5.HOW TO GET TO SU

6.AFTER ARRIVAL: ORIENTATIONS & EVENTS

8.SIM CARD

16.SU Language Exchange Fair

17.Life in Saitama

１.ACCEPTANCE LETTER

The Acceptance Letter issued by Saitama University is sent as an email attachment.

1) Please check the file to see if there are any corrections that need to be made. (Spelling of name, date of birth, Study period, etc.). Our acceptance letter does not incorporate diacritical marks. Instead, we use the name as written below your passport picture.

2) The attached data is the original, so you can print this out yourself and submit it for your visa application. *Only in the specific case that the Japanese embassy in your country will only accept a letter printed by the university, we will send the letter by international mail. If the Japanese Embassy informs you that such special handling is required, please report it using the link below.

Please check the above two points, and all of you should report the results via the URL link below by June 15th. 

>>https://forms.office.com/r/zmCYW4Cacu

２.SCHOLARSHIP 

STEPS students may be provided with a scholarship by JASSO (Japan Student Services Organization) and all those who meet the eligibility requirements may apply.

If you are interested in receiving the scholarship, please read the application requirements carefully at the link below and apply by June 15th through the Forms below.

>>JASSO scholarship

>>https://forms.office.com/r/zmCYW4Cacu

*Same link as above “1. ACCEPTANCE LETTER”, so please apply along with your answers above.

Notification of the results of the on-campus selection process is expected by the end of July.

(It may be delayed depending on circumstances. Please note that we are unable to provide details of the on-campus selection process.)

３.THINGS TO DO BEFORE YOUR DEPARTURE

●Apply for your Student Visa

To apply for a student visa, you will need the Acceptance Letter issued by the university and Certificate of Eligibility(CoE) issued by the immigration office.

CoE is currently being applied for by Saitama University to the Immigration Office and is expected to be issued around late August. This is in EMAIL FORMAT so we will forward it to you as soon as we receive it. When you receive your CoE, you must visit your local Japanese Embassy to apply for your “Student Visa”.  Please make a reservation at the embassy once you have your CoE. We recommend contacting your embassy in advance to inquire about the processing time and ensure you have all necessary documents ready as this process may need to be completed immediately. 

>>Visa application form sample

●Travel Insurance

Japanese government requires all new incoming foreign nationals to obtain a minimum of 2-week overseas insurance, before joining Japanese National Health Insurance. Therefore, we ask all students to purchase overseas insurance, covering from the day of their departure up to 14 days. Students will purchase insurances after their arrival that will cover their entire study period. Further information can be found below.

●What to Bring :  We advice you to bring your daily items as much as possible, including the following.

 ・Laptop computer 　・Credit card     ・Cash (at least 50,000JPY) 　・Immediate living necessities (such as Toiletries, hairdryer*, etc. / The dormitory has only minimal furniture) 　

      * Type of plug available in Japan  :     ○ Type A       × Type B

●SIM card

You need a Japanese SIM card to use the internet in Japan.  We recommend that you get a tourist SIM card that can be used for 1-2 weeks before departure or after arriving at the airport in Japan.

You can apply for a SIM card through our university. Please see “８. SIM Card” below for the detail.

４.ARRIVAL IN JAPAN & I-HOUSE CHECK-IN  

Make sure you buy your airline ticket only after you have obtained your visa or buy a ticket that allows you to change the date (if your visa is not granted, or if your travel date is delayed because of the time it takes for the visa to be processed, your ticket will be wasted).

It is also advisable to book flights arriving in the morning or early afternoon, as it takes several hours to travel domestically from the international airports to Saitama University. Please consider it may take 1-2 hours to go through immigration at the airport and approximately 2-3 hours of travel time from Haneda and Narita Airports. 

◎At Airport

・Residence Card : After you arrive at the airport, a residence card is issued at the landing checkpoint and given to you on the spot. This card is a very important one that shows your identity in Japan. Please be careful not to lose it.

Note that if you are considering taking a part-time job in Japan (International students can work part-time for up to 28 hours per week), you must have prior permission from the immigration office.

The permit is called ‘Permission to Engage in Activity other than that permitted under the status of residence previously granted/資格外活動許可” and can be obtained at the airport if you apply with your residence card. Once you obtain permission, it will be printed on the back of your residence card.

Even if you do not apply at the airport, you can apply at the Immigration Bureau after arriving in Saitama.

・Money exchange: There are no exchange offices near the university, so it is advisable to exchange cash for immediate needs at the airport.

Credit card payments are accepted in many shops, railway companies and taxis, though, Local buses, for example, are cash-only.

