Can I rent an apartment by myself if I live outside the student dormitory?
Yes, you can. Many students from their second year onwards live in apartments or student dormitories in Beppu City. To keep costs down, many students rent apartments with friends and share rooms. APU also provides services for introducing and arranging rental apartments and student dormitories. Creotech Co., Ltd. (a company 100% owned by the Ritsumeikan Trust) will arrange properties. Some of the properties arranged are 100% occupied by APU students, so you can use them with confidence.Many students in their second year and above live in apartments or student dormitories in Beppu City.
Can I request a shared type or a single type for AP House? How are rooms decided?
The university handles room assignments for shared or single types, so we do not accept requests.
Can I apply to enter AP House 5?
At the time of application, we recruit applicants for move-in and assign rooms by lottery, so we do not accept requests for specific buildings.
Are the dormitory fees for AP House 1, 2, and 5 the same?
No. The dormitory fees are different. Please refer to the relevant page for information on AP House facilities and dormitory fees.
I’m worried about living alone.
If you cannot imagine what it is like to live alone, you will inevitably feel anxious. Ask your seniors and friends who are already living on their own about their experiences; there are events and archives online where you can listen to the stories of APU seniors for reference. Event List
You may feel anxious on the day you move in and when you first start living on your own, but this will naturally dissipate as you make friends in class and in the dorms. Also, when you start living on your own, it is the perfect time to try things you have wanted to do but could not before. You can focus on language study by gathering information for overseas travel and study abroad, or you can try on a new style of hair or a new genre of clothing that you have never worn before. We recommend that you start extracurricular activities and part-time jobs after you get used to your new lifestyle. Life in Beppu
How much does it cost for living expenses?
The average monthly rent for a one-room apartment in Beppu ranges from approximately 30,000 yen to 60,000 yen. In addition to rent, many students spend around 20,000 yen–30,000 yen per month on food. For transportation, Oita Kotsu and Kamenoi Bus offer discounted one-year commuter bus passes for students twice a year (in spring and autumn). The average transportation cost is approximately 10,000 yen per month.
Can everyone enter the AP House dormitory if they wish?
If you register your desire to enter the dormitory at the time of application, all applicants can move in.
What are the characteristics of AP House 1, 2, and 5?
AP House is an international educational dormitory for first-year students, where students from around the world live together in an environment that fosters intercultural exchange and mutual learning. Living at AP House provides opportunities to develop an international mindset through everyday life. Each year, over 90% of newly enrolled students move into AP House.
I would like to know about dormitories, school facilities, and dormitory fees.
You can find detailed information about AP House facilities, dormitory fees, and APU facilities through the links on the official website. Outline of AP House >> Facilities and Equipment
I think it is important for students to acquire social skills as well as academic skills. I think it would be good if students could also have part-time jobs, but I wonder how many current students have part-time jobs.
Many students at APU have part-time jobs. Some work at convenience stores and other general part-time jobs, while others work at hotels and other places due to the location of Beppu. Some work at convenience stores and other general part-time jobs, while others work at hotels and other places due to the location of Beppu, the onsen town. APU's classes include a lot of homework and assignments, so students are asked to work as much as possible without interfering with their studies.
Please tell me about public transportation around the university.
The main transportation to and from APU is the local bus service operated by Oita Kotsu and Kamenoi Bus. Bus routes connect the APU campus with Beppu Station, Kamegawa Station, and downtown Beppu, with frequent services available during peak commuting hours. Many students use discounted commuter bus passes or prepaid bus tickets for their daily commute.
Tuition / scholarships
What kind of scholarships can I apply for after admission?
In addition to scholarships offered by the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO), including both grant type and student loan type, APU students may apply for external scholarships provided by private organizations and local governments. APU also offers its own scholarships, including merit-based scholarships for students with outstanding academic performance and financial aid scholarships for students with financial need.
If I am awarded a scholarship, may I also be exempted while studying abroad?
It depends on the study abroad program you are going to participate in, so please make sure to check when you apply for the program.
Will scholarships be renewed annually? It is not a four-year continuance, is it?
Both for the "Domestic Students Academic Excellence Scholarship" and “Domestic Students Tuition Reduction”, eligibility screenings are carried out each year to check your eligibility.
Is it possible to pay tuition in installments or change the payment method?
Tuition fees are paid twice a year, once for the Spring Semester and once for the Fall Semester, by direct debit (automatic withdrawal) from a bank account designated by the university or by another payment method specified by the university. Payment in installments is not available.
Study abroad
Is there a compulsory curriculum for studying abroad?
