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Temple Japan Summer in Kyoto

Japanese Language Intensive

Take your Japanese language skills to the next level while learning in—and from—the host city: Kyoto! The Japanese Language Intensive is a special program offered within Temple Japan's Kyoto summer session. This program lets you complete one full year of Japanese language study in a single summer, earning 9 to 12 academic credits. You will take Japanese I, Japanese II, and a dedicated language lab, with the option to choose one additional course from Temple Japan Kyoto's summer offerings.

 

Program Overview

Expand upon each of the links below to view more details about this program.

Academic Program

LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION

English, except for Japanese language and literature courses.

COURSE LOAD REQUIREMENTS & OFFERINGS

As a program participant, you will enroll in 9-12 credits total, including:

  • JPNS 1001 Japanese Elements 1 (4 credits)
  • JPNS 2002 Japanese Elements II (4 credits)
  • CLA 1010 Japanese Language Lab (1 credit)
  • Optional: Another course of your choice offered at Temple Japan's Kyoto campus during the summer term. Course offerings in Kyoto include Japanese language, Asian studies, GenEds, general electives, select upper-level major courses, and credit-bearing internships.  

    • You can search for courses at temple.edu/courses.

    • Select your term of interest and click "Continue." If the term is unavailable, select the previous year's corresponding term (e.g. if you are applying for Summer 2027, use the Summer 2026 list)

    • Enter your search criteria: in the "Campus" field, enter "Japan Kyoto" and click search.

    • To find online courses at TUJ in Tokyo, select “Japan” for the "Campus" field and “online” instructional method.

Location

The TUJ Kyoto campus is housed in a multi-building complex on the campus of Seibo Jogakuin (Seibo) school. Seibo’s campus in Kyoto is less than 1 kilometer from the famous Fushimi Inari shrine and is close to public transportation for easy access to nearby towns and the train to Tokyo.

View the TUJ Kyoto photo galleries.

Explore Kyoto!

Located just 2.5 hours from Tokyo by bullet train, Kyoto offers a unique opportunity to study in the cultural and ancient capital of Japan, while still offering the best of city life. Kyoto is a base for many high-technology industries, commerce, and tourism. Japan’s eighth largest city, Kyoto has been named the “Best Big City in the World” in recent years. It is a livable, affordable city known for its beautiful landscapes, stunning architecture, delicious food, and friendly people.   

Program Dates

Eleven weeks: mid May to early August

Tentative Program Dates

 Summer 2026
Departure from U.S.May 18
ArrivalMay 19
OrientationMay 21-22
Classes beginMay 25
Last day to add a course*May 29 (13:00 JST)
Last day to drop a courseJune 5 (13:00 JST)
Course withdrawal deadlineJuly 17 (13:00 JST) 

Last day of classes

July 17
Final examsJuly 23 - July 29
Last night in housingJuly 31
Program concludesAugust 1

Do not use the above dates to book your flight, as they are tentative and subject to change. Accepted students will receive confirmed program dates and flight booking guidelines from Education Abroad before making travel plans.  

Program participants are required to be present for the entire length of the program, from the official arrival date through the program end date.

Housing

Temple Japan: Kyoto housing options may vary by term. Check with the Program Management Team for information about your term's available options. 

  • Program-arranged housing
  • Independent housing: homestays
  • Independent housing: other

We encourage you to apply to the program well before the deadline as program and/or housing capacity may be limited. 

Program-arranged housing

Temple Japan: Kyoto works with four housing facilities that offer single-occupancy apartment-style rooms. All program-arranged housing has private bathrooms, a small kitchen, and Wi-Fi. 

Program-arranged housing is between a 5-40 minute commute to the TUJ Kyoto campus, depending on the facility. They are also accessible to other parts of Kyoto city and the Kansai region by well-connected public transit. Read more about the current dorm housing options (subject to change). 

We will do our best to accommodate requests, but room requests are subject to availability and if you accept a spot in program-arranged housing you need to be willing to accept any type of room in any program-arranged housing facility.

Independent housing: homestay

TU students, and non-Temple students with approval from their home institution, can opt to live with a local homestay family. Students will work directly with the homestay agency. Basic information about the homestay option:

  • A good option for flexible students who are interested in linguistic and cultural immersion.
  • Provides additional opportunities for language practice, as Japanese hosts do not necessarily speak English fluently.
  • Private room in a Japanese home.
  • Students can choose to include breakfast with their homestay, or breakfast and dinner.
  • Usually located in one of Kyoto's many residential areas, so you will get to know local neighborhoods that the casual tourist doesn't usually see.
  • Commute to campus varies, but averages 50-60 minutes by public transportation.
  • If you opt for a homestay, you need to provide your confirmed housing address to Education Abroad before the start of the program.

Independent housing: other

Temple students and non-Temple students with approval from your home institution, you may elect to arrange your own housing. If you opt for independent housing, you need to provide your confirmed housing address to Education Abroad before the start of the program.

