Culture Study Abroad Programs in Asia

This year I participated in the Osaka World Class program and I loved it! I experience many exciting activities with much to see and do. From sight seeing to eating delicious food, all of it was great. Hiroshima was one of my all time favorite places that we went to by far, it was a long day of traveling, but 100% worth it. I specifically remember the Hiroshima peace memorial, while it was a solemn memorial they still had a beautiful tribute to the lives lost. Informing others on how big this impacted their community and how they moved on from this. This program allowed the opportunity to immerse myself in an atmosphere where I can learn and understand the Japanese culture.

Two of my daughters went to the 2026 Osaka World Class program. They absolutely loved it! From exploring Japanese temples, to visiting historical sites, learning Japanese language and cuisine, to shopping, they enjoyed every day to the fullest.

Oh my gosh, where do I even start with this program? It was absolutely, positively, mind-blowingly amazing! Seriously, I can’t even begin to express how incredible it was. From the very first day, I was in love with World Class Programs. The energy, the staff, the excitement, the sheer awesomeness of it all was just overwhelming in the best way possible. First off, the people and teachers at World Class Programs were just the best. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming, and it felt like I was part of a big, happy family right from the start. The instructors were super knowledgeable and passionate about what they were teaching, and it was so inspiring to see how much they cared about helping us succeed. They continuously went above and beyond to make sure we understood everything and were always there to answer any questions we had, no matter how silly they might have seemed. And the activities! Oh my goodness, the activities were just out of this world. We got to do so many cool things that I never even thought I’d get the chance to try. There were trips to places like Kyoto, Nara (to see the deer!!!), Himeji, Hiroshima (on the peace day festival) and Tokyo! We also played group games, and even some fun, unexpected surprises that kept us on our toes and made every day an adventure (don’t even ask me about the “karaoke” experience! Haha). I learned so much and had a blast doing it. It was, seriously, like being in a dream. But it wasn’t just the people and activities that made this program so amazing. It was also the environment. Japan. Oh Japan. Japan was just beautiful, with stunning views and a vibe that was both really chill and relaxing, and also energizing at the same time. It was the perfect setting for us to focus, learn, and grow, and I felt so lucky to be there. Every morning, I would wake up excited to see what the day had in store, and every night, I would go to bed feeling grateful for the incredible experiences I had. I also have to mention how much I learned. This program was not just fun and games; it was also incredibly educational. I took the Japanese history course for my major and Photography for my minor. I gained so much knowledge and skills that I know will be super valuable in the future. The way the information was presented was so engaging and easy to understand, and I felt like I was really absorbing everything. Being able to EXPERIENCE things rather than just talk about them was great. It was like my brain was a sponge, soaking up all the amazing stuff being thrown at it. And let’s not forget about the friendships I made. I met so many awesome people who I will never forget. We had so much fun together, whether we were playing “taco cat goat cheese pizza”, hanging out during breaks, watching movies, or just chatting about life. Even though we all just met, It was like we had known each other forever, and I felt so lucky to have them in my life. We even planned to stay in touch after the program ended, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for all of us. In conclusion, this program was just the best experience of my life. It was everything I could have ever hoped for and more. I learned so much, met so many amazing people, and had the time of my life. I will always look back on this program with fond memories and a heart full of gratitude. It was truly an incredible experience, and I am so thankful to have been a part of it. Thank you World Class Programs!!!

As a study abroad student in Japan, I am having so much fun! And I highly recommend this to others who might be interested in this! There are tons of fun and interesting adventures!! And the teachers are the BEST!! I’m currently in Japan and I leave tomorrow! I am excited to see my family, but also I genuinely don’t wanna leave Japan. I feel like I could stay here another week!

Let me tell you, World Class Programs is the way to go, especially the Japan program. If you’re wanting to experience a fun and exciting adventure that broadens your worldview, this is it. Throughout the three weeks, they not only made me feel safe and supported, but also like family. The staff were also super nice and helped you keep on going even when you were tired. We were all in it together! The activities were also all immersive and varied, so you get a good mix of history, culture, and souvenirs to bring home! If your a history buff, you’ll be especially happy!This is a program that everyone, atleast once in their life, needs to experience!