APU does not require students to study abroad for any of its undergraduate programs. We have prepared a variety of overseas programs (short to long term) to suit various purposes and destinations, so students can choose the program that best suits their own learning needs.
I would like to know about the Double Degree Program.
Host universities, application deadlines, and eligibility criteria differ depending on the college. Please check the page below for more information.
College of Asia Pacific Studies: St. Edward's University
College of Asia Pacific Management: NEOMA Business School
College of Sustainability and Tourism: Salzburg University of Applied Sciences
How many study abroad programs are available?
They are very abundant. Starting with exchange study abroad to many partner universities around the world, various long-term and short-term overseas training programs are prepared. The door is widely open to all students, and many students can experience learning overseas during their enrollment if they meet the criteria.
Please tell me the participation criteria for study abroad programs (exchange study abroad, etc.). Also, what happens to tuition and living expenses during study abroad?
Selection criteria differ for each program, but mainly two points are emphasized: "cumulative GPA (university grades)" and "language criteria (scores such as TOEFL®or IELTS)." Regarding tuition, if it is the university's "exchange study abroad," tuition at the host university is waived by paying tuition to APU even during study abroad (excluding some private study abroad, etc.). Living expenses and travel expenses are borne by the student, but it is also possible to apply for the university's study abroad scholarship system for support.
Is it possible to graduate in 4 years if I study abroad during enrollment?
Yes, it is fully possible. When using APU's exchange study abroad program, there is a system (credit transfer system) to approve credits obtained at the host university as graduation requirement credits at APU, so you can graduate in 4 years without taking a leave of absence if you obtain credits systematically.
I believe that Ritsumeikan University and Ritsumeikan APU are completely different universities, but I heard that if you enroll in Ritsumeikan University, you can have the chance to study in the domestic exchange program in Japan for a year at Ritsumeikan APU, could you let me know more details?
It is possible to study in domestic exchange program at Ritsumeikan University or Akita International University for six months or one year. An application is required.
For details, please click here. Domestic Exchange Program
Faculty / Department
Is there anything that can only be done at APU?
Take international relations, for example, which can be studied at other universities. However, no matter how many Japanese people discuss that issue alone, it is only from a Japanese point of view and may be completely misguided by people from other countries. At APU, there are students from more than 90 countries and regions at any given time, so you will be able to hear their opinions. Therefore, students can experience exactly what is done in the real world while they are still college students, which is to seek out the best option among those options. This is the kind of education you can only get at APU.
What are the best features of the College of International Management?
Capstone classes. This is a class held as a culmination of four years of study at the College of International Management. We actually invite people from companies, and international and domestic students form teams to solve the problems that companies are facing. Teams are composed of five members from different countries/regions and fields of expertise, and capstone classes are a chance to test how the knowledge they have learned since their first year can be applied in the real world.
I want to make many international student friends. Which college has more interaction with international students?
As of November 1, 2022, the College of International Management has the highest percentage of international students, but the trick to making friends with more international students will be influenced more by your own involvement than by the percentage of international students enrolled. I believe that you will make friends with more international students if you actively talk to them and interact with them.
Is English the official language on campus?
The two official languages for classes and campus announcements are Japanese and English. However, students are free to use any language they wish, such as conversing with friends, so there are many different languages spoken on campus.
What is unique about the College of Asia Pacific Studies?
The three fields of study, “International Relations,” “Culture, Society, and Media,” and “Global Economy,” can be studied across the board during the first and second years of the program. You can decide on your specialization after taking all these classes and after your junior year, so it is okay if you do not know what you want to study at the time of enrollment.
Is there any difference between what you can study in the College of Asia Pacific Studies and the College of International Management, or do you recommend one over the other?
While the College of Asia Pacific Studies is a sociological discipline, the College of International Management is a business discipline. So what you learn is different. There is no recommendation as to which one is best for you; you should decide based on what you want to learn.
Please tell us about the attractiveness of the College of International Management.
The appeal of the College of International Management is that over the course of four years, students can learn a cross-section of knowledge necessary for business, including “Accounting and Finance,” “Marketing,” “Strategic Management and Leadership,” and “Entrepreneurship and Operations Management,” which is about how to manage and procure money, how to sell things, how to manage people in a company, and how to start new businesses. In addition, the College is internationally certified by AACSB, so you can receive management education at a global standard level.
What is the level of math used in international management? I’m pretty bad at math right now and I’m worried.
The level of mathematics in the College of International Management is a level that students can follow if they have properly studied “Mathematics I and Mathematics A” in high school. Also, once you enter the university, you will review mathematics in “Basic Mathematics,” which is a required course, so there is no need to worry. The Analytics and Math Center, a facility on campus, is staffed by trained student tutors (senior students), so if you have any questions about the assignments given in class, you can feel free to ask for help.
