International Students
International Students
Co-operative Structure / IC Card
Halal Food @ NST Cafeteria>
Congratulations on entering Kanazawa University.
This International Students page has been created by the Kanazawa University Co-operative with advice from some of your fellow students who are already studying in Kanazawa University. The Kanazawa University Co-operative webpage and the attached documents are mostly in Japanese, but we have created this English page to help you learn more about the University Co-op.
We hope that you will join the Kanazawa University Co-operative. You can apply for membership at the Kanazawa University Co-operative store.
Message
From Professor Tomotsugu Shimokawa,Faculty of Natural System, Institute of Science and Engineering / Chairman, Kanazawa University Co-operative
Congratulations to all of you who are newly matriculated!
I am sure that you all have high hopes for your studies and student life at Kanazawa University. You may also be perplexed by the new environment and large campus that differs so much from your high school campus.
The Kanazawa University Co-op is a nonprofit co-operative organization composed of Kanazawa University undergraduates, graduate students, staff, and faculty. Our Co-op operates through everyone’s subscription capital (which is returned when you graduate). In an average year, over 98% of the newly matriculated students join the Co-op. The co-op handles a diversity of services that will help with your student life, such as purchasing food, daily supplies, textbooks, study materials, computers, tickets for domestic and overseas travels, and even finding housing, in addition to various other services that make everyone’s student life more fulfilling. Thus, it will not be an exaggeration to assert that you can obtain almost everything you need for student life from the Kanazawa University Co-op.
Besides all these services, the Co-op also handles student comprehensive mutual aid, student liability insurance, and dependent life insurance, provided just in case, to protect your health and safety. Many Co-op members have told us that they are able to easily conduct the necessary business formalities through the Co-op’s services and have been greatly helped by its programs.
I sincerely hope that all of you will join the Co-op and its mutual aid program, so you may have peace of mind and a more meaningful student life.
What is the Kanazawa University Co-operative?
Food
With the co-op cafeteria’s extensive menu for lunch and dinner, you won’t get tired of eating there every day. The nutritional values for each dish are displayed to help students make healthy choices. In addition, lunch packs, bread, and drinks are also sold at the school convenience stores.
We created a Halal Food Standard at Kanazawa University in consultation with Muslim students. In the NST cafeteria, we offer halal dishes.
As of 2022, we are operating while implementing measures against Coronavirus Disease 2019(COVID-19) infections.
Health and Safety
In order to have a safe and healthy life at the university, we can help you apply for the University Co-op’s Student Insurance Plan (KYOUSAI), an insurance policy for University Co-op members nationwide.
Student Mutual Insurance (KYOUSAI)
Mutual Life Insurance
This is a group insurance policy for hospitalizations and outpatient services due to sickness or injury.
Hospital admission can be covered up to 200 days from the first day of admission.
Hospital visit due to accidents are covered (both inside and outside Japan).
Student Comprehensive Mutual Insurance
This insurance is for cases not covered by the Student Mutual Insurance (KYOUSAI). GAKUBAI covers the compensation for injuries to other people or damage to other people’s property.
For further details, please read the information pamphlet:
Personal Liability Insurance for Students (=GAKUBAI)
※The official policy is written in Japanese.
The English sections of the pamphlet should be used as a general guide.
Studies
The University Co-op supports learning by selling college textbooks, stationery and educational materials. We also sell original Co-op computers and hold computer lessons for beginners. In addition, we offer foreign language tests such as TOEIC and other certification exams, as well as applications for driving schools.
Residence
The University Co-op gives total support to college students who are now living by themselves. Our website and pamphlets contain information on how other students found apartments and advice on how to begin your new life at the university such as “I’m glad I did this…” or “Maybe it would have better if I had done this…” From finding the right apartment to signing the contract and moving in, the University Co-op can help.
Message from an International Student
- How I dealt with anxiety from studying abroad
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This is my second time studying in Japan, so when I entered Kanazawa University I already had some Japanese language skills. But I still couldn’t ignore the fact that I was in a new environment. It was really helpful that the International Students Center arranged my City Hall registration and health insurance for me. As there are only a few people from my country here in the university, I am very thankful that the RAs in my dorm, Sakigake, helped us become familiar with the area and the public transportation. Because of the support of the ISC and the dorm RAs, I now feel very comfortable living in Kanazawa and am not anxious at all.
On my first day at the university, I had just come from the airport and I was one of the first residents in Sakigake, so there were many things that I had to buy immediately. It was great that I was able to buy a LAN cable from the Co-op in order to use the internet in my dorm. Being away from my family is lonely, but because of the internet service in the dorm and the LAN cable I bought from Co-op, I was able to communicate with my family as soon as I got here. I could deal with my anxiety from homesickness because I could easily contact my friends and family at home.
(A student of Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Division of Mechanical Science and Engineering)
- Is there any halal food available at the university cafeteria?
- Yes, halal grilled chicken and halal vegetable curry are available in the cafeteria.
- How much does the lunch set cost?
- The lunch set usually costs around 500 yen. Compared to restaurants off campus, the price in the cafeteria is very reasonable.
- What types of food are available in the cafeteria?
- There is a great variety of food in the cafeteria. No need to worry about that. However, there is not much halal food for Muslims. I believe, though, that the amount of halal food will increase in the future.
(3rd year Environmental Design student)