Academics

Common FAQs in all categories of the Entrance Examination

Common FAQs in the Special Entrance Examination for International Students, Returnee Students and Students of International School

Regarding the individual interview

Do I need to be at the venue all day for the 2nd phase screening individual interview session?

You are not required to be at the venue all day. We will designate the meeting time to fit in with estimated interview starting time in advance. In addition, you can leave the venue once your interview is finished.

There will be two individual interviews in the 2nd phase screening. How is the difference between first interview and second one?

In principle, we will hold individual interviews twice approximately in 30 minutes by different interviewers. Mainly we will ask questions such as the reason for applying based on the application documents thoroughly. Besides, you will be asked to pick some themes such as social matters and describe your perspectives.

How many interviewers are there per an applicant?

In principle, there are three interviewers per an applicant. However, it is subject to change.

What is the "graded evaluation"?

It does not mark the scores, but evaluate in accordance with criteria which is set up as five- grade evaluation of A to E in advance.

Do you hold an aptitude test at the time of the individual interview?

We do not hold an apptitude test.

Regarding the Special Entrance Examination for International Student

Can I apply to the "Special Entrance Examination" without taking the EJU?

Yes, you can. Those who have taken the EJU and would like to submit, please submit the admission ticket or the copy of the transcript of the "EJU" which had been taken after June 2022.

It says that IUHW recruits a few applicants, but how many of them will be passed actually?

The passers should have suitable academic achievement and the aptitude as students of the IUHW School of Medicine. Besides, we consider this examination to select persons who have a global mind and language proficiency. On top of that, we hope that they will become mediators between Japanese students and international students. Therefore, it is difficult to define the exact number of passers in beforehand. The total number of passers were 8 in 2022, and 6 in 2023 (In total of the 1st and the 2nd round examinations).

How much will it be the exact amount as the "Supporting Documents for Paying Capacity"?

It has to be covered at least the first year's tuition fees for ￥4,500,000 and the living expenses. So, it　might be approximately ￥6,000,000.

Do you have any scholarship programs for international students?

We offer special scholarship programs for international students of the school of medicine called "IUHW Special Medical Scholarship Program" and "IUHW Half Scholarship". We notify the prospective Scholarship Students at the announcement of test results.

IUHW Special Medical Scholarship Program
We select, as Medical Scholarship students, those who demonstrate excellent academic in the "Special Entrance Examination". IUHW Medical Scholarship students will be provided with up to 14 million JPY over the course of maximum 6 years, exempted from the admission fee of 1.5 million JPY, and given priority for the choice to reside in the dormitory.
※The Scholarship will be applied to the academic fees of each year. The admission fee which is paid in the enrollment procedure will be refunded after admission.

For more details 【PDF】

IUHW Half Scholarship
It offers a half amount of the students fees for 6 years those who had especially left superior result in the "Special Entrance Examination". However, those who receives the "IUHW Half Scholarship" must be living at the dormitory and suppose to participate in clinical training at the time of the first semester of the 6th grade at designated facilities by university. In addition, it is required to work at the designated medical facilities in Japan or the home country during the duty period as a doctor after obtain the medical license (The duty period including a 2 years of the initial clinical training period).

Regarding the Special Entrance Examination for Returnee Students and Students of International School

It says that IUHW recruits a few applicants, but how many of them will be passed actually?

The passers should have suitable academic achievement and the aptitude as students of the IUHW School of Medicine. Besides, we consider this examination to select persons who have a global mind and language proficiency. On top of that, we hope that they will become mediators between Japanese students and international students. Therefore, it is difficult to define the exact number of passers in beforehand. The total number of passers were 8 in 2022, and 6 in 2023 (In total of the 1st and the 2nd round examinations).

Can those who have been graduated from International schools in Japan take the examination?

It is possible to apply for those who hold a qualifying certificate for universities in Japan regulated by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (hereafter referred to as MEXT), and have been registered more than 2 years including the final grade at the International school.　Please go to the website of MEXT or make contact to the Admissions Office (admission@iuhw.ac.jp) to confirm the detail of the qualifying certificate for universities in Japan regulated by MEXT.　First, please ask your former school whether they could provide you a qualifying certificatefor universities in Japan by graduation or not. It is also available to confirm whether you are eligible to take the National Center test or not by asking to National Center.

Regarding the Tuition Fees

How does it cost the tuition fees including the academic fees for 6 years?

The admission fee will cost ￥1,500,000, and the academic fee will cost ￥1,900,000 per year. The total amount which including such as the facility fees will be cost ￥18,500,000 in total of 6 years. This is the lowest tuition fees among all private medical universities nationwide.

What expenses will be needed other than the tuition fees?

