Rikkyo University (Tokyo)

Rikkyo University, a Liberal Arts university, is an exchange destination for University College Utrecht students, located in Tokyo, Japan.

Semesters available

We recommend going in Spring, since that semester aligns better with the UCU academic year. Do note that you will have to arrange for housing yourself between the UCU Fall semester and the start of the semester at Rikkyo.

Webpages
Number of places available

2 students per semester

Academic calendar

Fall Semester: Begin September – Begin February
Spring Semester: End of March – End of July

Language of instruction

The primary language of education is Japanese, although students can take courses in English in Japanese Studies (language and culture/history/art), and a few courses throughout the school in Sociology, Arts & Communication.

Application deadlines

Fall Semester: March 31st
Spring Semester: November 15th

Course offer

For an overview of English courses available to exchange students, see here (under “Academic Program”).

Credit system

A full workload at Rikkyo is 20 credits per semester, which translates to 30 EC. 1 Rikkyo credit – 1.5 EC.

 

Grade system

Grades are show on transcripts on a five level range of: S (4.0), A (3.0), B (2.0), C (1.0), and D (0.0) where “D” is a failing grade. No “plus,” “minus” or fraction grades are used

Housing

Students can apply for an international dormitory at Rikkyo, or request advice from the university in finding private housing. The university dormotories are not located on campus. More information here.

Costs

Living in Japan is relatively expensive, especially in Tokyo. The average living costs in Tokyo are estimated to be about ¥110,000 per month (€845), not including costs to get yourself settled when you arrive. Keep in mind that the return trip to Japan plus possible visa/insurance costs will be added to these expenses as well.

Rikkyo breaks this down in the following way:
Average living costs per month

  • Rent and utilities (electricity, gas, and water):  ¥55,000 (€420)
  • Food: ¥27,000 (€205)
  • Books and other school supplies: ¥8,000 (€60)
  • Hobbies and recreation: ¥6,000 (€45)
  • Mobile phone/Internet fees: ¥8,000 (€60)
  • Commuter pass (transportation): ¥5,000 (€38)
  • Healthcare: ¥2,000 (€15)
  • Total: ¥111,000 (€845)
Orientation

A two week-long Orientation programme is held before each semester for new students. There is also a buddy programme. 

Situation

Rikkyo University is located in Tokyo, one of the largest cities in the world and the capital of Japan. This super dense city has high-tech attractions, novelty cafes, and many old temples and parks. Find out more here

The climate in Tokyo is warmer than that of Utrecht. It regularly experiences earthquakes. 

Student life

There are about 20,000 students at Rikkyo University, 900 of which are international. The main Ikebukuro Campus is located on the edge of central Tokyo. It has sports facilities and a library. Find out more about the campus here. 

There are also cultural and sports clubs which are run independently from the university. The International Office can provide information about these. There are also excursions, cultural, and social events especially for exchange students. Find out more about all of this in the brochure

Student experiences

Rikkyo University is a new destination, and therefore we have not received feedback from our students yet. Be the first UCU student to explore Rikkyo University!

More information

For information about the requirements for studying abroad, the application procedure and more, go to UCU's Study abroad page. 

You can browse through all UCU exchange destinations and UU exchange destinations in the exchange catalog.