Exchange Program
Exchange Program(Fall)
as of August 31, 2026
(2027 Fall) Application Guideline for Outgoing Student Exchange Program
*Please note that the list of partner institutions and their application requirements are subject to change. In the event of any changes, this page will be updated as needed, so please check back regularly for the latest information.
*The possibility of canceling the Outgoing Student Exchange Program to Russia and Mexico (around Guadalajara) due to the deteriorating/security situation
Due to the deteriorating situation and security conditions in Russia and Mexico (around Guadalajara), we are suspending the program with travel to these regions now.
We will recruit applicants for 2027 Fall, including to these regions. However, if the situation/security does not improve by the time the program starts, the program with travel to the affected countries will be canceled.
Enrollment
To apply for the program, you must be enrolled as a second-year or third-year student of HOSEI University in AY2026.
Any student on or plans to take a leave of absence in the 2026 Fall semester may not apply for the program. Applicants must move on to the third or fourth year in the year they start their exchange program.
Academic requirements
The Grade Point Average (GPA) calculated through to the most recent semester must be 2.30 or higher at the time of the application.
A higher GPA may be required depending on the institution you apply for. Please refer to the list of application requirements in the "Requirements for GPA and language" section below.
You must meet the GPA requirements at the time of the application for the screening examination as well as at the end of the 2026 Fall Semester.
Language requirements
You must meet the requirements for each institution as listed below.
The number is determined according to agreements and the balance of student exchange. Please refer to the list of application requirements in the "Requirements for GPA and language" section below.
Period of exchange can be chosen from one academic year or one semester.
One academic year from Fall (Winter) semester 2027 to Spring (Summer) semester 2028 (2 semesters)
One semester from Fall (Winter) semester 2027
※Some universities are accredited two semesters as one semester of study period in HOSEI; University of California, Davis: from Fall to Winter semester / Birkbeck, University of London: from Autumn to Spring semester)
Please refer to the following link.
- Application requirements and other conditions for each partner institution
- Requirements are subject to change. This link will be updated as changes occur.
If the examination language is both English and local language for the institution you apply for, you can apply in either language. At the institution, classes are taught in both languages but not all departments and courses are lectured in English.
(Necessary language certificate for each examination language)
English: either TOEFL iBT or IELTS (local language certificate is not necessary)
Local language: Only local language certificate (English language certificate is not necessary)
The requirements for GPA and language listed are the minimum requirements for each institution. Higher scores may be required depending on the faculty or study area. Please check with the website of each institution.
The language certificate must be valid at the time of application for each partner institution (May 2027).
*Students who apply for University in the United Kingdom must have the required TOEFL iBT or IELTS scores which is valid until September 2027.
For the English language certificate, only the following language tests are accepted;
IELTS on computer / paper: Academic only. (Score of General test is not accepted)
TOEFL®: iBT (Internet Based Test) only
※IELTS’s One Skill Retake score or TOEFL®：iBT’s My best score is not accepted.
※IELTS Online or TOEFL®：iBT Home edition is not accepted.
In addition to the total score, some institutions have requirements for each subject (L: Listening, R: Reading, W: Writing, S: Speaking).
[Important] About TOEFL iBT® Taken on or After January 21, 2026
The TOEFL iBT® has been updated to a new format for all tests administered from January 21, 2026, onwards. Please be sure to check the requirements for each university in the link above, as the acceptance of scores from the new format varies by host institution.
Application requirements and other conditions are subject to change without prior notice depending on the circumstances of each institution.
HOSEI University Outgoing Student Exchange Program Scholarship
A scholarship will be paid as an aid to travel expenses, dormitory expenses and living expenses etc. as follows.
For undergraduate students, a part of the scholarship (200,000 yen) will be subsidized by the HOSEI University Parent Association.
| China, Taiwan, and Malaysia | 700,000 yen One semester: 350,000 yen |
| All partner institutions other than China, Taiwan, and Malaysia | 1,000,000 yen One semester: 500,000 yen |
* The scholarship will be paid in two installments.
