Life at ICU One Year

The Essential Nature of ICU

For ICU, diversity, globalism, and SDGs, and gender inclusivity are all part of normal everyday living.

Essential Nature of ICU

ICU operates a three-term academic year, with most courses offering several classes a week. We are very proud of our consistent stream of intensive learning and fulfilling campus life because it gives our students the chance to discover their true selves.

Here, we introduce a year as an ICU student

View the Academic Calendar here

Spring Term
April

ICU welcomes students from around the world. Matriculation ceremonies are held in April and September. Each name of new students are called and students sign the Student Pledge. Following their orientation session, students formulate their course plan for the term with their advisor on course registration day. Then, spring term classes finally get underway. Every student feels excited when they come to the campus to challenge this new milestone.
May

We designated one week in May as ICU Christianity Week (C-Week). Planned primarily by the students themselves, C-Week gives students the opportunity to think about the Christianity that the "C" in ICU symbolizes from multiple perspectives and deepen their understanding. Prayer sessions, lectures, concerts, open houses at faculty members' homes, and other events are held throughout this period. May is also a busy month for students graduating in July as they write their graduate theses.
June

In June, we celebrate ICU Founder's Day (June 15, 1949), a time to reaffirm the desire for peace and love for humanity that was adopted at the University's inception. At the end of June, you often see students studying in groups because they have to submit spring terms reports and study for end-of-term exams. Once that period is over, the campus is suddenly filled with smiles of relief and a sense of accomplishment.
July・August

The summer commencement ceremony and open campus day are held in July. We also conduct several unique programs during the summer vacation period. Students on the Study English Abroad (SEA) Program get to experience living in a different country and improving their English skills for roughly six weeks. We also hold our International Summer Program in Japan for students of Japanese from around the world who have a special interest in Japan.

Autumn Term
Septemper

We hold the autumn term matriculation ceremony and orientation in September, where we welcome students joining the university in September as well as exchange students and other students coming to ICU for a short period of time. Students sign the Student Pledge in the same way as for the spring matriculation. Then, autumn term lessons get underway and preparations for the ICU festival pick up steam. Autumn at ICU is very lively. Some students also depart on student exchange programs.
October

Many events take place in October, including the New Student Retreat for April and September entrants and the ICU Festival. The retreat is conducted for April and September entrants for the academic year and provides an opportunity for deeper exchange between students and faculty through discussions on keynote themes, academic programs, and recreation activities. Applications also open for the following year's student exchange program.
November

Students submit their assignments and then have a break when the autumn term ends. Students get to enjoy calm days during the autumn vacation.

Winter Term
December

Winter term classes start. The campus suddenly shifts into Christmas mode in December. Christmas lights illuminate the Himalayan cedar tree in front of the University Chapel, creating a fantastic atmosphere around nightfall. Events held at this time of year include carols and prayers by candlelight, a Christmas service in the Chapel, and the Christmas Concert. We also hold a human rights seminar on December 10, the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
January

The campus comes back to life when the students return after the Christmas vacation. Classes resume and fourth-year students who enrolled in April finish off their senior theses. You can often see them working on their research in the library or one of the laboratories.
February

Many assignments are submitted during this month. Students graduating in March submit their senior theses, which represent the culmination of their four years of study. Some students also leave early on their student exchange programs in February.
March

The winter term ends and the spring commencement ceremony is held. Donning their caps and gowns, our graduates are now ready to use the individual skills they cultivated on the ICU campus as they spread their wings and determinedly enter the new realms of employment or further study.