| Academics |
Academic Program
Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (TUFS) offers a wide range of undergraduate courses, including Japanese language classes (elementary to advanced) and English-taught courses focused on Japanese and Intercultural Studies.
Program Duration:
The International Student Exchange Program of TUFS (ISEPTUFS) runs from early October to late July. Students may join for the full academic year (October - July) or the Spring semester only (April - July). Fall-only participation is generally not available due to academic calendar differences.
Course Descriptions and Syllabi
Planning Tip:
Course lists are updated seasonally—Fall info is posted in summer, Spring in winter. Use the previous year’s listings to plan ahead and consult your academic advisor what courses could work for your academic timeline.
Course equivalency information for UAlbany Students
Credits earned on this program may be approved to satisfy the World History/International Perspectives or other UAlbany General Education requirements, if you earn appropriate credit in these areas and receive approval using the General Education Substitution Request form found here: General Education Waivers, Substitutions & Appeals | University at Albany.
Courses may also satisfy major and minor requirements, with approval by the associated academic department(s). You may file a request to have additional courses approved for equivalency as necessary.
All courses successfully completed through this program abroad that are not assigned a specific UAlbany course equivalency will at least count as UAlbany General Elective credits. Credits and grades will appear on your UAlbany transcript.
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| Faculty |
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| Accommodations |
Housing
- There are three international student residence halls, conveniently located on campus. Each dorm room is single occupancy. Rooms typically include a mini kitchen, private bath, balcony, desk, bookshelf, and an air conditioner.
- However, in the event there are no availabilities in the on-campus residence halls, the TUFS staff will help you find another international students’ dormitory in the Tokyo area. This may require you to commute to the TUFS campus for class by train or bus, depending on where you live.
Meals
There is no meal plan for this program. You may choose to purchase meals in the cafeteria, cook, or eat out at local restaurants.
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| Costs |
Estimate of Costs
Review this program’s Estimate of Costs. Note: There may be several tabs in the Estimate of Costs. Please be sure that you are reviewing the tab for your anticipated semester abroad.
More Information
Click for more information on Program Costs and Financial Aid.
Remember to speak with the Office of Financial Aid at your home campus to determine how your aid package could apply towards your program abroad.
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| Eligibility |
Eligibility Requirements
- The TUFS Program is only open to UAlbany students
- Second-semester freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors in all majors are welcome to apply. You must have completed at least one full semester at UAlbany with a minimum GPA of 2.5 before you can apply.
- If you are a transfer student, you must have completed at least 1 FULL semester at UAlbany to apply.
- If you have a GPA lower than 2.5, please email Megumi Kim, the Japan Program advisor at mtkim@albany.edu
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| Excursions |
Excursions
University-arranged excursions are not included in this program, but you will have access to unlimited tourist attractions and events off campus.
Student Clubs and Organizations
There are several athletic and cultural clubs and circles at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. A circle is a group of students who share a common interest in an activity and gather periodically to explore this interest together. Clubs tend to require more commitment than circles, and are often the equivalent of university-level team sports. You should be aware that you may not be able to join certain clubs/circles due to the length of your exchange program. |
| Scholarships |
Funding Opportunities
Most financial aid and academic awards will apply to semester programs.
External scholarships, listed on our website, are a good way to partially fund your study abroad experience.
More information on applying to these scholarships is located on the Scholarships web page.
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| Testimonials |
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| Contact |
Megumi Kim at mtkim@albany.edu
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| Location |
About the City
Tokyo University of Foreign Studies is located in Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan. Tokyo is the largest city in the world, and offers a great mix of modern and traditional sites.
Travel Documents
A valid passport is required to participate in this program. If you are a U.S. citizen, you are required to obtain a visa to enter Japan.
For all other nationalities, please check with your government and the Consulate General of Japan's website to determine whether you are required to obtain a visa for this program.
More information regarding the visa application process is available upon acceptance to the program.
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| Program Dates |
Program Dates
Academic Year 2025 - 2026
Friday, September 26, 2025 to Monday, July 20, 2026 (TENTATIVE END DATE)
Fall 2025
Due to the host university’s academic calendar, a Fall semester program is not offered.
Spring 2026
Wednesday, April 1, 2026 - Monday, July 20, 2026 (TENTATIVE START & END DATE)
*Please note: Wednesday, April 1, 2026, is typically the arrival day, but will be fully confirmed by TUFS at a later time. The program end date of Monday, July 20, 2026, is approximate and not fully confirmed by TUFS. Students may want to consider waiting for confirmation before purchasing their return flights from Japan. You can find TUFS' full academic calendar here.*
Application Availability
Applications become available online one semester before the program start date, based on the following timeline:
- Spring/Winter/Spring Break programs: July
- Fall/Year/Summer programs: December
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| Overview |
About the Program
The University at Albany’s exchange affiliation with Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (TUFS) enables you to study Japanese language and culture, and is intended for U.S. students interested in developing Japanese language skills and in pursuing in-depth study of subjects related to Japan.
Based on its history of more than 100 years, TUFS continues to play an important role as one of the hubs of international academic research and exchange in Japan in the 21st century.
Program Orientations
Upon acceptance to the program, you will be required to attend a mandatory pre-departure orientation. During this time, you will have the opportunity to meet other program participants, discuss in-depth the details of your program, and prepare for the overall education abroad experience. The Fall semester pre-departure orientation will be conducted in April, before the end of Spring UAlbany classes, and in late November/early December for the Spring term abroad.
Upon arrival at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, you will attend a mandatory program orientation. This is an important and informative set of sessions organized by the International Office of your host university.
Support Services
UAlbany’s Office of Education Abroad staff assists you during the application process, in your preparation to travel abroad, and on-site if necessary.
The Tokyo University of Foreign Studies International Office staff serve as an experienced resource for resolving issues that you may encounter while abroad.
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