Regarding the fees which will be necessary other than the tuition fees, there are ￥70,000 for the reserve fund for overseas clinical training and ￥45,000 per year for the student's support group (The organization operated by Guardians aimed to support an educational activity). You will also need to buy the textbooks and materials for the required subjects and transportation fee and lodging fee related to the clinical training and the vaccination fees and actual expenses related to the National Examination measures separately. You are required to prepare PC covering a prescribed specifications (those who have not prepared yet), for IUHW provides classes by using online textbooks. The fees of textbooks of required subjects and material fees were ￥33,000 for who enrolled in 2023 (an amount of the first academic year).

Is there a scholarship program for superior students?

Those who achieved distinguished result through the year (higher ranking of the first to the third places) will be given a "Superior Student of the Year of the IUHW School of Medicine". The first place student will receive a respectable sum of the tuition fee and the second and the third place students will receive a half of the respectable sum of the tuition fee as a scholarship (the scholarship will be transferred to the tuition fee). Besides, we will not provide a prize after the fourth grade since the extramural clinical training will be the main of the curriculum.

Regarding the Academic staffs

What kind of professors have been gathered at IUHW?

Approximately 750 medical doctors were already tenured with IUHW group, but with the opening of the School of Medicine we selected approximately 300 outstanding new teaching staff members from a pool of more than 500 applicants. Since 2023, Professor Michiie Sakamoto, who had held a successive post as the professor at Department of Pathology, Keio University, has been inaugurated as the Dean of the School of Medicine. Professor Takayuki Shiomi, who had been active in New York University, Columbia University, and Keio University has assumed the roles of the chair of the Department of Medicine since 2023.

What are main strengths of IUHW as an educational organization?

One of the strengths could be the fact that we have a large number of teaching staff members from overseas in addition to Japanese teaching staff members with extensive overseas experience in medical care and education. We have approximately 150 Japanese teaching staff members with at least one year of overseas medical care or educational experience (of these, more than 50 have at least three years of such experience), and some studied at Harvard University, Stanford University, and the University of Oxford. We have also employed a large number of full-time instructors from Western, Asian countries and elsewhere. We have also established the "Office of Medical Education (OME)" with a large number of full-time staffs that is unparalleled by any other universities. The OME works to ensure that students can receive high-quality education, including clinical training, from their enrollment to their graduation.

Regarding the class, curriculum

What are the characteristics of the curriculum?

The significant features of the curriculum are as below.

1. Aiming to cultivate a high quality of the morality, which is indispensable element for doctors through an actual training of the medical professionalism.
2. The majority of classes will be conduct in English in order to foster the doctors to be able to perform both domestically and internationally.
3. Implementing a diagnosing participationtype clinical trainingmore than 90 weeks of the long-term period.
4. Conducting a class by using the world biggest medical education simulation center to cultivate a superb comprehensive clinical ability, etc.

How often are English classes conducted?

From the first grade to the first half of the third grade, most of classes are conducted in English. However, we will teach how to mention such as a medical terminology in Japanese for the National Examination. Besides, we will conduct the complicated subjects such as the "Ethics" and the "Law" in Japanese.

How do you deal with students who have difficulty in speaking English? Are there any measures or supplemental classes?

In the first and second grade, we conduct classes in many subjects related to the medicine in English. Thus, we will have the intensive class to enhance students' English proficiency just after their enrollment. We will try to improve their English skills with lessons after 16:20 to fit in with their English ability by putting every engine of foreign language teachers.

How do you deal with students who have difficulty in speaking Japanese? Are there any measures or supplemental classes?

We conduct classes to fit in with international student's Japanese proficiency just like English classes to improve Japanesel student's English proficiency. In addition, the International Center of the Narita Campus is not only supporting international students' daily lives, but also holding a various events such as the international exchange party and the lunch party.

Are the regular examinations conducted in English after the enrollment?

In principle, the examination of the subject which conducted in English will be done in English. The examination of the subject which conducted in Japanese will be done in Japanese likewise.

Do you have enough preparation for the "National Examination for Medical Practitioners"?

Until the second grade, classes are mainly conducted in English, but after the third grade, classes will be conducted in Japanese with aims to improve the clinical ability to cope with the National Examination for Medical Practitioners. In the sixth grade, we will open a general lecture course after the clinical training. We are going to prepare the self-study room next to the library.

Is it possible to transfer the credits which I have already obtained from other universities? Or is it possible to transfer to IUHW from other universities?

If the number of credits you gained from other univerties are surpassed those of our university which you are goling to trasfer, and the classes you have taken in other universites correspond with our curriculum, you may be allowed to transfer the credtis within the limit of 60 credits. Also, all students must start from scratch alongside our curriculum, and we do not accept the transfer admission.

Regarding the Clinical training

Which kind of hospitals will be the place for the clinical training?

Clinical training is conducted in the hospitals both in Japan and overseas. In Japan, the clinical training program is conducted in coordination with our six affiliated hospitals (in total 2,110 beds) including IUHW Narita Hospital which opened in March last year, IUHW Hospital (Nasu-Shiobara City, Tochigi) and other related educational hospitals. In addition, all students enrolled in 2023 and later are expecting to have a clinical training programs in overseas at least for 4 weeks at the time of fifth grade. We will expand to conclude an agreement with many universities and medical institutions all over the world positively.

