This International Student Handbook provides comprehensive information on a wide range of topics related to both studying and living in Japan.

• SFC International Student Handbook

The topics covered in this Handbook are;
1. Procedures before coming to Japan
Visa | Money | Travel Arrangement | Necessary Documents | Medical | Packing | Immigration | Delivery Service | Campus Map | Announcements from University | Academic Calendar | Computing Environment

2.Housing
Dormitories | Apartments | Shared Residence | Gas, Water, Electricity | Internet | Moving

3. Administrative procedures
Resident Registration | National Health Insurance | National Pension | Individual Number (My Number) | Fujisawa City Hall and Community Centers

4. Other procedures
Opening a Bank Account | Credit Card | Mobile Phone Contract

5. Status of residence
Extension of Period of Stay | Work Permission for Part-Time Jobs | Change in Your Status of Residence | Temporary Leave and Re-entry | Visas for Your Family | Lost/Stolen/Damaged Residence Card | Immigration Bureau Nearby

6. Financial aid
Scholarships | Student Loan | Student Discounts

7. Health
National Health Insurance | Keio Insurance System | Medical Consultations in Various Languages | Medical Treatment at Campus | Hospitals/Clinics | Pregnancy and Delivery | Mental Health

8. Daily life
Living Cost | Wi-Fi | Postal Service | Commute | Part-Time Jobs | Food | Garbage | Avoiding Troubles | Religious Facilities | Student Organizations | Student Support Groups | Helplines

9. Emergency
Emergency Contacts | Natural Disaster

• Campus Map

• Campus Access　

How to ride a bus from Shonandai/Tsujido to SFC

Bus stops (Shonandai)

Buses for Keio University depart from Bus Stop #1, at the West B Exit of Shonandai Station. The following bus routes are bound for Keio University:
・Sho23 [湘23] bound for Keio University [慶応大学] via Endo [遠藤]
・Sho24 [湘24] bound for Keio University [慶応大学] via Endo and Sasakubo [遠藤・笹久保]
・Sho25 [湘25] express (Twin Liner) bound for Keio University [慶応大学]

It takes approximately 15-20 minutes to reach the campus. Bus fare is 260 yen.

Within the campus, buses will stop at:
・Keio Daigaku [慶応大学] (Bus Stop A on the campus map; closest to the Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care Building)
・Keio Daigaku Honkan-mae [慶応大学本館前] (Bus Stop B on the campus map)
・Keio Chukotobu-mae [慶応中高等部前] (Bus Stop D on the campus map; closest to Keio Shonan Fujisawa Junior and Senior High School)

Note: Buses do not stop at Keio Daigaku Honkan-mae [慶応大学本館前] and Keio Chukotobu-mae [慶応中高等部前] on Sundays and holidays.

Bus stops (Tsujido)

Buses for Keio University depart from Bus Stop #2, at the North Exit of Tsujido Station.

The following bus routes are bound for Keio University:
・Tsuji34 [辻34] bound for Keio University [慶応大学]
・Tsuji35 [辻35] express (Twin Liner) bound for Keio University [慶応大学]

It takes approximately 30 minutes to reach the campus. Bus fare is 400 yen.

Instructions and notes

1. Most of the bus drivers do not speak or understand English.
2. Check the destination of the bus written on the front and the side of the bus. Since all instructions are written in Japanese, please check with the driver or other co-passengers about your destination.
3. If you are heading toward Keio University, you should pay the fare when getting off.
4. If you are heading toward Shonandai Station, you should pay the fare when getting on. When you get off a bus at any stop other than the last you have to give the driver the name of the stop you want to get off at before paying the fare. (Note: Shonandai-eki Nishi-guchi [湘南台駅西口] is the last stop.)
5. Announcements on the bus are in Japanese only. The announcement sometimes includes commercials besides announcements of destinations and the next bus stop, so please listen carefully.
6. The next bus stop and fare will be shown on the electric bulletin board inside the bus. However the name of the bus stop will be displayed only in Japanese.
7. When you wish to get off the bus, let the bus driver know by pressing a button found on the sides or poles. When you press it, it will light up and make a buzzing sound. Only press the button after your intended bus stop has been announced. The button will light up in red. If no one presses the button, the bus will not stop.

<If paying in cash>
It is highly recommended that you have the exact fare ready before boarding the bus. You will not get any change back if you drop more than your fare into the fare box. You can also change 1,000 yen bill, 500 yen coin and 100 yen coin into smaller denominations by putting them in the change machine next to the fare box. Please change the money before you drop it in the fare box.

<If paying with Suica/PASMO>
It is highly recommended that you always have enough money charged on your Suica/PASMO* card.
Please note that the sales of IC cards (Suica/Pasmo) have been suspended since June 2023 due to the ongoing global chip shortage. If you do not have one, you will need to pay in cash every time you take the train/bus, or get a "Welcome Suica" card which is available for 28 days from the date of purchase. "Welcome Suica" is only sold at Narita and Haneda Airports.

