Japan: Fukuoka

In cooperation with Seinan Gakuin University, Lewis & Clark offers a program of Language Intensive study in Fukuoka, Japan. Students take Japanese language classes and have a choice of electives taught in English at the International Division of the school.

Program Location: Fukuoka City, where Seinan Gakuin is located, is situated on the island of Kyushu, the southwesternmost of Japan’s four major islands. It is a city built on commerce, with a population of about 1.4 million, and has developed as the cultural and commercial center of the island. The city enjoys a convenient geographic location with easy access to other Asian nations, only 540 kilometers from Seoul and 870 kilometers from Shanghai, versus 1,100 kilometers to Tokyo. Its proximity to the Chinese mainland and the Korean Peninsula has given it a long history as the gateway between Japan and the rest of Asia. Provided with a large-scale international airport, international ferry services and the largest container port in the region, Fukuoka City is actively fulfilling its role as the “gateway to Kyushu, open to Asia.”

Fukuoka City is engaged in a variety of exchanges not only with Asia, but indeed with the world. It enjoys sister-city relationships with Oakland, California; Bordeaux, France; Auckland in New Zealand; Guangzhou, China; Ipoh, Malaysia; and Pusan; Korea, among others. A host of cultural exchange events, international conventions and meetings are held throughout the year, establishing Fukuoka as a truly international city.

One of the key attractions of Fukuoka is the way it combines the convenience of the city with a rich natural environment. The public transport network is excellent, with rail, bus and subway services that make it easy to get around in the city. Lush natural surroundings - sea and mountains - are only about 30 minutes away from downtown, and the city is noted nationwide for its delicious foods. It offers a number of local specialties. The city is also well known for its youthful vitality, which has nurtured many musicians, entrepreneurs, and entertainers, providing an atmosphere of creative energy and vitality.

Requirements Fulfilled:

General Education - This program fulfills the Global Perspectives general education requirement for students who successfully complete 8 or more semester credits.

Students who complete Japanese 201 or higher fulfill the World Language proficiency general education requirement.

Major/Minor Requirements: This program fulfills the overseas study requirement for the Asian Studies major and the World Languages major with Japanese as the primary language. Select courses can be applied to the Japanese minor.

Credits: Credit earned varies based on courses completed but students may earn up to 19 credits. Overloads are not permitted.

Curriculum: Students take a Japanese language class, plus electives taught in English at the International Division. The level of Japanese language classes will depend on results of a placement test at the beginning of the program.

Students who place into upper-level Japanese may be eligible to enroll in courses outside the International Division. While a few of the Regular Division courses may also be taught in English, most are in Japanese (thus the placement requirement). However, students should note that some courses in the Regular Division run longer than the standard semester and should only be taken by students participating on the full year program.

Housing: Students live in the on-campus international dorms. Students are responsible for purchasing and preparing their own meals, but the Overseas Office will give them a stipend to cover the cost of their food. There are two on-campus cafeterias, several supermarkets and many restaurants located near the university. 

Cultural Activities: International exchange events are actively held on campus in order to give students opportunities to develop international sensibility, learn about different cultures and widen their perspectives. The international exchange activities may include a pottery class, mochitsuki, cooking party, sports festival and welcome parties for international students. Hosted by CIE or student volunteers, students can enjoy activities such as cherry blossom viewing, seeing a sumo match, and a halloween party, as just a few examples.

Home-Visit Program: Students also have the option to participate in a short-term homestay once during the semester. Staying with a Seinan student in their house for a night gives students the opportunity to learn about daily life in a Japanese home.

Campus Clubs: Students are encouraged to take part in club activities as a way to build friendships with local students. Japanese traditional sports, such as kendo, kyudo, and aikido are the most popular clubs among international students.

“Approach strangers and make new friends. The best friends I made on this trip were met randomly.”

“Japan is a place where laws and customs are not broken. I don’t mean that it’s easy to do so in America, but for instance Jaywalking is not acceptable in Japan. This has the benefit of a certain amount of security (for instance, I don’t think anything of yours will be stolen), but new students should think about what that means before they come to Japan.”

2026-2027 Fee Breakdown*

Total Fee (includes Tuition, Program Fee, and Health & Wellness Fee): $44,791

Tuition: $35,329

Program Fee: $9,425

Health & Wellness Fee: $37**

Included in the program fee are room/housing, board/meals, and administrative fees. Not included are airfare, passport and visa expenses, primary insurance coverage, photographs, books, immunizations, and incidentals.  *Fees are updated every February for the following academic year.

**The Health & Wellness Fee supports the operations of Wellness Services staff in delivering pre-program orientation services, as well as in providing health-related consultation regarding participant health needs. All students in the College of Arts and Sciences pay a mandatory fee of $37 per semester.

Stipend: Students will receive a stipend to cover the cost of meals and transportation costs not covered by the program fee.

Estimated Airfare (Round Trip PDX to FUK): $1,000 - $2,000

Estimated Travel Document Fees: $50-100*

Estimated Health Insurance Fee: $1,906

*This cost is for visa application fees and processing only. Students may need to travel to a consulate to submit their application, which would result in additional travel expenses. There is a consulate in Portland, so most students will not need to travel.

All students participating in overseas programs are automatically enrolled in iNext, a supplemental travel insurance program. The fee for iNext is covered in the program cost. However, students are also required to have comprehensive health insurance during their time abroad. All students participating in overseas programs, both abroad and domestic, are automatically enrolled in the College’s student health insurance program. Similar to a regular semester on-campus, students participating in overseas programs may waive enrollment in the student health insurance program if they have other comprehensive health insurance (e.g., through a parent, guardian or employer) that 1) provides coverage for them in the geographic region in which they will be studying and 2) includes mental health benefits. Find more information regarding health insurance & overseas programs.

Physical Requirements:

Before applying to this program, you should assess and determine if you are physically and/or emotionally able to participate in the following physical demands required by some of this program’s activities:

• Walking or hiking up to 5 miles in a day, sometimes for two or more days in a row, sometimes on hilly, uneven, or cobbled terrain
• Climbing and descending stairs
• Using public transportation, including often crowded buses or trains
• Navigating crowded streets and sidewalks
• Standing for long periods during tours and site visits
• Entering into older buildings with narrow and sometimes steep staircases, at times with limited or no access to elevators
• The possibility of warm/hot temperatures while residing in locations without air conditioning, and/or cold temperatures while residing in locations with a comfort for lower indoor temperatures
• The possibility of long, busy days with little downtime and infrequent days off from program activities

If you have questions or are concerned about these or any other program activities, please contact the Lewis & Clark College Overseas & Off-Campus Programs office (overseas@lclark.edu).

Application Process: This program has a dual application process. Student must first submit a Lewis & Clark Application one year before the start of the program. Once admitted by Lewis & Clark, the students will receive instructions for submitting their secondary application to Seinan Gakuin University and will receive a separate notification letter of admission. Please keep a digital copy of your essays and other application materials as you will need to submit these similar materials to Seinan Gakuin University. Please note that this secondary application process can be as late as the semester preceding your scheduled participation.

Learn more about our application process.

Travel: Students usually fly into the Fukuoka Airport (FUK), where they are met by a group of Seinan Gakuin student volunteers, who will greet students at the arrival gates and then take them to their housing.

Visa: Students will be required to apply for a visa in order to participate. Most consulates require applicants to make a personal appearance to apply for the student visa. The nearest consulate serving the Portland jurisdiction is located in Portland, Oregon. More information will be provided upon admission to the program.

Country-Specific Health Information: View specific health information for people traveling to Japan.

State Department Country Information: Visit the State Department’s Japan page.