Information for Foreign Students: Housing Introduction
Kyoto Area Foreign Student Housing Guarantor System
From 1998 to 2000, the Kyoto region was designated as a model study abroad student exchange regional development project (Ryugakusei koryu moderu chiiki suishin jigyo) by JEES (Japan Educational Exchanges and Services) under the auspices of MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology), and investigations were made into comprehensively improving the environment into which foreign students were enrolled.
In this system, members of the Kyoto regional study abroad student housing guarantor organization (Kyoto chiiki ryugakusei jutaku hosho kiko), including Kyoto Prefecture, universities within the prefecture, Kyoto City, Recognized Local International Exchange Associations, and other relevant bodies, aim to secure the guarantors that foreign students need in order to live in places like private apartments through the use of a guarantor organization.
1. System
(1) Target Student
Students who are on the register or are permitted to enter university, junior college, or special school in Kyoto Prefecture, and are qualified or expected to qualify as a foreign student.
(2) Target Properties
Target apartments and condominiums are in principle to be mediated by a Cooperative Trader(*) or by the cooperative society of the university. The contract needs to be concluded with the ’United Form’.
The ’United Form’ is available at universities and other such organizations.
* A ’Cooperative Trader’ is the estate agent who agrees to and cooperates with this system.
(3) Requirements for Application
First, the foreign student completes the application procedure for their university, and the university asks for a joint guarantee from the foreign students.
The foreign students have to enter the ’Comprehensive Lodging Insurance for International Students’ provided by Japan Student Services Organization andJapan Educational Exchange and Services.
(4) Joint Guarantee
The Consortium of Universities in Kyoto(*) becomes the nominal guarantor in the rental contract between the foreign student and the owner. The guarantee term is the period in which the applicants are qualified as a foreign student, and the upper limit of the guarantee is 300,000 yen plus deposit. The guarantee covers the following.
A. Rent, fees and the common-area charge.
B. Repair cost incured by tenants or costs to return apartment to original state.
C. Disposal cost of household goods.
*The Consortium of Universities in Kyoto promotes local cooperation and exchange among universities in Kyoto, and provides public lectures and credit exchange.
2. Administration
(1) Component Organizations
18 Universities,the Consortium of Universities in Kyoto,Kyoto Prefectural International Center,Kyoto City International Foundation, andJapan Student Services Organization, Kyoto Branch Office(22 organizations in total).
Kyoto Prefecture and Kyoto City participate as observers.
(2) Secretariat
System secretariat isthe Consortium of Universities in Kyoto.
(3) System Inception
September 4, 2001 (Tuesday)