most of the foreign students at Kansai Gaidai are not very studious or that interested in anything other than getting drunk and trying to hook up with Japanese students.
The Japanese courses definitely required more effort, but were basically drill-and-regurgitate type courses and most foreign students made little effort to practice Japanese outside of class.
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My academic experiences
Interaction with teachers
Interaction with international students
Interaction with local students
Personal comments
Honestly, I think Kansai Gaidai is basically an ingenious scheme to draw English-speaking foreigners to Hirakata in large number so that the university can market itself and increase enrollment by Japanese students looking to better their English... very little thought seems to have been put into the curriculum for international students. This program needs to take itself more seriously for it to be of any intellectual value to those studying abroad there.
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My opinion of the university assessment
Exams throughout the course
Essays and/or projects at the end of course
Essays and/or projects throughout the course
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