About the ‘SUMURAKU Plan’ for International Students
- A private guarantor company will act as your joint guarantor when international students of Tohoku University rent a private apartment.
- A multilingual call center is available 24 hours a day for residents. You can receive language support at any time if you encounter communication issues with the landlord or real estate company or in case of emergencies or accidents.
- An emergency response service is available in case an accident occurs.
- Residents can request support from the call center when renewing their apartment contract or handling cancellation procedures.
- The call center keeps a copy of the contract, ensuring smooth support.
While it is important to live in a way that avoids accidents during your stay in your apartment, reports of water leakage or freezing accidents from international students are not uncommon. In such situations, some students may find it challenging to handle negotiations with landlords or real estate companies. To ensure that international students can live their study life in Japan with peace of mind, Tohoku University strongly recommends enrolling in the ‘SUMURAKU Plan’.
How to Enroll in the ‘SUMURAKU Plan’
① Please enroll in the E-type of the Comprehensive Insurance for International Students Lives Coupled with “Gakkensai”* (hereinafter referred to as “Inbound Futai-Gakuso”) with a tenant liability coverage of 10 million yen. Even if you are already enrolled in the Inbound Futai-Gakuso, you will need to switch to the plan with the 10-million-yen tenant liability coverage. The insurance enrollment process takes approximately one month, so if you are planning to move, please complete the procedure with the academic affairs section in your department. It is recommended to complete the enrollment or plan change about 1.5 to 2 months before your planned move-in date. When applying for the insurance, be sure to enter the correct information. Additionally, keep the receipt for the insurance payment, as it may be required for inquiries until your insurance certificate is issued.
② Once the enrollment process for the Inbound Futai-Gakuso is completed, the insurance certificate will be sent by mail. Be sure to keep it in a safe place.
③ Take your Inbound Futai-Gakuso certificate to the Tohoku University Co-op Real Estate Department and request to use the “SUMURAKU Plan” for your apartment contract. The Tohoku University Co-op specializes in apartments for Tohoku University students and provides English-language support, so you can search for your apartment with ease.
The Real Estate Division, The Tohoku University Co-op
https://www.tohoku.u-coop.com/tohoku_university
* Rentaihoshonin (joint guarantor)
A guarantor is someone who is willing to accept the obligation of paying on the student’s behalf in case the student is unable to pay. The landlord reserves the right to seek payment from the guarantor if the student does not pay the rent by the due date, or to pay for any uncompensated damage to the room. A joint guarantor must be an “adult who makes an independent living”, and therefore must have a stable income. Japanese students living in Japan may ask a parent or relative to be their guarantor, but international students need to find a guarantor on their own. Therefore, it is recommended that international students use the ‘SUMURAKU Plan,’ in which a private guarantor company acts as the joint guarantor.
*Comprehensive Insurance for Students Lives Coupled with “Gakkensai”. (Inbound Futai-Gakuso)
It is essential for international students renting private apartments to enroll in insurance to cover potential damage to the apartment or others’ property in case of accidents such as fires or water leaks. Enrollment in the Inbound Futai-Gakuso insurance has been a requirement for international students at Tohoku University, but to join the “SUMURAKU Plan,” it is necessary to be enrolled in a plan with a tenant liability coverage of 10 million yen. The Inbound Futai-Gakuso insurance provides coverage for household items in the event of an accident during the rental period. It also covers personal liability and medical treatment expenses. For more detailed information on the insurance coverage, please refer to the brochure at the following URL.
https://sup.bureau.tohoku.ac.jp/after-arrival/student-insurance/-e/
