28 Sept to 10 Oct 2025 | Australia-Japan Society (ACT)
The Australia-Japan Society of the ACT (AJS ACT), in conjunction with the Ishikawa Foundation for International Exchange (IFIE), is again calling for applications for the two-week in-country course in Japanese language/culture in Kanazawa.
Applications close on 8 July 2025.
NOTE: there are only 15 places available for this course so it has to be “first in, first served”.
The courses run for 2 weeks from a Sunday afternoon to the Friday evening two weeks later and include intensive language lessons, cultural activities and home stay accommodation with a Japanese family – this latter is one of the outstanding features of the program and certainly gives a boost to the participants’ language skills.
During the course, mornings are spent in formal language classes and, most afternoons, opportunities are provided to explore the local culture, either in organised classes and expeditions or by exploring on your own. There are excellent facilities and very helpful teachers at the language school.
The classes are tailored to the individual participant’s language skills ,participants are assessed on the first day and placed in classes according to their language abilities. Beginner classes are available in the September/October intake. There are excellent facilities and very helpful teachers at the Institute.
Applicants must be at least 20 years old, must be a member of an Australia-Japan Society or an affiliated organisation (or join one? JETAA, JLTAA and MLTAA are considered to be affiliated organisations) and must be prepared to stay in Japan for the duration of the course.
The course costs and homestay fee are subsidised substantially by the Ishikawa Prefectural Government. The total cost for participants (including all course fees, texts, cultural activities and accommodation for the duration of the course, depending on fluctuations in the $/Yen ratio and the number of participants) is around $1,000 – $1,400.
You have to find your own way and pay for travel to and from Kanazawa.
Participants are advised to allow about $35 – $50 per day for day-to-day expenses (bus fares, lunches, souvenirs, etc) so the total cost for the two week experience, by the time you have travelled to and from Kanazawa, is probably going to be around $3,500.
This is a great chance to commence, refresh, improve or develop your Japanese language skills and, if your profession is appropriate, the cost may be tax deductible as a self-education expense.
Contact the coordinator of the program, Mr Michael Hodgkin, for a more detailed outline of the program and for homestay application forms.
E-mail: ajsifiecourses@gmail.com
or snail mail:
IFIE Program Coordinator, c/o Australia-Japan Society (ACT), PO Box 1066, Canberra, ACT 2601