* The scholarship is a subsidy of the expenses, and the exceeding amounts should be borne by the exchange student.
The tuition fee of the partner institution will be exempted based on the student exchange agreement.
If students start their study abroad for one academic year in 4th year and could not graduate from their faculty after the credit transfer, tuition fee for the 5th year at HOSEI University is waived (except various related fees).
Application
Register online on the “派遣・認定留学ポータルサイト(Portal Site)” which is described later.
Study plan
Enter on the “派遣・認定留学ポータルサイト(Portal Site)” summarizing the following ① - ④ into about 900 words in English and local language (only if you take the screening examination in local language).
① Reasons of applying the exchange program (motive)
② Your major and what you have learned at HOSEI University
③ Reasons for choosing the institutions you are applying for and study plan at each institution (in detail)
④ Other (anything special you wish to mention)
*You must complete the study plan by yourself. You will be disqualified if any misconduct is discovered, including having others to correct the plan and copying others’ or AI’s sentences. An interview will be conducted to examine whether your language skills are equivalent to your study plan.
Language certificate
Upload the data on the “Application form” which is described later.
The language certificate must be valid at the time of application for the host institution (May 2026) ※Students who apply for University in the United Kingdom must have the required TOEFL iBT or IELTS scores which is valid until September 2026.
English proficiency tests
IELTS Test Report Form or TOEFL® iBT Examinee’s Score Record
For TOEFL, Official Score Report sent to HOSEI University is also accepted. In that case, please consult with the International Office.
*IELTS’s One Skill Retake score or TOEFL®：iBT’s My best score is not accepted.
*IELTS Online or TOEFL®：iBT Home edition is not accepted.
Chinese proficiency tests
HSK’s Score Report, Test of Chinese Proficiency’s Certificate of passing, TOCFL’s Score Report.
German proficiency tests
German Diploma in Japan’s Certificate of passing, Goethe-Zertifikat’s Certificate of passing
French proficiency tests
DELF/TCF’s Diploma, Test in Practical French Proficiency’s Certificate of passing
Russian proficiency tests
ТРКИ's Diploma, ロシア語能力検定試験’s Certificate of passing
Spanish proficiency tests
DELE’s Diploma, Evaluacion Oficial Del Conocimiento De La Lengua Espanola’s Certificate of passing
Transcripts of HOSEI University（Can be download at HOSEI University Portal site）
Upload the data on the “Application form”.
Application Period and Procedures
*Please ensure that you complete the tasks Step 1and Step 2 by the deadline indicated below.
For the details of Application procedures, please refer to Application for Outgoing Student Exchange Program.
Step1 Register at the “派遣・認定留学ポータルサイト(Portal Site)” and fill out your application and study plan
September 18(Friday)～October 8(Thursday)17:00
Step2 Submit the application documents online via the “Application Form”
October 2(Friday)～October 8(Thursday)17:00 *Be careful that "Application Form" will be closed 17:00 o'clock.
Appling to multiple institutions
You can apply for more than one institution in different region if the examination language is same.
[For example]
Swiss Universität St. Gallen (exam in English) and Czech Czech Technical University (exam in English);
Can be applied for at the same time
Swiss Universität St. Gallen (exam in German) and Czech Czech Technical University (exam in English);
Can NOT be applied for at the same time
[Notes for multiple applications]
All institutions listed in your application will be considered as your choices for study, and one of them will be determined as your host institution if you pass the screening exam.
You can list up to five choices in the form if their examinations are in the same language.
For the application document “(2) Study Plan”, please describe your study plans for all the institutions you choose.
If you do not enter your 2nd through 5th choices, the screening process will end and you will not pass the examination if you are not selected for your first choice.
Consideration for application
Please do a thorough research on the institutions you wish to apply for, using their websites. Note that some faculties and courses may not accept international students, and some may require a higher GPA or Language score.