Η (Eta) Village: On-campus dormitory

Opened in 2023, H Village is a student dormitory for Keio University students (including graduate students) and international students. Each unit houses a mix of five students - from different parts of the world and from all over Japan - where they can foster cross-cultural exchange and share diverse values as they live and study together. This international student dormitory puts into practice the new lifestyle of "living while learning, and learning while living."

• H (Eta) Village

Shonan Fujisawa International Dormitory (SID)

Opened in 2021. This is the first dormitory for the exclusive use of Keio students at Shonan Fujisawa Campus. A mixed dormitory with morning and evening meals provided and plenty of space for students to interact with each other.

• Shonan Fujisawa International Dormitory

Finding private student dormitories near SFC

If you want to live in a student dormitory/hall near SFC (Shonandai, Chogo, Totsuka, Kozashibuya, Sagamiono, etc.), please refer to the following housing information.

• Dormitories recommended by SFC

• Kyoritsu Maintenance: Dormitories for International Students

• Node Growth Shonandai

Finding an apartment

There are several English-speaking realtors near Shonandai Station as listed below. Some of their websites are available only in Japanese, but they have staff members who will be able to assist you in English.

If you want to obtain apartment information from the realtors listed below, please fill in the "Request Form for Housing Referral" below, and send it to the SFC Student Life Section via email. SFC Student Life Section will forward the request form to all of the realtors below, and you will be contacted by a realtors if there are apartments that satisfy your specifications. Alternatively, you may also contact a realtor directly.

• Request Form for Housing Referral

Submit to: SFC Student Life Section at sfc-housing＠adst.keio.ac.jp

【List of realtors located near Shonandai Station】

• Housemate - Shonandai branch

email: s-syonandai@housemate.co.jp

• Mini Mini - Shonandai branch

email: shonandai@minimini.jp
Leopalace 21: For International Students
*English website available

• ABLE: For International Students

email:ryugakusei@able.co.jp
*English, Chinese and Korean available

Note: Please note that when students seek private housing in Japan, they will usually be required to have a "guarantor." It becomes the guarantor's responsibility to pay the rent on behalf of the tenant if they become unable to do so. Usually students are also required to pay a rental deposit, key money and a real estate commission. This means, essentially, that students need to prepare at least 6 months rent in advance to be able to move in.

If you do not have any acquaintances (relateves, friends) to ask for your housing guarantor, Keio University can be your guarantor instead.

Please refer to the following website for more information.

• Contents of the system called "Comprehensive Rentor's Insurance"
• How to subscribe to the Comprehensive Rentor's Insurance ←Update October 20, 2023

Living in other Keio dormitories outside the SFC area

Please refer to the International Center website below for information on applying to the Keio University dormitories. Since the number of available rooms in the University dormitories is limited, all applicants may not be accomodated. Also, please note that all the University dormitories are more than an hour away from SFC.

• International Center: Housing for International Students

The application procedure for the scholarships available at Keio University differs for Japanese and international students.

International students whose status of residence is "Student" （留学）

International students with a status of residence of "Student" who wish to apply for scholarships through Keio University must complete Scholarship Applicant Registration at the beginning of each semester. The process for Scholarship ApplicantRegistration will be completed when students submit the "Scholarship Applicant Registration Form" and other required documents. Please note that there is a registration period at the beginning of each semester and the deadline must be observed.
Please refer to the International Center website below for further information.

• International Center: Scholarships

Please refer to the webpage of the International Center below to find the list of scholarships. Japanese webpage has more recruitment information than the English webpage, but please look for the "＊" mark for a scholarship open to students without Japanese language competency. (To apply to other scholarships on the list, students need to conduct all application procedures in Japanese, which include reading and understanding of the materials, filling in application forms and being interviewed.)

• International Center: Scholarships Now Available (English)

• 現在募集中の奨学金 (Japanese)

Students whose nationality is Japanese/ whose status of residence is NOT "Student" （留学）

Scholarship information for students whose nationality is Japanese (including students who have dual nationality), or whose status of residence is either "Permanent Resident" （永住者）, "Statutory Special Permanent resident"（法定特別永住者）, "Long-term resident"（定住者）, "Dependent" （家族滞在）or "Spouse or Child of Japanese National" （日本人の配偶者等） is on the webpage below.

• Scholarships

• How to apply

Status of residence

First of all, please refer to the "SFC International Student Handbook" Chapter 5 for further information.
All foreign nationals entering and staying in Japan are given a status of residence at their port of entry, and are allowed to engage in activities permitted under that status of residence. Your period of stay in Japan is determined by your status of residence.
Please read through the "SFC International Student Handbook" issued by the Office of International Affairs at SFC and Immigration Bureau website below to understand your status of residence and the resident card you receive as well as necessary notification procedures.

• Immigration Bureau of Japan

If you have any questions about student visa, please contact us at sfc-visa@adst.keio.ac.jp.

