INTRODUCTION

The Short Intensive Language Acquisition Courses (SILAC) are taught by the Yamasa Institute's Extension (Continuing Education). SILAC programs are offered all year round with Summer, Autumn (Fall), Winter and Spring Inter-sessions. The courses offer the most flexible intensive environment for learning Japanese available in Japan. You can study for 4, 6, 8, 10 or 12 weeks in duration.

Yamasa's SILAC programs concentrates on spoken Japanese, listening and communication. During your vacation you can experience a quick improvement in your Japanese proficiency. The program does not concentrate much on reading and writing. If you prefer a short course that will cover these skills, please read through the Acceleration Program.

No previous study of Japanese is required for participation. Students are able to start at their own level between absolute beginner and intermediate and quickly improve their skills at the lowest possible cost a quality program can provide.

Classes are taught in Japanese only. All students have the opportunity to use Japanese language software and send/receive email in Japanese. Internet access is free and unlimited. Yamasa's faculty members work as a team to provide considerable variety, although one faculty member will be designated as your academic advisor.

PROGRAM SCHEDULE

The program starts every 2 weeks and there are 130 options in total. Each study option is designed so that it can be completed using either a tourist visa - this provides more flexibility for a wider range of short term students.

The program is delivered in 2 formats. These are called Standard Format and Seminar Format.

a) Standard Format: This has 23 classes per week. The maximum class size is 15 students (5 less than the APJLE regulations require). There are 5 classes per day from Monday to Thursdays 9:00am to 2:30pm. This format is used for all of the beginner level classes (Textbooks - Minna no Nihongo I and II). For intermediate level classes, it is used whenever there are 7 or more students at the same level of proficiency.

b) Seminar Format: This has 15 classes per week. The maximum class size is only 6 students. There are 3 classes per day from 9:00am to 11:50am. This format is used whenever there are 6 students or less at the same level. It is only used for intermediate levels or higher. (ie students who have mastered the widely used textbooks - Minna no Nihongo I and II).

Why are there 2 formats? We use 2 formats because it enables us to provide classes with a smaller range of proficiency test scores and no composite level classes. This enables you to learn faster. The seminar format is slightly more intensive than the standard format. This is partly because of the amount of self-study and homework required, and partly because there is nowhere to hide in the classroom. All classes are 50 minutes long.

PROGRAM DATES

The program starts every 2 weeks. Please contact us for the full schedule.

PROGRAM COSTS

The low cost location, non-profit status and long-term financial support provided by the Hattori Foundation enables Yamasa to provide the SILAC programs at cost price to international students.

Program fees if paid in advance:

Program fees if paid in instalments:

As you can see, there is a considerable cost saving if you pay in advance for 6 weeks or more. This is because the cost incurred by Yamasa's student services division in processing transactions is less when averaged over the duration of the course. As a non-profit institute aiming to provide at-cost fees, this cost saving is passed on to you. If you are worried about paying in advance, please read through the Refunds and Deferrals policy in the online catalog. You will not be disadvantaged at all if you need to shorten your period of study later.

NOTE 1: The cost of the text books used in your classes is included in the SILAC program fees.
You will need to provide your own dictionaries and stationery.

NOTE 2: SILAC program students are required to arrive in Okazaki at least 1 day prior to commencement. If you will be travelling across 6 time zones or more (ie there is a time difference of 6 hours or more between your location and Japan) then we advise you to arrive 2 days early.

Students who need to arrive earlier than 3 days prior to the program commencement should also contact our offices as early as possible so that your accommodation can be confirmed. Students arriving at Nagoya International Airport can arrange to be met by our free pickup service. Students arriving by train can be met at Okazaki Station (also a free pickup).

Information regarding deposits:

NOTE 1: You will need to pay your tuition fees at least 35 days prior to commencement. Many students prefer to secure their position in the program several months in advance via a 21000 yen deposit, and then pay for the rest of the tuition 35 days before the program commences. The deposit is not an application fee and so if you confirm your place via a deposit, then you only need to pay the remainder of the tuition to complete your enrolment.

Frequently Asked Questions regarding costs: