Studying Abroad at AIU=ONE OF THE BEST DECISIONS OF MY LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I really enjoyed my educational experience at AIU. The workload was just the right, the teachers were great and used many different teaching methods to teach their material. Also, their are fewer students at AIU (roughly 600), and teachers aren't juggling many different classes, making it a lot easier to get to know your teachers and a lot easier to go and see them for help. The grading system is pretty much the same as UH's.

On-site administration of your program

The campus is very small, and in the center is the school office. It is open Mon-Fri 7:00-4:00, but there is always someone there earlier or later who can help you. The staff are ALL very kind people who are easy to talk to. From what I can tell, the student service staff even know EVERY student's name and face. Also, as I mentioned before, they are fluent in English, and there are many staff members who are from the U.S.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

At AIU, first year students are REQUIRED to live in the dormitory, and all international students in the dormitory have a Japanese roommate. There are also Global village apartments for international and Japanese students to live in. Because of the English language requirement at AIU, your roommate WILL be able to speak English so their is no need to worry about a language barrier between you and your roommate. You pay for your room and board for the dormitory at the start of the semester. You don't have to pay for electricity, heating/cooling, or water, so it is really convenient if you are looking to keep you international exchange expenses low. In the apartments, you do have to pay for water, heating/cooling, and electricity. Both those in the apartments and in the dormitory are provided with a futon, a pillow, and bedding. However, for those who need extra blankets or an extra pillow, you can pick those up at the mall for very cheap. There is a community kitchen in the dormitory with four preparation tables, four stoves, rice cookers, hot plates, oven, cookware, refrigerator, etc. The apartments do come with a kitchen and a small refrigerator. The apartments are more private, being either a single or a double. In the dormitory, there is one bathroom and shower for every two rooms. However, the dormitory is connected to all the other school buildings, while the apartments are not, so you may have to fight the weather on some days. The scenery in Akita is very, very, very beautiful. As it is still very rural, there are very few buildings and a lot of rice fields. Their isn't very much around the school, making it better for outdoor activities (athletic park right across the street) and spending down time with friends. If you are looking for a party, there is always someone having one in the Global village apartments, or there are clubs to go to in the city.

For those who don't like to cook, the cafeteria's meal plan is very useful. They usually have three or four choices to choose from, with usually some kind of pork or fish on the menu. You are allowed all the rice and soup you can eat. The cafeteria staff are very nice, and accomodate for those with dietary restrictions. If you can afford it, I would recommend that instead of paying for the meal plan, you would be better off just purchasing from the cafeteria's restaurant instead. You get to choose exactly what you want from a large menu, and the quality of the food is a lot better than the cafteria-cafeteria side. If you plan to eat at the restaurant a lot, it would be best to purchase a meal card from the restaurant. There is also a cafe on campus which serves very delicious food. It may take a little longer, but the food is well worth the wait.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

There are so many things that you can try at AIU. The school specially takes international students to historic and cultural places throughout the Tohoku Region. Many of the field trips are on weekends or during school breaks, and are FREE for international students. If you will be missing a meal time at school, a meal will be provided. The school arranges everything, transportation, tickets, etc. making it so much easier than trying to visit these places by yourself.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I think that Akita is THE SAFEST PLACE IN THE WORLD!!! I did get sick once while I was in Japan, and was treated very well. The school provided health insurance for us, and staff members even drove me to the hospital to get checked up and to the pharmacy to get medication.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

As I mentioned before, there are roughly 600 students at AIU. Out of this number, about 500 students are Japanese students, and the remainder are international students, making it very easy to find someone to speak Japanese with. Also, ALL the students at AIU are very comfortable using English, so there is no need to worry about a language barrier. In my classes, most of the students were from Taiwan and Korea, so this experienced also helped me with my Chinese and Korean language learning. There are also many culture and language clubs at the school which helps to make the university a little more international. The staff in the school office are fluent in both English and Japanese, and e-mails sent via the school email are translated into both Japanese and English. Although the staff in the cafeteria and in the dormitory don't really speak English, they are always happy and willing to help, and are very good at charades. If all else fails, there are always students around who are more than willing to help out. Akita is still a rather rural area of Japan, so a lot of the older generation doesn't speak English. Students begin learning English in elementary school, so a lot of the younger people in the area can speak in English. Also, it is important to mention that there is a distinct dialect in Akita (students at AIU are from all over Japan, so you don't hear it as much on campus)which may take some time to get used to, but is very interesting and nice to listen to.

Select all that apply

• Dorm

Select all that apply

• Americans
• International Students
• Local Students