Life as an Exchange Student at Chuo University

I am currently enrolled in the Law Faculty at Chuo University. Chuo University began as a law school and remains a highly ranked law school in Japan. As a law student, I am very grateful that I can study at this university. To account for 24 UTS credit points, I am currently taking 8 classes at Chuo, 4 of which are law classes.

Although I have finished my law degree at UTS, I am excited that I am able to continue my law studies and enhance my learning. I am most excited for my class called ‘International Law from Japanese Perspectives’ as one of the lecturers previously served as a Judge at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands. As I am interested in pursuing a career in international law, I believe this will be an amazing opportunity to learn more about international law and how to pursue a career in this field. I am also continuing my Japanese language studies and am enrolled in subjects offered by the Global Management Faculty which is based on Chuo University’s main campus at Tama. 

Chuo University’s main campus is extremely large, with incredible facilities such as a Japanese archery hall, volleyball courts, baseball field and even a horse-riding field. These facilities have produced top students. For example, two Chuo University alumni are representatives and starting members of Japan’s national men’s volleyball team. The campus is located on a hill and accessible via the monorail or by bus and walking. The buildings on campus are quite old and difficult to navigate due to the size of the campus, but the trees, in particular, the cherry blossoms lining the sidewalks are incredibly beautiful. I was fortunate enough to commence my exchange during April which is when the cherry blossoms were in full bloom. The benches underneath trees make for such a romantic and picturesque social space, especially when the blossoms flutter through the air.

Interestingly, Chuo University very recently opened a new campus in Myogadani (near central Tokyo) for its Law Faculty in April of this year.  As a result, I am able to study at a new campus with brand-new facilities. I must say, however, the travel to Myogadani from my dorm is quite a distance, taking around 1 hour and 20 minutes by train. The law classes offered in English are spread out throughout the week which means that I must attend university almost every day. Thankfully, I was able to apply for a commuter pass which means that I can save some money on my public transportation fare.

The teaching style and class structure of each class are very different. Yet, a commonality between all the classes is that class participation is a strict requirement and comprises a large chunk of our final marks for each subject. Being an active participant is a must so be prepared! That being said, there are no preparatory materials to go through before Week 1 and few readings to do compared to the coursework required at UTS. Having studied at UTS for 5 years, doing the readings feels like a walk in the park. Thank you UTS!

A little tip for future students is that the University is still very much paper-based based so please be prepared to receive a lot of paper and handwritten notes. Many teachers do not allow the use of electronic devices!

Jennifer Zhang
Bachelor of Laws/ Bachelor of International Studies
Autumn 2023 at Chuo University, Japan