About
Waseda University is a large, private university with a main campus located in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. Refer to the Why Waseda webpage for more information. The university puts a high priority on studying abroad. It is ranked no. 1 in Japan for Study Abroad.
Location
Tokyo is ranked 3rd in the world, and 1st in Asia, for student life. Tokyo has the world’s best transportation network, and is the safest and cleanest big city in the world, making it the ideal place to study.
Tokyo has global influence rivalling that of New York, London and Paris. As the most populous city in the world, it serves as a gateway to Asia, and is a place where you can experience all the cutting-edge international trends. Tokyo is guaranteed to stimulate your intellectual curiosity!
Take a virtual tour of Waseda University’s Campus!
Level of competitiveness
Very competitive ***
The level of competitiveness (Less competitive * / Competitive ** / Very competitive ***) refers to one's chances of being allocated an exchange space at this partner. This is an approximation determined by the number of applications received for this destination during the last academic year versus the total number of exchange spaces available to Queen Mary students.
Academic Calendar
- Semester 1: Mid-March to early August
- Semester 2: Mid-September to early February
You would be expected to participate in Waseda's mandatory Orientation; learn more here about this and other practical matters. For more information, please check Waseda’s Academic Calendar.
Courses
Each School/Graduate School/Center has different application requirements. Students must meet all the application requirements of the School/Graduate School/Center they wish to apply to. Please be aware that if you do not meet the requirements, you do not have the eligibility to apply.
Please refer to “Requirements and Course Lists” of the Application webpage.
To access the list of courses available to you, please visit the Application webpage. You can also search for a course’s syllabus. Before searching courses on Syllabus Search, please refer to the course list each school offers, as not every course on Syllabus Search are available to exchange students.
Course registration begins after arrival at Waseda. There is no pre-registration.
The Science and Engineering Schools (undergraduate) are divided into Majors, and students can only take courses from the Major they apply to. Please be aware that the choices of English courses available to undergraduate exchange students are quite limited, and undergraduate exchange students cannot take any courses related to lab work/experiments.
Restrictions
Each school has different restrictions, so please refer to the website for details.
Credits
We recommend exchange students to take 7 courses per semester (14 credits).
With a few exceptions, the number of credits students will obtain from courses basically are:
- lecture-style course (90 minutes x 15 times): 2 credits
- Japanese language course (90 minutes x 15 times): 1 credit
Find out more about credit transfer and grade conversions.
Queen Mary student feedback
Blog posts on Queen Mary Global Bloggers:
- Shania in Japan (different host institution, but still relevant for host country)
Instagram takeovers:
Accommodation
Though the number of available rooms is limited, most students find accommodation either at Waseda's dormitory or dorms operated by off-campus partners. Some students choose to live in an apartment or a shared-house. Host family option is also available.
Find out more about housing options for Exchange students.
Cost of Living
You can find general, up-to-date information about the cost of living in Kyoto here.
Please consult the estimated minimum and maximum cost of living figures for this destination country available in our “Estimated Costs of Living” document available on our Finance page.
Support Services
For information on accessibility, please visit Waseda’s Office for Students with Disabilities webpage.
As a current Queen Mary student you will be able to find a summary sheet for this partner university on our QMplus page, with an overview of the local student support services available on the following topics: specific learning differences, physical impairments, sensory impairments, long term medical conditions, autism spectrum conditions, mental health and wellbeing difficulties, special accommodation provision, non-emergency health care, emergency services, harassment and trauma and suicide prevention.
Campus Life
The Intercultural Communication Center (ICC) organises various events and programs to encourage students to enjoy extra-curricular activities. It is a good way to make the most of exchange experience!
Find further information regarding pre-arrival guidance, practical matters and Orientation here.
Social Media
Waseda University:
Center for International Education Twitter Account: @waseda_cie
Resources
Take a look at the brochure for Exchange students.