Interview（English and Local language (only if you take the screening examination in local language)）
Date： October 24 (Saturday), 2026
Place: Ichigaya Campus (face to face)
Required for: All candidates
The Interview will be conducted in person.
Details about the interview test will be sent to your registered email address by October 16 (Fri.). Please contact us if you do not receive any emails.
Applicants must bring their student ID card to the exam.
*The interview time will be decided by the international office. If you have unavailable time to participate in the interview for acceptable reasons such as attending the class, please consult with the international office beforehand.
The screening results are scheduled to be sent to each candidate at the beginning of December. We do not respond to any inquires before that.
Candidates’ academic achievement, language skills and interview results will be comprehensively reviewed for screening. Details on the screening will not be disclosed.
Obligation of outgoing exchange students
You shall complete all procedures and preparations concerning the exchange program on your own responsibility.
You shall concentrate on study during the period of exchange program. You shall take at least 2 courses each semester, acquire these credits, and take procedures for accreditation at your faculty in HOSEI University.
In the case you fail to acquire the required number of credits, scholarship payments may need to be returned.
You shall report to the HOSEI University about learning and living status once a month during the period of exchange program.
You shall depart in time for an orientation at host university and return to Japan within the specified period after the program completes (within 2 weeks from the final class day of the course or the final examination date). You shall submit an annual study report and pass on information to outgoing students the following year. Extension of the period of the study is basically not allowed.
You shall make your study abroad period meaningful. The full amount of the scholarship must be returned if you return to Japan without permission during the program, or do not return to HOSEI University within a certain period. However, this does not apply to the cases of injury, illness, and other unavoidable reasons that are approved.
You shall purchase the overseas travel accident insurance designated by HOSEI University. Please note that some host countries or institutions require international students to purchase local health insurance. Even if that is the case, purchasing the overseas travel accident insurance designated by HOSEI University remains compulsory (i.e., you must enroll in both).
You shall actively participate in activities and events related to the PR of HOSEI University while studying abroad.
In order to ensure a safe student life while studying abroad, you shall collect information on a wide range of the country and region you wish to study in, including safety and education circumstances, before making the application.
- Japanese Student Services Organization
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs/ Overseas Security
Credit recognition
After returning to Japan, the credits acquired at the partner institution may be recognized as credits required for graduation at HOSEI University, after being deliberated at the faculty meeting, with a limitation of 30 to 60 credits. ※ Please check for details at your own faculty.
Enrollment
During the exchange program, exchange students’ enrollment status, school fee, and other conditions are treated as the same as a student at HOSEI University, and the period of the exchange program is included in the number of years required for graduation. Payment of the school fee at HOSEI University for the year of study abroad must be made by the prescribed deadline.
Others
Students who have passed the screening exam may still be disqualified if his/her academic performance is unsatisfactory or he/she engages in activities that are not deemed suitable for an exchange student.
The student exchange program may be cancelled if unforeseen circumstances are concerned due to changes in world affairs, or the host country becomes a dangerous region according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or due to reasons of the partner institution.
You shall improve the language skills before going overseas, by attending HOSEI University’s Exchange Students from Oversea Program (ESOP). Please refer to the ESOP Guidelines for details. (available on the Global Education Center website)
If you have any pre-existing conditions or health concerns about studying abroad, be sure to describe the details in the `主な既往症 (Pre-existing Conditions)'' column when registering your application on the the “派遣・認定留学ポータルサイト(Portal Site)”.
Even if you pass the screening exam at HOSEI University, admission might not be granted at the discretion of the host university.
Some host countries require submission of proof of finances above a certain amount at the time of application or visa application. Gather information on living expenses and visa procedures for your desired study destination country in advance.
Students who have passed the screening exam must attend several orientations. The first orientation will be held in December 5 (Sat.), 2026. The second orientation will be held in late March and the pre-departure orientation in early July.
