Founded in 1949, Kagoshima University is the largest national university in the southern Japanese region of Kyushu. The university consists of nine Schools and ten graduate schools, which are spread across the Korimoto Campus, Sakuragaoka Campus and Shimoarata Campus. A total of around 11,000 students study at Kagoshima University. Due to the intensive selection process at Kagoshima University, there is usually a slight delay in sending the relevant documents for the exchange, so students can expect a reply from Japan for the 2nd term (October to March) around July.

Kagoshima is a harbour city in the southernmost tip of Japan. The city is mainly located on the western shore (Satsuma Peninsula) of Kagoshima Bay, which is cut 70 km deep into the island, with the active volcano Sakura-jima in the middle, directly to the east of the city centre. Neighbourhoods are also located at its foot. The city, like the entire surrounding area, suffers from the constant emission of volcanic ash.

The International Residence Hall offers international exchange students comfortable accommodation close to the university. The residence hall has a limited number of rooms and is primarily for scholarship holders and first year students. There are currently five tutors working in the hall of residence who give students tips and advice on life in Japan.

It is also possible to stay in dormitories or flats. The cost of a student flat is around 200 to 300 euros per month, which is quite favourable by Japanese standards. The cost of living is around twice as high as in Germany, which is why this factor should definitely be factored into your budget. Nevertheless, although the cost of living is higher, the quality is much better.