Cost

Program Fee Information for Partner School Students

If you join our program through a university partnership, your program fee will be integrated with your university’s billing system. This is a seamless process and is coordinated with your home institution for your convenience.

If you join our program independently, that is, if you attend a non-partner school or have already graduated, you will pay the program fee directly to TCU. Click here to see the program fee. We’re always here to assist and make your enrollment experience as straightforward as possible.

Whether you come to us through a partner school or independently, you’ll want to know what the program fee covers so that you can plan your budget accordingly. Here is our program fee information for various lengths of stay.

Program Fees for 2024–2025

Fall Program (2024)

The Fall program fee includes tuition, room and board, five field trips, Japanese language textbooks, rental bedding, national health insurance (see the section on insurance below), and other required fees.

One-Year Program (Fall 2024–Spring 2025)

The one-year program fee includes tuition, room and board, five field trips, Japanese language textbooks, rental bedding, national health insurance (see the section on insurance below), and other required fees.

Winter/Spring Semester Fee

The 2024–2025 Winter/Spring semester fee includes tuition, room and board, Japanese language textbooks, rental bedding, national health insurance (see the section on insurance below), and other required fees. The Winter/Spring semester begins in late November / early December and runs to late June / early July.

Winter and Spring Block Options

In addition to the above options, it is also possible for a student to come for only the Winter block or only the Spring block. The Winter block runs from late November / early December to late February / early March. The Spring block runs from April to late June / early July. The block fee includes tuition, room and board, rental bedding, national health insurance (see the section on insurance below), and other required fees.

Students may also decide to come to TCU during any two of TCU’s three trimesters (Fall, Winter, Spring). In that event, the fee will be recalculated. Either way, this is another cost-effective way of studying at TCU.

Notes

  • TCU bills applicants from partner schools through the partner school based on a memorandum of agreement with each school. Fees are based on how the partner school treats the EAI Program as an extension of the school’s own global education program, how the school applies financial aid, and other factors. Students from partner schools who have questions about the program fee should inquire directly with their respective home institutions.
  • The semester and one–year program fees all include three meals a day on weekdays (except holidays). For students enrolled in the Fall Semester program, the program fees also include meal expenses during fall break in late November, at which time the dining hall will be closed. For students enrolled in the Winter/Spring Semester, it does not include meal expenses for a two-week winter break in late December, and a three-week spring break in March, at which times the dining hall will be closed. The room fee for fall, winter, and spring breaks is included in the program fees. Textbooks are not included for any of the terms (except for selected Japanese language texts), but textbook costs are typically lower than at American universities. Transportation costs are handled in various ways among our partner schools. Some include transportation costs in their billing, and some require students to purchase tickets separately from the program fee. Program fees do not include money for personal spending. (See below regarding additional costs.)
  • Field trips and the EAI Primary Courses are available only in the Fall Semester. It is to be further noted that, while the Winter/Spring semester can be broken into blocks (or halves), the Fall Semester is a unified package for EAI students and cannot be split into blocks.

Application Fee

The application fee for independent applicants is US$60. The application fee for partner-school applicants is US$30.

Program Fee for Students from Biola University

Biola University and TCU have a special accord regarding EAI program fees. Biola students should contact the EAI Admissions Office for more information.

Additional Costs

Airfare To and From Japan

The cost of airfare to and from Japan varies considerably depending on the city of departure and return, dates of travel, time of purchase, airline, and so on. Ordinarily, students should purchase tickets to and from Narita International Airport. (Haneda Airport is also an option for experienced travelers who can find their own way to TCU’s campus.) Some students, however, may wish to make private arrangements to visit other cities in Japan before and/or after their semester at TCU. All such arrangements will be each student’s responsibility.

Personal Travel Within Japan

Though there are churches near TCU on the outskirts of Tokyo, our students often attend Sunday church services closer to downtown Tokyo. Some students also enjoy trips into the city on Saturdays. Roundtrip train fare between TCU and downtown Tokyo costs approximately 3,000 yen. Students who wish to make private trips to other parts of Japan are advised to search the Internet for estimated costs.

Meals Taken Outside the Dining Hall

The dining hall is closed on Saturdays, on Sundays, and on national holidays. It is also closed for a two-week fall break in late November, a two-week winter break in late December, and a four-week spring break in March. Students may prepare their own meals in the dorm when on campus. The cost of food is comparable to that in major cities in the U.S. and Europe.

Extra Spending Money

TCU recommends that students plan on approximately 5,000 yen (approx. 35 USD) per week for extra spending money. However, the amount will certainly vary from person to person, so students who tend to spend more conservatively may wish to wait about exchanging all of their money until they can reassess their spending needs (for example, after the first or second month).

Textbooks

Except for Japanese language textbooks, which are included in the program fee, students should prepare to bring any required textbooks. Once accepted, short-term students will have access to TCU’s syllabi online, where they can find the required texts for the courses they intend to take. Students are advised to purchase textbooks before coming to Japan, but it is also possible to order any necessary texts from within Japan.

Insurance

TCU will help each EAI student join Japan’s National Health Insurance upon arrival. The National Health Insurance will cover 70% of medical costs, and the student bears only the remaining 30% of the cost of doctor’s fees, hospital fees, prescribed medicines, etc. (note that, generally speaking, these fees in Japan are significantly less than in the U.S.). The EAI program fee automatically covers the premium for this National Health Insurance plan, and TCU will pay this premium so that the student need not worry about enrolling in the National Health Insurance policy on their own. (Joining the Japanese National Health Insurance plan is a condition of participation in EAI. Japanese law requires students to join this plan regardless of any other insurance plan in which they may be enrolled in their home country.)

In addition to the National Health Insurance, all EAI students will be enrolled in a supplemental insurance plan that is included in the EAI program fee. This plan relates to the student’s 30% share of the bill under the following restrictions.

  1. The supplemental insurance plan is a reimbursement plan. That is, the student must first pay their 30% share out-of-pocket, and then the supplemental insurance will reimburse them the entire 30%. TCU does not provide money to cover their 30% share of the medical bill, although TCU will help them obtain the necessary documentation and then help them submit that documentation to the insurance company to obtain the reimbursement. In the event of a serious illness or accident, therefore, the student and/or the student’s family may have to come up with a rather significant amount of money. That money would be reimbursed, but students should be aware that they might have to pay a substantial amount of money up-front.
  2. The supplemental insurance plan does not cover dental work.
  3. The supplemental insurance plan does not cover pre-existing conditions. This means that the supplemental insurance will not apply to any health problem that students have before coming to Japan.
  4. The supplemental insurance plan does not cover chronic diseases or conditions. Even for a medical issue that begins in Japan, the supplemental insurance will cover that illness only for sixty days. On the 61st day, the supplemental insurance ceases to cover that illness or condition.

 The national insurance begins coverage only when students apply for the coverage at Inzai City Hall. TCU helps students make the application, normally within two days of arrival. This time could be longer if students do not arrive on the “greeting” date at Narita Airport or if the city hall is not open for one reason or another. The supplemental insurance begins coverage from September 1. Thus, the student would be without the national insurance for about two days after arrival and without the supplemental insurance until September 1. Students may wish to consider obtaining traveler’s insurance for the brief period between landing in Japan and September 1.

Most of the partner schools offer internationally valid insurance for their students who participate in approved study abroad programs. At most partner schools, the global education director can explain what is available from the home university. In some cases, the internationally valid insurance obtained from the student’s home university may cover all or a major portion of the remaining 30% of the medical fees that are the student’s responsibility in Japan. In addition, in some cases, the insurance through the student’s home school may cover emergency repatriation to the home country, as well as other expenses — none of which are covered by Japanese National Health Insurance. All these matters, however, are strictly between the student and the home university.

TCU will cooperate with the student in obtaining documents from Japanese doctors or hospitals, which may prove helpful or necessary for reimbursement from the American insurance company. This cooperation extends, however, only to those forms and documents which are standard in the Japanese health and insurance industries (for instance, it does not include translation fees of documents when these are not included in the standard set of documents).

Payment and Refund Policy for the East Asia Institute

Preliminary Definitions:

Payment for the EAI program is due by the following dates:

  • Fall: July 31, 2024
  • Winter and Spring Block: October 31, 2024
  • Spring Block: February 31, 2025
The Policy:

If a student cancels participation in, or withdraws from, the EAI Program:

  • From Aug. 1 (Fall Program), Nov. 1 (Winter Block), and Mar. 1 (Spring Block) until the first day of classes: 100% refund of the EAI fee except for a $350 cancellation charge. *
  • From the first day of classes until 14 days into the EAI Program: 75% refund of the EAI fee. *
  • From the first day of classes until 28 days into the EAI Program: 50% refund of the EAI fee. *
  • After 28 days from the first day of classes: No refund.

If an applicant decides not to participate in the EAI Program before arriving at TCU, it will be treated as “cancellation.” If an EAI student decides to end participation in the EAI Program after arriving at TCU, it will be treated as “withdrawal.” An EAI student who withdraws from the program will be expected to move out of the dorm within 7 days of withdrawal. The student will be required to pay any room and board expenses incurred after the withdrawal deadline they select. 

If an applicant’s visa application is denied, 100% of the EAI fee will be refunded. *

* In the case of any refund, bank transfer fees will be deducted from the amount to be refunded. This includes fees incurred when receiving payment in Japan as well as fees incurred when sending the refund back to the student or his/her home institution. Also, the amount refunded may be adjusted depending on fluctuations in the exchange rate.

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