Tohoku University provides various kinds of support in finding accommodations. Services vary according to your status.
Contents
1. International Students
(1) Student Dormitories
Tohoku University offers two types of dormitories for international students: University House, where international students live with Japanese students, and International House, which is exclusively for international students/researchers.
Reference: Important Notes and Dorm Comparison
Eligibility: Undergraduate students, graduate students, research students, special students, special auditors, and special research students.
*Short-term visiting trainees enrolled for less than one month are not eligible to move into one of the dormitories. For short-term visiting trainees enrolled for more than one month (30 days) but less than three months, please ask the academic affairs section of your department about your eligibility to move into one of the dormitories.
You can find hotels and accommodations for short-term stays in the page below.
(2) Private Apartments
If you are unable to move into a student dormitory due to an unavoidable reason such as not being able to apply in time, a private apartment may be an option. For more information on how to find a private apartment and how much it costs, please see the following page.
Please read below on how to find short term accommodations.
2. Faculty/Staff and Researchers
The type of housing available to faculty/staff members and researchers varies depending on their status and employment (contract). Please check with the faculty/staff member who will be hosting you first to see which type of housing is available.
(1) Staff Housing
Faculty members (professors, associate professors, lecturers, assistant professors, and research associates) employed by Tohoku University are eligible to live in the staff housing. Please ask the faculty/staff member at Tohoku University who will be hosting you for details on how to apply for the housing.
Please note that non-regular faculty/staff members and visiting scholars are not eligible to live in the staff housing.
You may consider other options below.
However, kindly take note that the eligibility for international house and university house also depends on your employment status at the university. For that reason, please confirm your eligibility with your host department first.
(2) International House/University House
Non-regular faculty/staff and visiting scholars who are not eligible to live in the above staff housing can live in the International House or University House Katahira. However, the number of rooms is limited, and there are many prospective residents waiting for vacancies.
For details on how to apply for the Houses, please contact the faculty/staff member at Tohoku University who will be hosting you. You can also find more information, including eligibility and fees in the following page.
(3) Private apartments and accommodations for short-term visitors
If you are not able to move into the accommodations above, a private apartment may be an option. For more information on how to find a private apartment and how much it costs, please see the following page.
You can also find hotels and accommodations for short-term visitors in the following pages.
3. Support Services for Tenancy Related Matter
As renting a private apartment in Japan can be complicated for first time visitors, the International Support Center provides support for faculty/staff members to find suitable accomodation.
The support includes finding prospective units, house viewing, assistance in contract signing and setting up utility connection (gas, water and electricity).
International students, faculty members and researchers as well as their receiving parties (host department, lab and professors) are all welcome to apply for this support service.
*As different move-in support will be provided for those moving into University House and International House, this group need not apply for this support
Please note that some properties require a joint guarantor (who must be a Japanese national who lives in Japan and works full time) to rent. For that reason, we will propose properties that do not require a joint guarantor, and instead accepts rental guarantee companies for the rental contract.