I went on a 3 week study abroad trip to Japan in 2026 and I had sososo much fun! I was nervous about traveling alone but all the staff were friendly and experienced in travel, so they took all the stress away. The whole trip all the staff were extremely kind, fun and understanding. They always accommodated everyone’s needs. I had lots of fun doing the classes and genuinely learned so much more than I knew before this trip. I felt like I was learning even outside of class in the funnest way possible, I feel like I might even be able to navigate a train station by myself! I really enjoyed free time and I bought so much stuff. I loved going to the malls and animate, my clothing and figure collection has grown substantially. This trip was genuinely a once in a lifetime experience and I had worlds of fun. My only con is that I wish we could have our own rooms the whole time, mostly because I’m a big introvert and I just enjoy having my own space!! Everyone on the program and not was so friendly and Japan is a great place to visit, especially with world class programs!!

This trip was a rich experience that helped me learn about the local life as well as enjoy the simple and fun experiences in Japan. From the quiet shops to the towering skyscrapers, every day was a new adventure. The nature in Nara, tech in Tokyo, and the cuisine in Osaka all stole my breath. It was an amazing trip and couldn’t recommend it enough. Not only that, but it teaches kids social skills and cues. Going to a different country will teach far more than we know.

My study abroad trip to Shanghai was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. The city is full of energy, with an amazing mix of modern skyscrapers and rich cultural history. Every day felt like a new adventure, whether I was exploring local markets, trying authentic Chinese food, walking along the Bund, or visiting beautiful temples and gardens. One of the most rewarding parts of the trip was experiencing a different culture firsthand and meeting people from around the world. It helped me become more independent, confident, and open-minded. I also learned so much about China’s history, traditions, and daily life in a way that you simply can’t learn from a classroom.

I graduated from high school a semester early, and the only way I wanted to spend my semester was by being abroad. I've known about Semester at Sea for around 6 years and I wanted to take advantage of this opportunity. I searched up the requirements to be accepted and luckily fit all the requirements most importantly being 18, so immediately I applied. I then got an email back the next morning saying I got accepted into the program and that email brought me to tears in the middle of one of my classes. I couldn't wait to board the MV World Odyssey and embark on this journey of a lifetime. On the ship, I gained so much knowledge about different cultures and I was able to be fully immersed in them, not just sticking to the touristy things offered. Semester at Sea does an amazing job keeping the students' safety in country as a priority with having mandatory “Pre-Port meetings” the night before arriving in a country, and offering field programs which are ship run excursions with ship faculty leading them. The community on the ship was nothing I have ever experienced before. We were so close knit and it felt like I was truly in a connected, caring, and welcoming environment. I met the people I never imagined I'd connect with, and they ended up becoming the best connections I've ever made with people. Semester at Sea also helped me get out of my comfort zone which led me to have experiences I would have never imagined I'd have, best example being running a half marathon in Vigo, Spain even though I'm not a runner and have never been a runner. Semester at Sea has given me the world and the opportunity to appreciate it to its fullest. I left the ship with my passport full, but my heart is even fuller with people, memories, and connections I will forever cherish. Semester at Sea was truly the best experience I have ever had and would recommend it to anyone as it was life changing.

Spending a week in Isa City with World Campus International was one of the most memorable parts of my time in Japan. Staying with a local host family gave me the opportunity to experience Japanese culture in a way that simply wouldn't have been possible as a tourist. From sharing meals together to learning about everyday life, every moment felt authentic and meaningful. Each day brought a new experience, whether it was planting rice, visiting local schools and meeting students, exploring historic shrines, learning about traditional wine-making, or taking part in community activities. Every experience helped me better understand the culture while creating memories I'll never forget. The food was incredible, the people were unbelievably welcoming, and the unique experiences were amazing. I would highly recommend this program to anyone looking for an immersive, hands-on cultural experience that they'll remember for years to come.

