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Academic Calendar

JCMU runs programs throughout the academic year including summer. The most current versions of schedules for upcoming programs are provided below. Dates for past programs can be found on the Past Schedules page.


2023

Fall - Semester Language and Culture

  • Depart for Japan - September 3, 2023 (Sun) (You may need to depart earlier depending on your flight itinerary)
  • Arrival/Move-in - September 4, 2023 (Mon) (First day JCMU-provided housing is available for fall and academic year students)
  • Orientation - September 5, 2023 (Tue)
  • Placement Test - September 6, 2023 (Wed)
  • First Day of Class - September 7, 2023 (Thu)
  • National Holiday - No Japanese Classes - September 18, 2023 (Mon)
  • National Holiday - No Japanese Classes - October 9, 2023 (Mon)
  • National Holiday - No Japanese Classes - November 3, 2023 (Fri)
  • National Holiday - No Japanese Classes - November 23, 2023 (Thu)
  • Last Day of Classes / Exams - December 14, 2023 (Thu)
  • Closing Ceremony - December 15, 2023 (Fri)
  • Move-out/Departure - December 16, 2023 (Sat) (Last day JCMU-provided housing is available unless participating in the full academic year)

2024

Spring - Semester Language and Culture

  • Depart for Japan - January 4, 2024 (Thu) (You may need to depart earlier depending on your flight itinerary)
  • Arrival/Move-in - January 5, 2024 (Fri) (First day JCMU-provided housing is available for spring semester students)
  • Orientation - January 6, 2024 (Sat)
  • National Holiday - January 8, 2024 (Mon)
  • Placement Test - January 9, 2024 (Tue)
  • First Day of Class - January 10, 2024 (Wed)
  • Kokunai Session 1 - February 19 (Fri) - March 1 (Fri)
  • National Holiday - No Classes - February 23, 2024 (Fri)
  • Kokunai Session 2 - March 4 (Mon) - March 15 (Fri)
  • Program Field Trip - March 9, 2024 (Sat)
  • National Holiday - No Classes - March 20, 2024 (Wed)
  • Weekend Homestay (optional) - March 22-24, 2024 
  • Last Day of Classes / Exams - April 17, 2024 (Wed)
  • Closing Ceremony - April 18, 2024 (Thu)
  • Move-out/Departure - April 19, 2024 (Fri) (Last day JCMU-provided housing is available for Spring Semester students unless accepted to participate in a consecutive JCMU program.)

Summer - Career/Culture Hybrid Programs (Tentative)

  • Depart for Japan - May 6, 2024 (Mon) (You may need to depart earlier depending on your flight itinerary)
  • Arrival/Move-in - May 7, 2024 (Tue) (First day JCMU-provided housing is available)
  • Orientation & Classes Begin - May 8, 2023 (Wed)
  • Move-out/Departure - June 2, 2023 (Sun) (Last day JCMU-provided housing is available)

Summer - Intensive Japanese Language

  • Depart for Japan - June 4, 2024 (Tue) (You may need to depart earlier depending on your flight itinerary)
  • Arrival/Move-in - June 5, 2024 (Wed) (First day JCMU-provided housing is available)
  • Orientation - June 6, 2024 (Thu)
  • Placement Test - June 7, 2024 (Fri)
  • First Day of Class - June 10, 2024 (Mon)
  • Japanese Exam #1 - June 28, 2024 (Fri)
  • National Holiday - No Classes - July 15, 2024 (Mon)
  • Japanese Exam #2 - July 19, 2024 (Fri)
  • Japanese Presentations - August 2, 2024 (Fri)
  • Japanese Final Exam - August 7, 2024 (Wed)
  • Closing Ceremony - August 8, 2024 (Thu)
  • Move-out/Departure - August 9, 2024 (Fri) (Last day JCMU-provided housing is available)

Fall - Semester Language and Culture

  • Depart for Japan - September 4, 2024 (Wed) (You may need to depart earlier depending on your flight itinerary)
  • Arrival/Move-in - September 5, 2024 (Thu) (First day JCMU-provided housing is available for fall and academic year students)
  • Orientation - September 6, 2024 (Fri)
  • Placement Test - September 9, 2024 (Mon)
  • First Day of Class - September 10, 2024 (Thu)
  • National Holiday - No Japanese Classes - September 16, 2024 (Mon)
  • National Holiday - No Japanese Classes - September 23, 2024 (Mon)
  • National Holiday - No Japanese Classes - October 14, 2024 (Mon)
  • National Holiday - No Japanese Classes - November 4, 2024 (Mon)
  • Last Day of Classes / Exams - December 16, 2024 (Mon)
  • Closing Ceremony - December 17, 2024 (Tue)
  • Move-out/Departure - December 18, 2024 (Wed) (Last day JCMU-provided housing is available unless participating in the full academic year)

2025

Spring - Semester Language and Culture

  • Depart for Japan - January 6, 2025 (Mon) (You may need to depart earlier depending on your flight itinerary)
  • Arrival/Move-in - January 7, 2025 (Tue) (First day JCMU-provided housing is available for spring semester students)
  • Orientation - January 8, 2025 (Wed)
  • Placement Test - January 9, 2025 (Thu)
  • First Day of Class - January 10, 2025 (Fri)
  • National Holiday - No Japanese Classes - January 13, 2025 (Mon)
  • (KALAMAZOO INTERNSHIP STUDENTS ONLY) Move-out/Departure - February 7, 2025 (Fri)
  • National Holiday - No Japanese Classes - February 11, 2025 (Tue)
  • National Holiday - No Japanese Classes - February 24, 2025 (Mon)
  • National Holiday - No Japanese Classes - March 20, 2025 (Thu)
  • Break Day - No Classes - March 21, 2025 (Fri)
  • Last Day of Classes / Exams - April 16, 2025 (Wed)
  • Closing Ceremony - April 17, 2025 (Thu)
  • Move-out/Departure - April 18, 2025 (Fri) (Last day JCMU-provided housing is available for Spring Semester students unless accepted to participate in a consecutive JCMU program.)

 

Schedules

Program schedules may change. JCMU will alert all pending applicants and accepted participants to any changes after publication.

Depart for Japan Dates

These dates indicate the last day by which students flying from the U.S. need to depart for Japan in order to arrive on the program arrival date. Students may need to depart on a different date if their flight has multiple connections, long layovers, or if it departs from somewhere else. If the length of your program requires you to have a visa that JCMU is providing, please do not plan to depart more than 5 days prior to the program start date without first consulting with the JCMU East Lansing office.

Arrival/move-in Dates

These dates indicate the day by which all students participating in that program must arrive, as well as the first day students are eligible to move into the program-provided housing.

Move-out/departure Dates

These dates indicate the day on which all participants must move-out of the program housing, unless they are continuing into the next semester.