First semester: Tuesday, April 8, 2025 – Tuesday, August 5, 2025

Second semester: Wednesday, October 1, 2025 – Tuesday, February 3, 2026

(Except Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays)

Introductory Grammar and Introductory Communication only

Spring quarter: Tuesday, April 8, 2025 – Thursday, June 5, 2025

Summer quarter: Monday, June 9, 2025 – Tuesday, August 5, 2025

Fall quarter: Wednesday, October 1, 2025 – Friday, November 28, 2025

Winter quarter: Monday, December 1, 2025 – Tuesday, February 3, 2026

(Except Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays)

Period 1  08:45-10:15
Period 2  10:30-12:00
Period 3  13:00-14:30

Period 4  14:45-16:15

Period 5  16:30-18:00

The General Japanese Courses and Co-learning in Multicultural Classrooms (CMC) are open to international students enrolled at Hokkaido University with a student visa (research students or ‘kenkyusei’, graduate students, special auditors, and special research students), and international teaching or research staff, and office workers who work at the university. Please be reminded that auditors, credited auditors, and Bachelor’s degree program students are not eligible to register.

In CMC, you can study Japanese language, culture, society, and research methodologies through collaborative learning together with Japanese students. Please note that this course does not deal with language skills such as Japanese grammar, pronunciation, reading, writing, and so on. For those who want to study these skills, please take our General Japanese Course.

Test-taking period

Application periods

Fri. March 7 – 
Thu. March 27

Fri. March 14 –

Thu. March 27

Fri. March 7 – 
Thu. March 27

Fri. March 14 –

Thu. March 27

Thu. May 15 –

Fri. May 30

Thu. May 22 –

Fri. May 30

Fri. August 29 –

Fri. September 19

Fri. September 5 –

Fri. September 19

Fri. August 29 –

Fri. September 19

Fri. September 5 –

Fri. September 19

Wed. November 5 –

Thu. November 20

Wed. November 12 –

Thu. November 20

New Applicants:

New applicants who have never taken the General Japanese Course must take a placement test. However, except those who have not previously studied Japanese, please DO NOT take the placement test as you will be automatically placed in Introductory 1.

Continuing Applicants:

Continuing applicants must select either one of the following options.

A) Taking a placement test
→ Choose your classes based on the test scores.

B) Not taking a placement test
→ Apply for a class one level higher than the one you took before

In either case, admission is ultimately regulated on the basis of the number of students. There is no guaranty that you will get into the course that you desire.

Please check this website and see how to take the test.

Notes:

(1) Please note carefully that all students must apply online, whether taking a placement test or not. If you do not apply online, you will not be allowed to attend classes.

(2) If you took Survival Japanese before and are applying for Introductory Japanese Grammar or Intermediate subjects this semester/quarter, you are required to sit for the placement test. You also need to take the placement test if you are changing from Introductory Grammar to Survival Japanese.

All applicants for the General Japanese Course should submit an application from here. Please complete and submit the application during the appropriate period. As the number of student intake in each class is limited, an early application is recommended.