Bing Overseas Studies Program

Kyoto Language Prerequisite

The Japanese Language Program at Stanford has designed a series of language courses for students learning Japanese for the purpose of studying or working abroad. Japanese Language Culture and Communication (JLCC) classes focus on solid communication skills in both spoken and written Japanese, in addition to providing students with basic cultural understanding. Beyond the minimum requirement, students will greatly benefit from as much language preparation as they are able to incorporate into their schedule.

Kyoto Prerequisites

  • Autumn quarter participants must have completed JAPANLNG 1.
  • Spring quarter participants must have completed JAPANLNG 2.
  • The grading basis for language courses in Kyoto is Letter Grade Only.
  • Preference will be given to students with additional language study.

Note: JAPANLNG 1 is offered in Autumn, Winter and Spring quarters on campus, so students applying for the Autumn Quarter in Kyoto can take JAPANLNG 1 on campus in any earlier quarter and meet the language requirement for the Kyoto Program. 

Language Classes Offered in Kyoto

  • Autumn Quarter: OSPKYOTO 2K, OSPKYOTO 21K, OSPKYOTO 101K
  • Spring Quarter: OSPKYOTO 3K, OSPKYOTO 23K, OSPKYOTO 103K

Students studying at Japanese language levels which do not correspond exactly with classes we are able to teach in Kyoto will be placed in the most appropriate class for them based on recommendations from the Stanford Language Center.

Students who have completed three years of Japanese at Stanford before coming on the Kyoto Program will not take Japanese language classes in Kyoto, but can earn their required 12 units of credit through elective courses.

Internship Participants

Students must have participated in the Spring Quarter on the Kyoto program of the same academic year before doing a Kyoto summer internship. By the time students begin their summer internship, they need to have completed at least one or two years of Japanese language depending on their major classifications as follows.

  •  STEM major students and prospective STEM major students must have completed JAPANLNG 3 or 3K.
  • Non-STEM major students and prospective non-STEM major students must have completed JAPANLNG 23 or 23K.

To find out if your major falls in the STEM or the non-STEM category, please check the list of the university's defined major classifications.

Stanford Language Center

  • All students, including native speakers, are expected to demonstrate their level of language ability (writing, verbal and reading) by providing results of a recent language placement test (taken within the last 10 months) or previous Stanford coursework.  Students who have taken any JAPANLNG coursework at Stanford will be placed based on the last completed course and should not take a placement test. For students who require a placement test, please click here for an updated testing schedule. For students taking the placement test, please complete the written exam before the time of your oral interview. For any questions, please contact the Language Center (languagecenter@stanford.edu) with "BOSP" specified in the subject line.