Living Expenses in Kagoshima

Living expenses staying Kagoshima as a student can be roughly estimated as follows. Such expenses can be categorized as 1) living expenses, 2) housing cost and 3)tuition .

Living Expenses

As such expenses as food, transportation cost and cost for study can be varied by each individual's life style and policy, it is difficult to generally estimate the amount. For example, while the average cost for lunch or dinner ranges 250 ~500 yen in COOP cafeteria, they can be ranged 500~1,000 yen at the restaurants located outside of campus. It can be observed that students in average level spend about 60,000 yen/month. Such total expenses can be divided by 30,000 yen for food, 15,000yen for study related expenses and 15,000yen for other incidental expenses. Incidental expenses may include a premium (1,600 yen/month) of National Health Insurance.

Housing cost

Private apartment and house in Japan are generally unfurnished. When you wish to rent such places, you have to buy some pieces of furnitures for yourselves. The amount of rent differs depending on location, convenience, size and facilities installed in the room. It can be estimated that the monthly rate for average apartment which students normally rent with a space of 10~13㎡, with a small kitchen, bath and toilet facilities, can be 30,000~40,000 yen. Another thing that you have to be aware of is that in Japan, when you rent an apartment, you have to customary pay a considerable amount of money (in most cases approximately equal to three months' rent) as a deposit (shiki-kin) and a commission to owner of the apartment (tesuuryou). When you try to find an apartment or house, you firstly consult with Student Welfare Section of the University and contact either Co-op Information Board (in campus) or real estate agents (outside of campus).

It is, however, advisable, if you are new to Japan, that you have to seek the cooperation of those who well know Japan's housing condition, such as foreign residents here or Japanese friends. They should accompany with you to real estate agents and to apartment or house to help in the inspection before making a final decision. The real estate agent that finally identify an appropriate apartment or house, it normally charge you an introduction fee which is approximately equivalent to one month' rent.

There is a need to join housing insurance scheme (4,500yen /year) for guaranteeing your good practices in staying at the house and damages to the house that you are responsible including fire.

International Residence Hall

The University has a housing facility (the International Residence Hall No.1 & No.2) for foreign students. However, as admission to the International Residence Hall is prioritized for either Japanese government (Monbukagakushou) scholarship students or exchange students from sister universities based on the Student Exchange Memorandum, it can be difficult to stay in the facility if you are not categorized either of above which due to limited number of rooms. Even if you are categorized one of above two, you might be admitted to stay only for the first year.

 *: Other costs such as utilities, electricity, gas, water will additionally be charged.

 Your living expenses in Kagoshima can be monthly estimated and summarized as follows.

Tuition

Tuition mentioned below can also be required. 

Above tuition is exempted for Japanese government (Monbukagakushou) scholarship students or exchange students from sister universities based on the Student Exchange Memorandum. The University may also waive half or all of the tuition fees for some numbers of graduate and undergraduate students (About 40~50% of students have benefited by the system in the latest case) who have difficulty in paying them, after evaluating the proposals submitted by the students.