Policies

For more detailed policies, please refer to your Temple study abroad portal. 

  • Program-arranged housing is not guaranteed to all participants, but we do our best to accommodate accepted students if they apply with a preference for program-housing or if their home school requires them to live in program-arranged housing. If you are offered a spot in housing, you have 2 weeks to submit the required deposit and accept the housing policies. 
  • Once confirmed in housing, there are likely to be financial consequences to withdrawing from housing, depending on the timeline. See our refund policies for more information. 
  • If you are requesting any accommodations for a disability that may affect your housing placement, please contact the program management team (program.manager@temple.edu) to discuss, as there are cultural differences related to accessibility abroad. Be sure to submit your accommodations letter from Temple or your home institution in the Temple study abroad portal early. 
  • Students confirmed in program-arranged housing get their address shortly before the program start date. 
  • We cannot accommodate requests to change into a different room type or dorm after housing has been assigned. 
Activities & Excursions

Program excursions

The Office of Student Services and Engagement (OSSE) in Kyoto organizes weekly engagement activities for students to explore Japanese culture outside of the classroom. In previous semesters, students have created masterpieces during ikebana and silk dyeing workshops, visited nearby onsen, and traveled on a multi-day trip to Nagasaki! The first week of the program is packed with welcome trips and social events, in addition to excursions throughout the program.

Faculty & On-site Support

Temple Japan Faculty

Courses in this program are taught by Temple Japan Kyoto faculty.

On-site Support Staff

When you study at Temple Japan, you'll have the support of the caring staff of the campus, including a dedicated Office of Student Services and Engagement team (OSSE), Counseling Services, Learning Center, Accessibility Services, Career Development, and more.

Program Costs

PROGRAM DEPOSIT

Students will pay a non-refundable program deposit of $400 within 2 weeks of acceptance to the program. This non-refundable deposit is credited to your program fees as a prepayment. 

TUITION AND FEES

Temple and Non-Temple students are charged the Part-time Rate for Non-Matriculated Students per credit hour of enrollment based on their state of permanent residency.

All students pay the Japan Program Fee.

For complete details about billable costs and estimates for non-billable expenses, such as airfare, meals, and personal expenses, view the program cost sheet.

View detailed program costs.

SCHOLARSHIPS AND FINANCIAL AID

Education Abroad offers competitive, need-based scholarships for this program. Learn more about scholarships and financial aid.

Health & Safety

Staying healthy and safe abroad requires good planning and strong support. Review our health and safety page for important steps to prepare to study abroad, and details about international travel medical insurance and assistance provided by Temple.  

Japan is a relatively safe destination with little crime. Quality medical care is available, but it's important to understand cultural differences, especially related to mental health matters in Japan. TUJ has a Counseling Office, which often operates with a waitlist, and teletherapy is available through our global assistance provider, but additional English-speaking mental health care may be limited. We will provide accepted students with more information and resources, and TUJ's counseling office provides information about bringing medications into Japan. We encourage you to speak with Education Abroad or our global assistance provider if you have any questions.

Contact

Eligibility Requirements

Temple Rome, Temple Japan, Temple in Spain, and Temple Faculty-led programs are open to qualified students matriculated at any U.S. or Canadian college or university.

Temple Exchange programs, Temple Global Seminars, and External programs are open only to matriculated Temple University students. 

You are eligible to apply if you meet the following requirements.

Are enrolled fulltime and will have completed 2 semesters before studying abroad
  • You are enrolled as a full-time matriculated student at the time of application as well as during the semester prior to studying abroad.
  • You will have completed at least two (2) semesters of college-level study by the program start.
Are in good academic standing and meet minimum GPA requirement for the program

You meet minimum cumulative GPA requirement from all colleges/universities attended. As of May 2025, the GPA requirement for most programs is 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. Exceptions include:

  • Rome Internships: 3.0
  • Exchange Programs: 2.75
  • External Programs: various, provider requirements may differ from Temple's

You remain in good academic standing from the time of application until the start of your term abroad; students on academic warning are not eligible to participate.

Have a valid passport

You will need a passport, valid well beyond the length of your program, by the application deadline.

View deadlines and validity requirements for your host country.

Are in good disciplinary standing

You must be in good disciplinary standing at the time of application and remain so through the start of your term abroad. Students who have been found responsible for a code of conduct violation and will not be in good disciplinary standing (including disciplinary probation) may submit a petition for review.

Meet the minimum age requirement

You are at least 18 years old at the time of application.

For Temple Japan - Summer Japanese Language Intensive in Kyoto, there are no additional eligibility requirements.

Application Requirements

The standard application requirements pertain to all students applying to Temple programs.

    Temple Japan - Summer Japanese Language Intensive in Kyoto, there are no additional application requirements.

    Admissions Timeline

    • Admissions is rolling (early applications encouraged).
    • Once you submit your application, you should expect a decision within two (2) weeks.

    Apply

    Don't miss your chance to study abroad!