◎I-house Check-in 

Check-in dates to the International House (I-House) are as below. The I-house office closes at night and you cannot check in outside these hours basically. So, if you are arriving at the airport at night, you should stay overnight at a hotel and check in the next day.

When you arrive to the campus, go to the I-House office first to receive your room key. The office is located in the 1st Building of I-House. Our Resident Assistants will help you check in.

Check-in Dates : September 16-17, 2025

Check-in Time : 10:00am—9:00pm

※You can come to Japan before these dates, but you will not be able to move into I-house.

５.HOW TO GET TO SU *NEW*

Please give us your flight details from the following form by August 31st.
>>STEPS students Arrival information

☆Info on TRANSPORTATION CARD ☆　!NEW! 

You can consider getting a “Welcome Suica” card at the airport. It should cover all transportation to Saitama University.

This card requires no deposit and only valid for 28 days.
After you’ve settled into life in Japan, you’ll need to switch to a regular Suica card for continued use.

Click Here for Details. 

◎Tutor pick-up service

We will arrange for student tutors to pick you up at the Omiya, a terminal station in Saitama City, located near SU.

If you want a pick-up service, you need to report it in Forms above and come to the meeting point at the Omiya station on the date and time we specify. We will use public transportation (train & local bus) to get to the university.

If you do not need to be picked up, please come to the university by yourself using public transportation. 

<Pick-up date and time>

●Date：9/16(Tue) and 9/17(Wed)
●Time：13:00, 15:30
●Place：Bus stop from Haneda Airport at Omiya station

*If you arrive at Omiya Station earlier than these times, please wait until tutors come to pick you up. There are many restaurants and shopping malls nearby.

◎How to get to Omiya or SU from each Airport
From either airport, it takes 2 to 2.5 hours to reach the university campus.

◎Bus stop at Omiya from Haneda Airport  

West exit of Omiya Station, in front of department stores “SOGO” (Near the ★ on the map)

６.AFTER ARRIVAL: ORIENTATIONS & EVENTS 

Various Orientations on Administrative procedures at ward office, Student Life in Japan, registering for courses, etc. will be held after your arrival, starting on September 18. Orientation in blue is mandatory for all students to attend. Other than these, you should also attend the ones that are relevant to you.

<< Schedule >> *Some programs are subject to date changes. 

７.INSURANCES & MEDICAL SERVICES 

・National Health Insurance

In Japan, it is a law for all residents to enroll in Japan’s National Health Insurance  (NHI) system. It  is supported by the regular NHI tax (premium) contributions from healthy NHI members that allow them to be ready for serious illnesses and injuries. NHI helps members pay incurred medical costs and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Premium may be paid monthly (around 1,000JPY) and it will cover 70% of the fee for each of your doctor’s visit.

・CO-OP Student Insurance (Life Mutual Insurance and Personal Liability Insurance)

Life Mutual Insurance protects you from sudden hospitalization, surgery, and outpatient care. Personal Liability Insurance, on the other hand, protects you if you injure someone or damage someone else’s property. Premium is around 12,000 JPY (including refundable deposit of 4,000 JPY/Amounts are subject to change). Please prepare the amount to pay in cash at the Insurance registration. Please note that it is mandatory to purchase this insurance even if you purchased this type of insurance before your arrival.

 >>CO-OP Students Insurance

８.SIM CARD

It is up to you which company you sign up with, but if you choose” Sun-Net” and apply via the link below by 12:00 on September 10, we will hand you a SIM card at the university on September 18 or 19 (Note that payment must be completed in advance in order to receive the item on this date.). Also, Sun-Net staff will visit the university on September 22 to explain about SIM cards, so if you have any questions, you can ask them there. 

Even if you did not apply by September 10, you can still apply by attending this information session (however, SIM cards will be mailed to your address at a later date).

For students living off-campus, please select “International Residence” (the only available option), and enter “living off-campus” in the room number field.

>>Apply for Sun-Net *by 12:00 on September 10 (JST)

You can also find and sign a contract other than above by yourself. The following SIM cards are popular with international students:

〇Rakuten mobile

〇LINEMO

<Note>
* If you want to use a SIM card in Japan, please check the following points.
・Your smartphone must be SIM unlocked.
・The name on the credit card used to pay the monthly fee must be your name.

* Free internet access is available in the I-house and on campus, though, in case it takes a few days from the time you arrive in Japan until the SIM you signed up for becomes available, and If you want immediate access to the internet anywhere, it is recommended that you buy and use a tourist SIM at the airport in the meantime. 

