- Established in 1973
- One of the first comprehensive universities to be established in Japan after a country wide university reform
- Member of the Association of East Asian Research Universities
- 25 colleges, 1 master’s degree program, and 7 doctoral degree programs
- Exchange students can participate in the Junior Year at Tsukuba Program - regarded as one of the leading programs in Japan
- All courses have a focus on Japanese society
- Located in Tsukuba Science City
- Approximately 60 km from Tokyo, and easily accessible by rapid transit service
Visa + Requirements|Travel advice + advisories
Partner university’s areas of study
- For undergraduate level short-term exchange students, Tsukuba offers classes in English through the Junior Year at Tsukuba (JTP) Program (not available to graduate students)
- JTP offers over 60 classes available in areas such as international relations, education, psychology, law, comparative cultures, Japanese language and culture, biology, and engineering
- For more information regarding coursework in English please see: Courses in English
- Japanese language courses are also available throughout the semester - see: International Student Center
- Students take courses in Japanese and English in the following disciplines: international relations, education, psychology, law, comparative cultures, Japanese language and culture, biology, and engineering
Eligibility and Timing
Terms Offered
Who can go?
- Exchange students can take coursework in many areas of study
Term Dates
- Spring semester: Early April to Late September (UBC Term 2) - classes end in August and you will be able to return to UBC for the following term
- Fall semester: Early October to Late March (UBC Term 1)
- Please apply for the UBC term that you wish to be abroad
Credits
Course equivalency formula
- Same as UBC credits
Credit transfer process
The transfer credit process takes approximately 16 weeks following each submission deadline. You should allow sufficient time to meet important deadlines that may affect you (e.g. application for graduation, registration in courses that require prerequisites that you took on exchange, entry to a major/honours program, etc.)
For more information about Go Global transfer credit
Grading scheme
- A = 80-100%
- B = 70-79%
- C = 60-69%
- D = < 59% (Fail)
Passing grade
60Course Information
* Students who have special requirements or require academic accommodation should contact a Go Global advisor regarding their needs at least six weeks prior to the application deadline.
Type of Go Global Experiences
Course information and restrictions
- UBC students will be participating in the Junior Year (Third Year) at University of Tsukuba, Faculty of Arts programs
- Information on Japanese Language Courses for international students
- When selecting courses, ensure that they are available in the semester for which you are applying
Transfer Credits And Equivalent Courses At This University
Check out the courses that previous students have transferred back to UBC in the last 5 years using our Course Search Tool. If you don't see a particular course you listed, it simply means you need to submit it as a new course request through the Transfer Credit Portal while on your Go Global experience. For more information, please visit the Go Global Transfer Credit webpage.
Exchange Tuition
- 15 credits or equivalent full-time program fee per term, paid to UBC
- Some exceptions may apply
Scholarships and awards
The Go Global Award $1000
All students accepted to Go Global for Exchange, Research Abroad, or Study Abroad travel programs are automatically considered for this award. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you'll be notified of your award after you're accepted to Go Global and after you get nominated to apply to the partner university.
Additional awards
Students who are eligible for awards may receive one UBC or UBC-affiliated international learning award. If you're eligible, you are always offered the highest-value award. Unless stated otherwise, you need to meet eligibility criteria set out by the University Senate regarding awards.
Check out international learning awards and eligibility.
- UBC Students with outstanding academic performance may be nominated for the JASSO (Japan Student Services Organization) scholarship
Information for US students:
If you are a student from the United States, please check the US Department of Education Lookup Tool to ensure that any partner institution you wish to attend on Exchange is Title IV ‘eligible’ for Federal Student Aid for the year in which you intend to study there. For institutions outside of the US, select “Foreign Country” from the “State” dropdown menu.
If you attend an eligible institution, then you may receive Title IV federal student loans while on Exchange.
If you attend an ineligible institution:
- You will not be eligible for US federal student loans,
- You may invalidate any US student aid you have previously received for your studies at UBC,
- You may be required to immediately begin repaying your US student loans, and
- You may not be eligible for any future US student aid for the remainder of your studies at UBC.
Types of accommodation available
Housing notes
- Tsukuba will secure a room for each incoming student in the student dormitories
- If the room allocated by the dormitory administrative office is not suitable there are options to live in an off-campus private apartment, whose monthly rent ranges from 30,000 to 60,000 yen
- For students who prefer off-campus housing, the University of Tsukuba will offer the service in which it will welcome a cosignatory, which is needed when renting an apartment in Japan
- Rooms in the dormitories are approximately 9~10 m2 and equipped with a bed (including pillow, bed sheet and blanket), a desk, a chair, and a washbasin
- Monthly rent is about 17,000 yen for a single room (meals are not included)
- When moving into the dormitory room, the student will need to pay a deposit of 30,000 yen