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Nanzan University

The sun peaks through the clouds to show a city with many tall buildings in front of a series of mountains. A tall red and white tower and a Ferris Wheel are also visible.

Talk to a representative for this program at the Study Abroad Fair.

Japan, Nagoya

Limited Capacity Program: This program can accept a limited number of students each term, and in the past we have received more qualified applicants than available spots. To determine selection for a limited capacity program, reviewers consider a variety of criteria. You may only have one open application per term, but should have an alternate program in mind in the event that you are not accepted to this program.

Experience Japanese culture and language while studying in Nagoya, Japan! This exchange program allows students to enroll in the Center for Japanese Studies at Nanzan University, a department administered by the university's Center for International Education. By living and learning in Japan, students can experience Japan together with a cross-section of people from other countries and cultures. The result is a dynamic group of students from many different backgrounds united in their goal to discover Japan. This program offers a mix of Japanese language and content courses offered in Japanese and English.

Learning Objectives

We have overall Goals and Expectations for Study Abroad Participants, covering the personal, academic and professional aspects of study abroad. Additionally on this program, you can:

  • Strengthen language skills
  • Navigate new educational systems, as well as new learning and teaching styles
  • Observe Japanese perspectives on academic disciplines
  • Deepen cross-cultural understanding through host families

Diversity & Inclusion

We are committed to providing quality study abroad and domestic study away programs for every UW-Madison student. We work strategically to identify, address, and remove barriers that may prevent participation and to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment for students. Our staff actively engages with students, faculty, and staff from diverse backgrounds and prioritizes the continuous development of our knowledge and cultural competence. We also recognize the importance of increasing access to study abroad for historically underrepresented student populations. We are committed to diversity and inclusion so that every student can engage with and understand their identity through a new lens and continue to develop and make progress on their personal, professional, and academic goals.

Sustainability

We recognize that the future of study abroad, domestic study away, and international internship programming requires a Commitment to Sustainability. We are devoted to examining, developing, and improving sustainability in all our endeavors, aligning with campus priorities and following through with UW-Madison's climate action and Resilience Commitment. Join our efforts and learn more about how to study abroad sustainably.

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Eligibility

  • 3.0 cumulative GPA
  • Preference will be given to students who have taken Japanese language coursework.
  • Junior, Senior, Sophomore
  • Open to UW-Madison degree-seeking students only
  • Good academic and disciplinary standing
  • At the time of application and the semester prior to participation, UW-Madison students must be currently enrolled. Transfer Students to UW-Madison need to be currently enrolled at their home institution

Advising Location

Program Structure

Exchange & Direct Enroll

Subjects

Japanese language, humanities, social sciences, business

Classroom Language

English, Japanese

Housing

Local Hosts, Residence Hall

Program Duration

Academic Year: Early September - Mid-May

Spring: Mid-January - Mid-May

Application Deadline(s)

Spring 2026-27 8/7/2026 Cost Details
Year 2027-28 12/4/2026 Cost Details

Future durations will be posted at a later date.

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Nanzan University is ranked among the leading private universities in Japan. In 1946 it began as a College of Foreign Languages and has since grown to a university with seven faculties and eleven research institutes and centers. The University's Center for Japanese Studies, founded in 1974, has been a leader in Japanese language studies, with the goal of helping each student develop a better understanding of the Japanese people and language.

The CJS program has 5 different types of courses: Japanese Language Courses, Japanese Seminar Courses, Lecture Courses in Japanese Area Studies, Practical Courses in the Japanese Arts, and Open Courses.

You will enroll in Japanese language courses with other international students at the Center for Japanese Studies. Depending on your Japanese language proficiency, you may also select from a range of seminars conducted in Japanese (Japanese Seminar Courses). Entry into these courses depends on which language course you placed into.

The Center for Japanese Studies also offers a wide selection of lecture courses taught in English (Lecture Courses in Japanese Area Studies) that cover politics, economics, society, religion, literature, and the history of Japan, as well as courses in management, intercultural communication, linguistics, and language acquisition. Students may also take courses in Japanese fine arts (Practical Courses in the Japanese Arts) such as sumie (Chinese Black Ink Painting), hanga (woodblock printing), shodo (calligraphy), and ikebana (flower arranging). In the fall semester, there is an opportunity to take course which are also offered to regular students at Nanzan University (Open Courses). Otherwise, students are not able to take coursework outside of the Center for Japanese Studies.

No prior experience with the Japanese language is required to apply for this program. If you will be starting to learn the Japanese language on this program, we strongly recommend that you learn how to read Japanese hiragana and katakana before leaving for Japan, in order to be able to keep up with the pace of the language courses. 

Affiliate Institution(s)

Nanzan University 50 Years of CJS

Program Web Pages

Center for Japanese Studies - Intensive Japanese Program

Course Equivalents

Use the links below to see a list of courses that past students have taken on this program and the UW equivalents. Note: This list only includes pre-approved courses for your program and may not be an exhaustive list of courses, departments or equivalents. Courses may not be available the semester you are abroad. You will receive instructions on the course equivalent process after acceptance. View Course Equivalents