I came into the homestay program a little nervous what to expect and if I would even enjoy it. However on the first night when I was assigned my family and walking up to greet them I know that I would love every second of it. I truly can not express in this review how dear to me my host family is. Every night we sat down at the dinner table I felt like one of their own children and I am sincerely grateful for everything they shared with me. I had travelled around Japan for 2 weeks with prior with the Shirane Foundation and experience the culture of Japan for a touristy perspective but this homestay opened me up to see the true beauty of Japan in a way very few visitor get to see. From the simple thing of the unique bathroom to the everyday mannerism. All in all this review does not give justice to the wonderful experience I had and the amazing people I had the honor of meeting and share a few days of my life with.

I came into the home-stay completely unsure of what to expect but that aspect made this experience so great. As a first time visitor to Japan I was super nervous to immerse myself into Japanese culture and a brand new host family. It seemed like something I would never do and honestly it felt unreal. However, as soon as I met my host family I was showered with so much care and comfort. They made me feel like family from day one. I actually met most of my host family's sisters and brothers day one then later I met a lot of their friends and their families. It was amazing to be able to speak to such a wide variety of people! I was learning so much about Japanese culture and customs. Everyday was so unique and my host family always did their best to make my time as enjoyable as they could. For example, other than taking me to meet so much of their family, they took me to shrines, parks, and different cities in the area. It truly felt like I was in a new world and my host family was giving me the opportunity to experience it all. I can not recommend this experience enough. Being with my host family was such an invaluable experience I will never forget. Additionally, another aspect that made this experience so great was the activities I did with World Campus International. Everyday morning after an afternoon with my host family we were taken to do different activities in the home-stay area - immersing myself deeper in Japanese culture. Some of my favorite activities were going to an OSEN (Japanese bath house) . I have never been so relaxed after taking a bath. It was an experience I can not imagine having anywhere else. Furthermore, going to a Junior-High school was such a great experience. I got to meet students such as myself and learn what it meant to live and learn in Japan. I made a lot of friends that I still talk to today. Then I had a lot of fun at a Park Golf activity we did. We had the chance to golf with Japanese locals that were REALLY GOOD at golf. The locals were super nice and it was great to learn a little about the golf world from a different perspective. The locals I played with gave me a lot of tips to improve my game and like everything on this trip it was just amazing to do this experience. Firstly, none of this would be possible without World Campus International so Thank you to them. All the staff made me feel involved and immersed in every activity. Making sure everyone knew exactly how what we were doing that day contributed to Japanese culture. A lot of thanks goes to them as well for making sure we were in the right places when we needed to be. Secondly, this experience may be scary at first but it is truly remarkable. I can not recommend this program enough. I have gained a better understanding of Japanese culture than I would of just visiting cities. I was taught more things then I can count and I feel I gained the understanding required to come back on my own! If you are looking for the experience of your life then please apply for this experience. Lastly, I recommend to anyone applying to the program to be very open minded. This program will challenge you to step completely outside your comfort zone. If you embrace this fact it will elevate your trip, without a doubt. Thank you World Campus International!

Spending a week in Isa City with World Campus International was easily the highlight of my time in Japan.Staying with a local host family allowed me to experience the culture on a deeply personal level. Every single day was packed with unforgettable experiences: planting rice in the local fields, visiting schools to connect with local students, exploring historic shrines, and learning about the fascinating traditional wine-making process The food was delicious, the cultural immersion was unmatched, and I left with incredibly close friends from all over the world. I cannot recommend this program enough to anyone looking for a unique, hands-on, and heartwarming adventure

