----------------APPLICATION--------------------
After going through the torture of applying for SEP in OPAS, I received a email from the IRO. Can't really remember when did I submit the OPAS application but I do remember when I got the email. I got selected in the first round and received the email on the last day of my exams. So that would be around the third or last week of Nov.
For Kwansei Gakuin, there are A LOT of forms to fill in. More than what other Japanese universities will require for the first round of forms submission. The deadline for the forms to be submitted to Kwansei Gakuin is on Apr 15 but NUS required us to submit everything to them by Jan 15.
All the forms as well as the brochure can be downloaded HERE.
FORMS TO BE FILLED IN
- Online form which is accessible through the link given above.
- JEASP Application Form.
- Japanese Language Assessment Report which is to be completed by your NUS Japanese lecturer or tutor. For me, I sent my lecturer the soft copy of the application form and he returned it to me printed and sealed in an envelope.
- Letter of Reason for Study. A few paragraphs on reasons for wanting to go Kwansei Gakuin. In either English or Japanese. I think I wrote mine in English (was too lazy to write in Japanese =X).
- Certificate of Health. This is a bit troublesome. Firstly, don't bother going to the UHC to settle this. Aside from the fact that they will take a long time to complete it, they don't provide the Tuberculin Skin Test which is required by Kwansei Gakuin. So I went to SATA for the health check instead. No appointment is needed. But remember to bring your health check form and passport along. I was able to collect the report after 3 days. The total cost of it was about SGD$160. In any case, my advice is to get this certificate of health thing settled as soon as possible as it is the one form that will take the longest time to complete.
- Accommodation Request Form. There are 2 types of accommodation: Homestay or Dormitory. I'm still awaiting the result of which I'm getting but I'm hoping that I'll get the dorm.
- Personal Data Form.
- Letter to Host Family and/or Dormitory. This has to be purely handwritten in Japanese. A "fun-looking" picture of you is also required.
- Application for Certificate of Eligibility. This form is very important as it is the form to be used for Visa application. This form is to be printed out and filled in by hand.
OTHER REQUIRED ITEMS
- Original NUS Transcript. This will be requested and sent by the system itself to the Dean's office so there's no need to be worried about this.
- Original Endorsement Letter for SEP from Scholarship Awarding Organisation (if applicable). For me, I was kind of worried about it as I didn't receive any letter from Heiwa Nakajima at that time. However, it's fine to not include it if you don't have it. Nevertheless, do still include on the CoE form that you'll be getting the scholarship.
- Statement of Finance. I got mine issued at POSB. Even though there's a sample provided of it provided by the IRO, it wasn't really of much use for me. Tell the bank officer that you would like to have a statement stating that you have enough balance in your account to sustain you for a year in Kwansei Gakuin, which is about 1,000,000 yen (~SGD$15,000). A fee of about SGD$20 is applicable by the bank to issue this letter.
- Two Letters of Nomination by either your lecturers, tutors or teaching mentors. Kwansei Gakuin states that they only need one but NUS states two. So, just being kia-su like a Singaporean is, I submitted two.
- A copy of your 'A' or 'O' level certificate.
- A copy of your passport particulars page.
- Checklist by NUS. There's this checklist that's provided by the NUS on what you need to submit. I can't really remember where I got it from but I think it was attached to an e-mail sent by the Dean's office.
- Eight recent passport-sized photos. This does not include the ones that you're supposed to paste onto the forms so make sure you have sufficient passport photos. It is also best to print extras and bring it along with you when you go Japan as you never know when you'll need it to register for things.
----------------PRE-DEPARTURE--------------------
MODULE MAPPING
Okay, this is the one that gives all exchange students headaches. LOL. Well, I'm also in the midst of doing it so I won't be able to provide much advice but I'll update when I can. ^^
Here are some of the points to take note when doing mapping:
- Credit ratio: According to the NUS website, 14 credits in Kwansei will give you 20MCs in NUS. So just try and map as many modules as you can. Dummy module codes will be created to help you fulfill your requirements for 20MCs as long as you hit the 14 credits in Kwansei.
- Online syllabus: Just in case that you didn't know, there's a online syllabus search system for Kwansei here.
- Mapping FASS modules (pre-departure): Even though NUS states that you should only map modules after getting confirmation from the partner university that you're registered for what you want, it's not possible for us to do that as we'll only be able to register for the modules in Kwansei during the orientation week there. So, just go on and use the Module Reporting Form to map modules and email it to the respective departments at least a month before departing for SEP.
- Mapping FASS modules that doesn't belong to a specific department: Email the form to studyabroadfass@nus.edu.sg.
- Mapping non-FASS modules: Email the form to studyabroadfass@nus.edu.sg.
- Mapping CLS language modules: In order to map CLS language modules, you'll have to use their own CLS module mapping form and provide the details that they listed on the website. They're pretty strict on this so make sure that you get all the information prepared.
- In the case of insufficient information: In the case that you don't have enough information at hand now to do up a proper mapping, email the SEP coordinators and tell them what are the information you have now. Most likely, they'll ask you to do the mapping after you're in Japan and have gotten all the details that they wanted.
Here's what I've planned to map:
KGU | NUS | Fall Credits | Spring Credits | Remarks |
Chinese Culture and History | CH2291 | 2 | - | Confirmed |
Korean studies A + B | HY2220 | 2 | 2 | Confirmed |
Japanese History A + B | HY2208 | 2 | 2 | Confirmed |
Business-Government Relations in East Asia | PS dummy code | - | 2 | Pending |
Japanese Linguistics + Japanese Phonetics and Phonology | JS2203 | 2 | 2 | Confirmed |
Japanese Society | JS dummy code | 2 | - | Confirmed |
Government and Politics in Japan | JS2223 | 2 | - | Confirmed |
Japanese Religion | JS dummy code | - | 2 | Confirmed |
Introductory + Beginning Korean | LAK1201 | - | 1 (winter) + 2 | Pending |
JLC Regular 4-1 + 4-2 | LAJ3202 | 3 | 3 | Pending |
Total Credits in KGU | 15 | 15 + 1 | ||
VISA APPLICATION
Visa application is actually pretty simple.
Items needed:
- Visa Application Form (both handwritten or typed is fine).
- Passport + a photocopy of it
- Certificate of Eligibility
