WHY STUDY HISTORY OF GAMES AND APPLIED SOCIAL MEDIA IN KYOTO & OSAKA, JAPAN?

Study gaming. Create content. Experience Japan.

What if your summer class took you beyond the traditional classroom and into the streets, neighborhoods, temples, arcades, and entertainment districts of Japan?

Spend four unforgettable weeks based in Kyoto with excursions to Osaka and Nara, while earning college credit and experiencing Japanese gaming, social media, food history, technology, and culture firsthand.

Japan becomes a part of your classroom. Explore the history of Nintendo in the city where it began, experience modern gaming culture in Osaka,  create social media content inspired by some of Japan’s most memorable locations, and see firsthand how centuries of Japanese culture continue to influence gaming, design, media, and technology today.

The 2+4 Week Model: Get Ready, Then Go Experience Japan

The program combines two weeks of online preparation with four weeks of immersive learning in Japan:

• Weeks 1-2 (Online Preparation): Before departure, you will get ready academically and culturally so you can make the most of every day Japan. You will begin exploring game history, establish your social media brand and content strategy, set up platforms and tools you will use, and learn important cultural and travel expectations before the adventure begins.
• Weeks 3-6 (Four Weeks in Japan): Then comes the part you have been waiting for: four weeks based in Kyoto, traveling and learning with your classmates and instructors, James and Ethan. Kyoto becomes your home base, with excursions to Osaka and Nara. You will explore gaming culture, create original social media content, build portfolio projects, experienced Japanese history and culture firsthand, and turn what you see and do into course assignments that actually feel connected to the place around you.

HIGHLIGHTS OF ACTIVITIES AND FIELD TRIPS

 PROGRAM LOGISTICS

Students participating in this program will earn units in courses taught by Santa Rosa Junior College faculty. This program is offered in partnership with the American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS), which arranges excursions & transportation, living accommodations, and a wide range of student support services. Units earned on this trip will appear on transcripts issued by Santa Rosa Junior College.

• Open to students age 18 and older with a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or more. If you are below a 2.00 GPA and place a deposit for this program, it will be returned to you, and you could be assessed a nonrefundable $50 application fee from AIFS. If you’re not sure about your academic status, please check your SRJC portal or contact the Study Abroad coordinator, Patty Warne (pwarne@santarosa.edu).
• Students will be required to take CS 40 (History of Games) and CS 57.12 (Applied Social Media) for a total of 6 units. (Students who have already completed one or both of the courses are still eligible to enroll in the Study Abroad program. Contact Patty Warne, Study Abroad coordinator, at pwarne@santarosa.edu for more details.)
• AIFS will offer an optional round-trip flight transportation package (minimum of 10 students) at additional cost. You’ll be able to choose either the flight package or find your own flight. The flight package will also include all airport transfers once in Japan (that is, from the airport in Japan to your first night’s destination). The price of the airfare package will probably be known sometime in November. Note that AIFS reserves the right to cancel the group flight if less than 10 students opt for it. If this happens, they will provide suggested flights and give you a timeframe for AIFS pickup at the airport in Japan.

• Transportation included for all excursions and travel days except where noted.

• Student medical insurance will be included as outlined in the AIFS brochure.

PROGRAM DATES

 APPLICATION DEADLINE

•  The deadline to apply and place your deposit will be Friday, March 26, 2027. 

PROGRAM COSTS/SCHOLARSHIPS/FINANCIAL AID

• The AIFS program costs will have a base price of $5,170. These costs will include all lodging, scheduled field trips, medical insurance, and AIFS services. They will not include airfare, day-to-day expenses such as meals (except where indicated), optional trips, SRJC class tuition, and any necessary books. AIFS will be offering a group flight option (minimum of 10 participants required) at additional cost, which will also include transportation from the airport in Kyoto to your first night’s destination. Check back here later for a run-down of what is and isn’t included in the AIFS fees.
•  Scholarships Information: There will be one AIFS scholarship available for $500, provided you’re willing to maintain a blog/vlog. (Everyone will be doing social media anyway, so this will be a great opportunity for you to also be included on the Study Abroad website’s blog page!) All students in the Kyoto program are eligible. Click here for the AIFS scholarship application and instructions. (Note: you’ll only be able to find the scholarship application here; do not go to the AIFS website.) The deadline for the scholarship will be March 26, 2027.
•  Financial Aid: Financial aid in the summer is more limited than in the fall and spring, but the Promise Grant and the Pell Grant are still available for qualifying students. In addition, if you are eligible for the Pell Grant, check out the Gilman Scholarship. The application usually opens mid-January and the due date is usually around the first week of March: https://www.gilmanscholarship.org/

AIFS REFUND DATES & CANCELLATION FEES

Refund requests must be done in writing to AIFS. They accept emails and that is generally the easiest way (customizedfacultyled@aifs.com). See the official refund policy on your Agreement & Release form on the AIFS application. Dates to remember regarding AIFS refunds once you are enrolled in the program:

Friday, April 2, 2027: Last day to request a refund of your $450 deposit less $150 in processing & nonrefundable fees. After that date, AIFS will not refund any of the $450 deposit. Students will also be potentially subject to any nonrefundable canceled reservation fees by AIFS after this date. See details on your Agreement & Release form on the AIFS application.

Friday, April 30, 2027: Total program fee is due. NO REFUND OF PAYMENTS after this date.

AIFS PROGRAM CANCELLATION POLICY

Click on the Cancellation Policy Summary for a rundown of the AIFS program cancellation policy.