Language Exchange Program
【For those who want to find a partner in Hongo and/or Komaba Campus】

*If you wish to find a partner on Kashiwa Campus, please check here

Want to find a language exchange partner on campus?

Who can participate?

Students and postdoctoral researchers of the University of Tokyo, regardless of their campuses.
(Family members of international students & researchers, Faculty/staff members and those who do not belong to the University of Tokyo are not eligible.)

How to find a partner (online registration and exchanges)

★Application now open for Spring 2021!★

Step1: Pre-register online
Sign in with your ECCS Cloud Mail (@g.ecc.u-tokyo.ac.jp) and register through Registration form ※(注記)For those who pariticipated before, please sign-up again for this semester.
1. You will receive an automatic reply with your registered information.
2. Your information will be updated on Online Bullet-in Board (Sign in necessary with your ECCS Cloud Mail. When updating, closed temporarily.) within 2 business days.

Step 2:
1. If you find a potential partner on Online Bullet-in Board (Sign in necessary with your ECCS Cloud Mail), please let us know the following information from your ECCS Cloud Mail at issr.adm[at-mark]gs.mail.u-tokyo.ac.jp *Please change [at-markl] to @
※(注記)Request from your personal email address and/or other UTokyo email addresses are not accepted.
(1) Your name
(2) Partner's number (1 person per 1 request, 1 request per 1 time. Please do not make multiple request by sending multiple emails at one time.)
(3) Language(s) to exchange
※(注記)ISSR's email address and other details are shown in the end screen. Please save the information for your reference.

2. We will send you your partner's name and email address within 2 business days after we confirm your request.
*Please contact your partner within 48 hours when you receive your partner's contact information.
*Please reply within 48 hours to your partner when you receive their requests.

Step 3:
Please Send an email to your partner and introduce yourself to start the language exchange!
The program is currenly conducted online only and you are requested to refrain from meeting your partner in person. So, please discuss how you do an exchange with your partner.

【Reference】Chinese Conversation Club for Chinese speaking students and Japanese students 汉语聊天室
ISSR holds a meetup event for UTokyo international students and Japanese students to interact in Chinese, Japanese, and other languages every week. 「汉语聊天室」是由留学生支援室主办的活动,旨在为给东京大学的留学生和日本学生提供一个交流场所。大家用汉语或日语交流有关校园生活、文化等方面的想法和信息。
https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/adm/inbound/en/life-interact-ac-other.html

FAQ

How did the past participants enjoy the language exchanges?
Please check the report Autumn 2021. You can find the overview of the program and their feedback. The slides were presented at the Language Exchange Program Introductory Session on April 22 (Thu).

I have more than 2 preferred languages to exchange. Can I apply for more than one language?
Yes you can apply for more than one language. However, please make sure to contact them once you received the contact information.

I would like to exchange languages with an international student who is a native English speaker.
Your language partner may not necessarily be a native speaker of your preferred language. For example, if you select English, your language partner can be French or Chinese who can speak English at a near native level. We would like you to participate in the language exchange program without focusing on the word “native.”

I would like to stop posting my profile on the bulletin board.
Profiles are posted until the end of each semester, but please contact ISSR by e-mail if you would like to stop your positing.
However, you may receive e-mails from those who are interested in the language exchange with you if they had already seen your details information before your profile was removed. In this case, please let them know that you have stopped participating in the language exchange program.

I would like to post my profile on the bulletin board, but can I add or delete some information?
You cannot add to nor delete the original information. For example, you cannot delete your graduate school or department nor can you add comments, such as “Prefer doctorate student only."

Reference

Please see the statistics (Japanese only)
on the International Students at the University of Tokyo. Please note that the 90% of international students at the University of Tokyo are graduate students.

International students and foreign researchers who are interested in meeting Japanese people and speaking in Japanese may also enjoy the FACE program

Closed. ■しかくLanguage Exchange Program Introductory Session

-What is the Language Exchange Program?
-What can I learn from the program?
-What languages are the participants exchanging?
-I would like to get to know how the participants enjoy the program.
You can learn everything about the Language Exchange Program at the session.
This meeting is helpful for anyone who is thinking about joining, as well as for those who have already joined and want to know what other pairs are doing to interact with each other. Come and join us!

*Languages:Japanese and English.

【Program Content】
■しかくDate/Time: April 22 (Thu) 18:00-18:40
■しかくPlace: Zoom meeting room *Link will be announced in the morning of the event day.
■しかくEligibility: Students, Post-doc researchers (Faculty/staff members and researchers employed by UTokyo are NOT eligible.)
■しかくTo participate: UTokyo Account and ECCS Cloud Mail (@g.ecc.u-tokyo.ac.jp) necessary.
■しかくFlyer: Here

Closed. Language Exchange Program presents "Let's get to know UTokyo student's hometown!" cultural exchange event
Presenters from all over the world (including Japan) will make a presentation on their hometown / country, such as their lifestyle, culture, food, etc., using the photos, realia, etc. at the event.
*Languages:Japanese and English
*You can have a lunch during the session.
-Date/Time: Each day 12:10-12:50
1.Dec 15(Tue)Taiwan (Famous places, cuisine), Benin (Famous street food)
2.Dec 17(Thu)China・Hunan Province (Local culture), China・Yunnan Province (Diverse ethnic groups, culture, lifestyle, climate, etc.)
3.Dec 18(Fri)Taiwan (Geography, gourmet, culture), UK・Oxford (Lifestyle and study experience) *presentation by the student from US
4.Dec 22(Tue)Japan・Toyama (Local language and festival-Attractive features of Toyama, the northwestern part of Japan) *China・Henan Province (Cutting-edge technology and traditional culture in ancient city-Luoyang) cancelled.
-Place: Zoom meeting room *Link will be announced later. Zoom account registered with ECCS Cloud Mail necessary to join in the meeting.

-Eligibility: Students, Post-doc researchers (Faculty/staff members and researchers employed by UTokyo are NOT eligible.)
-Application Deadline: at 17:00 on one day before each event
-Flyer: Here[PDF]

Closed ■しかくLanguage Exchange Program Introductory Session and Student Gathering (Updated: 2020年9月16日)

-What is the Language Exchange Program?
-What can I learn from the program?
-What languages are the participants exchanging?
-I would like to get to know how the participants enjoy the program.
-I am not still unsure if I join in the program, but I am simply interested in the gathering.

Putting your questions altogether, you can learn everything about the Language Exchange Program at the session. A small/casual gathering with student/post-doc researchers who are interested in the program will be conducted in the session too.

*Languages:Japanese and English. Staff and Student Staff who actually participated in the program in the Summer semester will support. So, just feel free to join us!

【Program Content】Closed
■しかくDate/Time: October 13 (Tue) 12:10-13:00 *You can have a lunch during the session.
■しかくPlace: Zoom meeting room *Link will be announced later.
■しかくEligibility: Students, Post-doc researchers (Faculty/staff members and researchers employed by UTokyo are NOT eligible.)
■しかくTo participate: Zoom account registered with ECCS Cloud Mail necessary.
■しかくFlyer: Here