FAQ for GIGA Successful Applicants 2026

It can be your planned date.

We strongly recommend that you bring a copy of your medical records in English in case of an emergency or if you are suffering from a chronic illness.

There is no check-in process or pick-up service at the airport. Instead of checking in, you will attend an orientation on your first day in mid-September. (Details will be announced as soon as they are determined.) For transportation, please refer to the SFC International Student Handbook, which includes detailed information on directions from the airports to the Shonandai area.

Before arrival, all successful applicants will receive an informational email by early September (planned). It consists of the “Schedule and Formalities after Completing Admission Registration,” a course registration guide, documents that are required to be submitted after enrollment, and other helpful information.

Basically, you will be asked to begin the procedures for starting your life in Japan by yourself using the SFC International Student Handbook and information from the GIGA Freshman Session. This is because these first steps are an important part of starting your journey here in Japan.

However, if you encounter any difficulties, feel free to contact the Office of International Affairs at apd-global@sfc.keio.ac.jp. The Freshman Session held in September will also be helpful for you.

If you are an international student with a student visa, you must first get permission from the Immigration Services Agency of Japan. Keep in mind that by law, you can only work twenty-eight hours per week during the semester. For more details, please refer to chapter 8 of the SFC International Student Handbook.

You will first need to take a train to either Shonandai Station or Tsujido Station. From each station, you can take a bus or bicycle to SFC. Many students commute by bicycle, but recently there has been an increase in accidents in which students are the victims or the perpetrators. If you plan to bicycle to SFC, please ensure that you are covered by bicycle insurance. The insurance costs several hundred yen per month.

Yes, it is possible. It's even possible to take courses offered by faculties at other campuses.

Yes, it is possible to take courses conducted in Japanese. There is no Japanese proficiency requirement for enrollment in these courses.

(From a current student) To take courses offered in Japanese, you will of course need a certain level of Japanese proficiency to keep up with the classes and earn credits. The required level depends on the specific course or seminar, but proficiency at the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) N2 or N1 level is desirable.

The Faculty of Policy Management and the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies implement a student screening for many courses, in which students who are eligible to take the course are determined before the first class begins. There are two main methods of student screening for courses: Assignment Screening and Lottery Screening. Only those students who have completed the "Entry for Student Screening" process and have been approved to take the course will be able to take the course. Please refer to the About Registrationfor more details about the student screening.

No. It is possible to take classes entirely in English and still graduate. ​However, it is strongly recommended you take Japanese language courses. You will need to get 8 credits in a foreign language other than your mother tongue in order to graduate.

​Also, if you wish to obtain the GIGA Certificate (separate from graduation), you will need to obtain a Japanese level equivalent to the JLPT N2 if you are a non-native Japanese speaker.

The seminar syllabus can be found on the Keio SFC Course Syllabus. Also, "The Brain" (Faculty profiles) is very useful to get to know more about faculty members as well as find what their seminars are like.

It is up to you. You can continue your research in the same seminar, but if your interests change, you may change your seminar. In principle, students can register for seminars from their second year. However, first-year students can register for one seminar per semester only if the faculty member in charge grants special approval.

(Comment from a current student) I strongly encourage you to join a seminar (kenkyukai) from your first year so you can get a feel for what you are interested in. If you end up not liking it, you are free to change, but if you end up loving it, you can stay in that lab for the remainder of your time at SFC if you want.

"repeating the previous year" means repeating a year (remaining in the same grade level) in cases that could not meet the requirements for advancement or graduation, or failed to earn the required credits. When repeating a year and if you are a recipient of a scholarship, measures such as suspension or discontinuation will be taken. Please plan your courses to fulfill the requirements for advancement or graduation, and aim to earn credits.

Yes, it is possible to study abroad. Many GIGA students have studied abroad in the past. If you study abroad through the Keio University Student Exchange Program (Outbound), you can study under tuition waiver agreements. However, there is a selection process, as Keio can only nominate a certain number of students per university. There are also short-term programs and fieldwork opportunities for SFC students.

Graduate School: 21%, Employment in Japan: 52%, Employment Overseas: 5%, Other: 18%

For more information about SFC graduates and career options, please check our website here.

Keio Student Website provides useful information about job hunting for international students. Also, Career Service Group offers individual consultations for job hunting and careers. You can visit the service desk at SFC when you need any assistance.

(From current student A) It really depends on how good your Japanese is and if you are applying to a Japanese company. If you are, then yes it's relatively easier for GIGA students too. But as a rule of thumb, being proactive is necessary regardless of which university you go to

(From current student B) That's part of why it's generally a good idea to study Japanese while in Japan. Even ordinary Keio students make strong efforts to get a job that suits them, so you're definitely not alone. Alumni from Keio (Mita-kai) are making strong efforts to help both groups.

SFC’s academic scope includes business and administration, so you can study topics such as startups and entrepreneurship. For new ventures, Keio SFC-IV (Innovation Village) offers assistance with incubation management, funding, and more. This initiative is partially supported by Keio alumni (Mitakai).