Important Notice
If you fail to carry out necessary notification procedures, you may be sentenced to a fine of up to 200,000 yen. If you submit a false notification you may be sentenced for up to one year of imprisonment or a fine of up to 200,000 yen. If you fail to give notification of your address or submit a false notification, your status of residence may be revoked. If you are sentenced to imprisonment for false notification you may be deported.

Activities Not Permitted Under "Student" Status of Residence (Part-time Work)
Students who hold "Student" status of residence are allowed to stay in Japan only for study and research purposes. Therefore, you are not allowed to work under "Student" status. If you wish to engage in secondary activities aside from your studies, such as a part-time job, you must obtain a permit from the Immigration Bureau beforehand.
Please refer to the "SFC International Student Handbook" 5-2 (P. 69) for more details.

Opening a bank account

Under the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act, persons including international students, are considered "non-residents" for their first 6 months in Japan. "Non-residents" are not allowed to open a bank account for their first 6 months in Japan, except for JP Bank and Suruga Bank. However, even these banks allow you to only make deposits or withdrawals until you have reached the sixth month of living in Japan.

●JP Bank
To open a bank account at JP Bank, you need to visit one of their branches.
There is one next to the North gate of SFC.
The application form will be given at the designated counter. Bring your residence card, your student ID card with a sticker on the back, and your phone number in Japan. Some branches may ask you to come with a Japanese speaker.
After completing the paperwork, you will receive a bank book (tsucho) on the same day, and a cash card (kyasshu kado) will be sent to the address of the account holder approximately one week later. (There is a case where they cannot issue your bank book on the same day for some reason. In that case, your bank book will be sent to you by post later.)

●Suruga Bank
You can open a bank account from your smartphone. Please follow the instructions on their website.

Generally, you will need your residence card, your student ID card and a personal name seal (inkan, if you have one) to open an account. Confirm in advance as requirements differ according to financial institutions and the post office.

After residing in Japan for 6 months, you need to visit the nearest bank branch to change your "non-resident account" to a "resident account."
For more information, please refer to the "SFC International Student Handbook".

National Health Insurance (NHI/Kokuho)

International students who plan to stay in Japan for over three months are required to join the National Health Insurance (NHI or Kokuho) system. Registration at the NHI section of your local municipal office must be completed within fourteen days of moving into your place of residence.

NHI is one of the health insurance systems in Japan that allows the person insured to receive medical care with less financial concern when ill or injured by sharing the medical care expenses between national or local government and the person insured. With NHI, approximately 70% of your medical expenses will be covered when you receive treatment at hospitals or clinics that are NHI medical service providers (most hospitals in Japan accept NHI). You pay the other 30%. NHI does not cover expenses for cosmetic surgery, orthodontics, and normal childbirth, etc.

Please note that it is not necessary to join NHI if you already belong to Employee's Health Insurance as a dependent of a Japanese national civil servant or municipal civil servant, an employee of a Japanese company, etc. (Overseas medical insurance is not accepted.)

Wellness Center (Health center and student counseling)

Students at SFC may receive medical treatment and counseling at the Wellness Center located in the A building on campus.

The Wellness Center was established to improve the physical and mental health of students, faculty members, and the administrative staff at Keio University SFC. It is equipped to handle temporary conditions like colds and coughs as well as chronic conditions like hypertension. Physicians, nurses, and public health nurses are available for examination, medication, and treatment (including first aid). Counseling on academic, career, personal, and social issues is also available.
Medical consultation and counseling are available in English.

• Health Center, Keio University - Shonan Fujisawa Clinic Guide

Student Counseling

Counselors are available to listen to and give advice about any problems you may have on campus or in your personal life. Your privacy will be protected and all consultation will be kept strictly confidential.
For further information, please refer to the website below.

• A Guide from the Wellness Center: Student Counseling Room

In case of sickness or injury on campus

Wellness Center (weekdays, 9:00 - 17:30)

Contact the Wellness Center (extension 52201 or 52207, or 0466‐49‐3411). Wellness Center staff will handle the following procedures; make calls to the hospital, make calls for the ambulance or taxi, replace the patient to the Center, provide first-aid until the ambulance or taxi arrives, follow-up after the treatment has been done, and keep a record of the incident. Wellness Center is located on the second floor of the Alpha Building.

Shonan Fujisawa Clinic (weekdays)

Medical checkup is available during Mondays and Fridays. For details, please refer to the Keio University Health Center Shonan Fujisawa Branchwebsite (available in Japanese). Shonan Fujisawa Clinic is located inside the Wellness Center.

After-hours and Holiday Medical Care

During night time, Holidays, and outside of Wellness Center Office Hours
Call the Security (extension 52190 or 52191, or 0466-45-5114). Security staff will handle the following procedures; make calls for the ambulance, lead the ambulance to where the patient is located, check and keep a record of the patient's ID, call the police if necessary, and provide basic first-aid.

• AMDA International Medical Information Center

They offer free multilingual medical interpretation services by phone or Zoom.