９.ACADEMIC CALENDAR

Our academic calendar is based on a quarter-based system. However, exchange students may only enroll either from the Term1 or Term 3. Term 4 concludes on Feb 6, 2026. 

>>2025 Academic Calendar

10.COURSES 

Exchange students may take courses held in English and regular courses in Japanese (exception may apply to some courses).
Japanese language courses are also available.
Details on course registration will be explained at the orientation held after arrival in Japan.

Please refer to our website below for further information. 

Courses for STEPS students

Intensive Japanese Language Courses    
Students who wish to take the Intensive Japanese Language Course must pre-apply and take a placement test prior to the orientation period. Please refer to “Overview of the Intensive Japanese Language Course” and complete the online form by 12:00 on September 4.
Students will be placed in classes best suited to their proficiency levels. In the Japanese course covers Reading, Writing, Grammar, Listening and Kanji.

>> Overview of the Intensive Japanese Language Course

>> Application for the Intensive Japanese Language Course for STEPS  *by 12:00 on 9/4 (JST)

*All students are required to answer as it is a survey of your Japanese language skills and whether or not you wish to take the course.

<Note>
 To maintain your Student Visa status, exchange students must have at least 10 hours of lecture time per week, which is equivalent to 7 periods a week.  1 period is 90 minutes long at Saitama University. 

11.ACADEMIC SYSTEM

Credit Hours ＆ Grades

12.INTERNATIONAL HOUSE (I-House) 

STEPS students can move into I-house without any conditions.
For more information on facilities, rent, dormitory regulations, etc., please check the following links.

●Detailed information
>> Housing for Exchange Students
>> I-house Guidebook
>> Application outline for 2025 Fall STEPS

●Application and Room match

All students are required to fill out the questionnaire about your housing and student life from below by July 18th (Fri). 
Even if you do not move into I-house, please report this through the link.

>>https://forms.office.com/r/ia4iNycqqh
>>Pledge

 *I-House application and room match will be based on this questionnaire.
Applicants must read the above “I-house Guidebook”, understand and agree to its contents, and upload the signed pledge.

 *You will be guaranteed a room in the dormitory, but will not be notified of the type of room you will be assigned around the 4th week of August.

●Period of Residence

Date of moving-in: September 16 and 17, 2025 

Date of moving out: Students staying half a year(2terms):  by Feb 13, 2026 (tentative). Students staying for 1 year(4terms): by early August 2026 (exact date to be decided). 

●Departure Guidelines After Program Completion 

We do not recommend staying in Japan for more than one month after the program. This is because your residence card becomes invalid upon completion of the program, regardless of the expiration date printed on it. While Japanese immigration may allow a short grace period for departure preparations, this is generally understood to be a few weeks only. Additionally, please note that once you leave the I-House, you will be removed from the National Health Insurance, which covers medical visits. To avoid complications, we strongly recommend that you plan to leave within one month after the program ends.

13.EXPENSES

Expected expenses including room and board, recreational and incidental expenses is approximately 80,000 JPY per month. Make sure you have sufficient funds to cover yourself for the duration of your stay in Japan.

Students should expect to spend approximately 1,000,000 JPY for a four-term study, and 500,000 JPY for a two-term study.

14.Campus Map

15.SU Exchange Students Gathering 

We have a community helps students who are planning to study abroad. Students from Saitama university and its partner universities are welcome. This community functions as a platform for sharing experiences, or asking questions about study abroad such as what is the procedures of getting a visa, advice for living in a different country. 

If you would like to join this community, please apply using the form below. Applications will be accepted at any time.
https://forms.office.com/r/x8DQi2wn4p

You’ll receive a “Slack” invitation to your email address later(Please also check your junk mail).
However, some email addresses used in China may not be able to be registered (ex: ~@qq.com)

16.SU Language Exchange Fair

We will be holding language exchange events as a place where Saitama University students and exchange students can casually interact. If you’d like to make Japanese friends, let’s join us!
*Participation is required for those planning to receive a JASSO scholarship.

　>>Guideline(Japanese)

　>>Guideline(English)

17.Life in Saitama

Our interns will introduce you to life and attractions in Saitama. Use this information to help you imagine what it would be like to live in Japan before you arrive!

18.Contact information

The Office of International Affairs / Saitama University

  Address:  255 Shimo-okubo, Sakura-ku, Saitama City 338-8570 JAPAN

  Tel:        +81(48)858-3011| Fax: +81(48)858-9675

  E-mail:      inbound@gr.saitama-u.ac.jp

Saitama University International House

  Address:   645 Shimo-okubo, Sakura-ku, Saitama City 338-0825 JAPAN