5 days ago
Japan's Ritsumeikan to support university students hit by US visa interview suspension
KYOTO -- The Ritsumeikan Trust based here announced on June 3 that its affiliated universities will accept up to 100 international students and 16 early-career researchers in response to the Donald Trump administration's directive to suspend new student visa interview appointments at U.S. diplomatic missions around the world.
With anxiety spreading among students and researchers who plan to enter U.S. universities, the trust decided to offer proactive support, including a total of 530 million yen (roughly $3.6 million) in financial assistance. From the fall semester of the 2025 academic year, international students will be accepted as regular or nonregular students at Ritsumeikan University based in Kyoto and Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) based in Beppu, Oita Prefecture.
For regular students, an additional entrance exam will be held in September for those with Japanese nationality or valid residence status in Japan. Ritsumeikan University will accept graduate students, while APU will accept undergraduates. Tuition will be reduced or waived, and students will be eligible for scholarship selection.
Nonregular students in both graduate and undergraduate programs will be enrolled as course auditors or similar, and their tuition fees will be fully waived. Both regular and nonregular students will be provided with international dormitory or Seminar House rooms as housing support, with dorm fees and related costs waived. Early-career researchers will be accepted at Ritsumeikan University. In all cases, support will also be provided for travel to Japan, including covering travel expenses.
Ritsumeikan has informed the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, which has issued a notice to all universities in Japan to consider accepting affected students. The Japan Student Services Organization will serve as the main contact, but at Ritsumeikan University, the Division of International Affairs or Division of Academic Affairs will handle inquiries.
The trust stated, "We will continue to respond flexibly and proactively to maintain an international educational and research environment and support the challenges of students and researchers."
(Japanese original by Hiroyuki Ota, Kyoto Bureau)