Could you provide specific information about the hospitals where clinical training is conducted for each academic year. What will be the housing and living arrangements during clinical training?

In clinical training I, students will receive clinical training at IUHW Hospital (Nasu-Shiobara City, Tochigi) and Shioya Hospital (Yaita City, Tochigi) in Tochigi area for half a year and then have clinical training programs at Mita Hospital (Minato City, Tokyo), IUHW Atami Hospital (Atami City, Shizuoka) and IUHW Ichikawa Hospital (Ichikawa City, Chiba) in Tokyo area for half a year. Some students have clinical training programs at Takagi Hospital (Okawa City, Fukuoka) and Fukuoka Sanno Hospital (Fukuoka city, Fukuoka) in Kyushu area for half a year and then have clinical training programs in Tochigi or Tokyo area for half a year. "The clinical training II and III" for fifth grade students will be implemented mainly at IUHW Narita Hospital. We operate the shuttle bus from IUHW Narita Hospital to Narita Campus (app. 20 minutes). The new accommodation of five stories in IUHW Hospital (Tochigi) property was built; it has 116 rooms, large public bath and seminar rooms. We also prepare accommodations in IUHW Atami Hospital and hospitals in Kyushu area. “Clinical Practice IV" in the 5th-6th year is 10 weeks out of 15 weeks per semester, and includes at least 4 weeks of compulsory overseas clinical practice, as well as elective practice including each department of a hospital in Japan.　 Major medical colleges and hospitals mainly in 9 countries/regions, such as Vietnam and Mongolia, which have academic exchange agreement with IUHW, will accept our students for overseas training program. In 2023, overseas clinical training has conducted in all 9 partner medical schools in Eastern Europe, including Lithuania, Poland, and Hungary, as well as facilities in the U.S., U.K., Italy, France, Spain, and Taiwan.

What is the clinical training like? Are there any special features?

Clinical practice will be conducted in a participatory manner in the hospital. Students learn and acquire the basic knowledge, thinking methods, skills, and attitudes required of physicians while partially sharing medical care duties as a member of the medical team. On April 1, 2023, students who pass the Computer-Based Test (CBT) and the the Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE) will be legally recognized by the Medical Practitioners Act as Student Doctors. Under the supervision of a supervising physician, Student Doctors are legally allowed to perform medical procedures other than prescribing. IUHW Hospital is rare among university hospitals in Japan, which is a group of facilities where medical, nursing, and welfare services can be studied in one place. In its vicinity, International Health and Welfare Rehabilitation Center, Ohtawara Fukaen Special Nursing Home, Ohtawara Comprehensive Home Care Center, and Nasu Children's House. One of the features of our clinical training facilities is that we have both community-based medical institutions such as IUHW Hospital, Shioya Hospital, Atami Hospital, and Ichikawa Hospital, and urban medical institutions such as Mita Hospital. On the other hand, with the opening of Narita Hospital in addition to Mita Hospital, which has been selected as one of the "Japan International Hospitals", a hospital that is recognized for its world-class "safety" and "quality of medical care" and recommended to be examined by travelers from overseas, further increase in the number of patients from overseas is expected. Furthermore, all students in their 5th-6th year will have at least 4 weeks of clinical practice overseas. In summary, the ability to learn closely what roles physicians play in both community medicine, which consists of medical care, nursing care, and welfare, and international medicine, while actually participating in medical treatment, is a unique and significant feature of this university.

Please tell me about the place for the clinical training and the fees for that?

We will conduct a clinical training at the the fifth grade from 4 to 10 weeks at their request (international students will conduct it in their own countries and spend for 4 to 10 weeks). The acceptance countries for the clinical training will be affiliated countries of approximately 9 countries / regions such as Vietnam, Mongolia, Lithuania, Poland, and Hungary. Regarding the expense, the prospects for the clinical training in Asian countries will be ￥70,000 per year as a reserve fund, but if you have a clinical training in Europe and America, the own expenses will be expected to increase.

Regarding the Campus life

Please tell me about a dormitory?

We have a dormitory which has an-individual rooms for all the residents called "Narita International House", 15 minutes away from Narita Campus by bus or 20 minutes by bicycle. International students are able to live in the dorm in a preferential manner. The dorm fee costs ￥22,000 per month and the utility expense costs ￥3,000 per month and the food expense. Japanese students live in the dorm almost as same numbers of international students.

How much does it cost to rent an apartment around Narita campus?

The average rent for one room (separated kitchen) around Campus is around from ￥45,000 to ￥65,000. If you go further from the university, the average rent goes down to around from ￥30,000 to ￥50,000. There are a couple of real estate companies which offer students a good deal, and thier information is put on our website.

Are there any sports facilities?

There is a gym inside the university building. There is also a tennis court 1.4 kilometers away from the Narita Campus (4 minutes by car) which has 5,600 square meters. We are planning to organize a sports field for the soccer ground and the field track.