A Spring Semester in Kyoto May 04, 2026
By Kayla H (Japanese Studies, Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/07/2026 to 04/25/2026 with
Columbia University: Kyoto - Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies / KCJS
I got to meet a lot of people whom I normally wouldn't talk to nor hangout with, so I often got pushed out of my comfort zone. However, through this I got to learn more about myself and also get better at speaking Japanese, which is something I really wanted to improve on.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I found the classes to be less rigorous compared to the classes I take at home, but they were also a great way for me to go over previous things I've learned and put them to use. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I really liked the housing. We had options for dorm, homestay, or living on our own (apartment), but I chose to do a dorm. I really liked it since we got our own rooms and bathrooms, and at the dorm, we got both breakfast and dinner everyday accept for holidays and Sundays. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I felt relatively safe in Kyoto. I personally have never experienced any potential dangers or situations where I felt unsafe, so I can't say how others' safety experiences were. However, I would say to just follow basic safety rules, such as letting people know where you're going, going with someone else just in case (especially at night), and making sure you have a way to contact someone or authority if needed. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
This is more of a yes and no answer for me. If I were starting initially, then yes, I would pick the program again, but if I've already been to Kyoto before, then I would pick a different location in Japan. |
Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
They gave us monthly allowances for both transportation and meals, depending on our living situation (homestay, dorm, apartment). However, even with the allowance, I still found myself having to spend my own money. I think taking into account all the things you want to do can increase the amount of money you actually spend over time, especially with unforeseen situations. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I think making sure ot save up a lot of money to spend outside of just the normal program expenses is good. Also, don't force yourself to do things that you know you don't have the money for, because a lot of times it becomes less fun when you are constantly worrying about expenses. I think that, in general, setting a general weekly or monthly limit for how much you are willing to spend can help you keep track of your finances. There are also plenty of free things to do in Japan so just look out for those |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Before going, I wish I had known to set aside even more money for all of the things I wanted to buy. More importantly, however, I wish I had known beforehand not to stress so much over not making friends, as I think my cohort was really nice and understanding. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