Please tell me about the learning opportunities only available at APU’s College of International Management. Please compare with other universities.
Take marketing for example, marketing can be studied at other universities. But if you want to sell your product overseas in the future, will you be able to create a product that will really sell with the marketing knowledge you have learned only from Japanese people? Even a product that you think is good from a Japanese perspective may be completely unacceptable to people overseas. In this respect, APU has students from 90 countries and regions, so you can hear a wide variety of opinions. And because our students can think based on those opinions, they can create products with ideas that students who have only studied marketing with the Japanese do not have.
What are the differences between the College of Asia Pacific Studies and other universities?
A major difference between studying at APU’s College of Asia Pacific Studies rather than at other universities is the presence of international students in classes. For example, APU has a class called “Peace Studies,” but the definition of “peace” differs from country to country. When we discuss “peace” in the real world, we must start with the fact that that is where we differ, or we will forever be talking at cross-purposes. However, this is something that you can only understand when there are international students in your class. This is what makes studying at the College of Asia Pacific Studies at APU so meaningful, because no matter how much you discuss a topic with Japanese people alone, you will never be able to understand it.
What can the College of Sustainability and Tourism offer?
The College of Sustainability and Tourism is the only school in Japan where the new disciplines of “Sustainability Studies” and “Tourism Studies” can be studied together. In order to create a sustainable society, we need an approach that approaches from climate change and environmental change, and an approach that develops the economy so that people can continue to live for future generations. The College of Sustainability and Tourism offers students the opportunity to learn from both sides.
I would like to know more about taking courses in other colleges.
Students are free to take classes in other colleges starting in their sophomore year.
Classes
I am not confident in English. Will I be able to keep up with the lectures?
If you enroll through the Japanese-basis admissions, you will mainly take specialized subjects taught in Japanese during your first and second years while gradually improving your English skills through required subjects taught in English. In addition, APU provides English language classes tailored to students' proficiency levels as well as extensive learning support, including the Self-Access Learning Center (SALC), where students can receive guidance from senior students. With regular preparation and review, you can steadily build your language skills with confidence.
Are there differences in the number of credits required for graduation or graduation requirements between Japanese basis and English basis?
The total number of credits required for graduation (normally 124 credits) is the same regardless of the language basis. However, the graduation requirements differ depending on the language basis, including the number of required language course credits and the number of required credits from specialized courses offered in the other language (English for students admitted through the Japanese-basis admissions, and Japanese for students admitted through the English-basis admissions). Details of these requirements will be explained during the new student orientation. at the time of admission.
I will take classes in the same room with international students, but are the classes basically conducted in Japanese?
At APU, 98% of classes are offered in both Japanese and English, so students can choose which language they wish to take when they register for classes. All lectures, tests, reports, etc. for classes offered in English are also given in English.
How many class hours (number of periods) are there per week?
It depends on the student's registration plan and year, but if you register up to the upper limit per semester (around 20 credits as a guideline), you will take about 10 to 12 periods (100 minutes per period) of lectures per week. In addition to this, it becomes a schedule to do assignments, preparation, review, or circle activities during free periods or after school.
Are there many classes for debates, presentations, fieldwork, etc.?
Many classes at APU incorporate discussions and presentations. There is also an off-campus program called “Field Studies” in which students can do fieldwork.
Finding employment
How is the employment situation in Japan for international students?
APU has an excellent track record of graduate employment. International students are highly valued by Japanese employers for their strong language skills, multicultural perspectives, and resilience developed through their experiences at APU. The Career Office also provides comprehensive support, including Business Japanese courses and career guidance on the job-hunting process and business etiquette unique to Japan.
When should I start job hunting?
Generally, many students fully engage in participating in internships or industry research around the summer of their third year. However, it is recommended to raise awareness about future careers by participating in various guidance and self-analysis events hosted by the Career Office from the stage of their first and second years. Early information gathering and preparation lead to convincing job hunting.
Are there people who study at overseas universities or work for overseas companies without finding a job after graduation?
Some students go on to foreign universities and some work directly abroad.
Is there a difference in job placement results (employment destinations, etc.) between Japanese basis and English basis?
There is no advantage or disadvantage based on the basis, nor is there a clear gap in employment results. There are many cases where Japanese basis students utilize their strong English skills to find employment at global or foreign-affiliated companies, and also many cases where English basis students (including international students) acquire advanced Japanese and find employment at major companies in Japan. Regardless of the basis, what experiences you accumulated and what you developed during enrollment are emphasized.