I'm so glad I went to Nepal for my study abroad semester. As an international studies major with a focus in religious studies, it was a great place to combine these two interests. I learned a lot about the geopolitics of the region and the fascinating religious landscape there. The highlight of the program was our excursion to Upper Mustang. It was one of the most beautiful places I've ever been and I had the opportunity to engage with women in several different villages, talking to them about their experiences with Buddhism. I don't think I'll ever have an experience like that again. It was also lovely to live with my host family and meet local students! They were all some of the kindest people I've met. I am also grateful for the opportunity I had in the final month of the program to intern/volunteer with a women's organization in Kathmandu. I received a warm welcome, learned about the experiences of women in Nepal, and got to know some amazing women who have been working to support women and their rights for decades. The semester was definitely not without its challenges (it's difficult to be in a place where you're clearly an outsider for so long, and I had my fair share of the classic stomach issues), but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

When I signed the language pledge on day one, I made a promise: only Chinese, all day, every day. Every character was a rep, every assignment a set, and I studied my way through coffee shops all over Beijing, rating each one out of five stars. My politics and business courses were taught entirely in Chinese, and my one-on-one research dug into modern dating and why so few young Chinese are having kids — answers I found by interviewing locals myself. The real growth, though, happened outside the classroom. I'd talk to anyone who would say hello — monks, aunties in the park, students in the library, a woman making tea in a Yunnan mountain village. Each conversation was a private lesson worth more than gold. I took the bullet train to Shanghai, biked around West Lake in Hangzhou, got lost in the tea mountains, played pick-up basketball with Tibetan and Uyghur students, and even talked my way into a free tour of Alibaba's headquarters after waiting at the gate for over an hour. Persistence works. By the end, my teachers said my Chinese was the most improved in the program. But the part I'll carry with me isn't a grade or a trip — it's that I loved who I was in China.

One of the most underrated aspect of semester at sea is the ship campus itself. Being able to live so close to your friends and just walking a few flight of stairs to your classroom and being able to sit down with your professors for lunch is such an amazing experience. It's eternal sunsets, it's endless travel stories from your friends, it's lifetime of memories. Highly recommend. One of the best decisions I made. And still day dream about this experience, still talk and travel to meet my SAS friends 4 years later.

I have not experienced anything like semester at sea before, therefore giving me a whole lot of different lenses to look at the world with. I completely enjoyed my experience and understand the importance of understanding others concerns, communication, communities, and countries. A overall wonderful experience that has changed my views as well as the way I live and who I am as a person.

Thanks to my experience with World Campus Japan I created life-long connections, not only with the other participants, but also with the local Japanese communities encountered during the trip. The constant and active cultural exchange is what makes this program deeply unique. On the one hand, the fellow participants and staff members all proved to be caring, responsible, interesting, and like-minded people, and therefore enabled me to feel safe and at home, despite being on the other side of the world. On the other, the Japanese host families revealed their kindness and availability, by welcoming us all in their lives and treating us like family. The days were all full of stimulating activities, and their variety allowed us to experience the Japanese culture in all its aspects. It is for these reasons that I wholeheartedly recommend this program to anyone who is looking for a way to familiarize with Japan, its people, language, landscape, and traditions. The amount of gratitude (mixed with a lot of nostalgia) I felt after completing the program further highlighted the impact it had in my life. I will never forget my days in Japan with World Campus.

In my junior year, I had the opportunity to spend my fall semester studying in Tokyo with Middlebury College. Since I tested into the J5 level Japanese language class, I had the opportunity to take two classes with local students taught entirely in Japanese, challenging myself to not only comprehend lectures at a high language level but also communicate with my peers at a college level. Even though the campus was an hour away from Tokyo's center, the convenient public transportation made it very easy to go out into the city with friends. We even made outside of the prefecture to Saitama, Osaka, Tottori and more on breaks and weekends, exploring Japan while we could. I found that, through this program, we had a lot of space to immerse ourselves in Japan's vibrant and diverse culture and become a part of the city ourselves. Additionally, the program put an emphasis on sustainable development, which taught me how to be more environmentally aware and live sustainably. This instilled positive habits into my lifestyle, which I find myself still enforcing today even though I have returned to my home country. Overall, Middlebury's program gave me an amazing space to advance my Japanese language skills while exploring Tokyo as a city.

Kaohsiung is an artsy, digestible city, one that is filled with history and was a joy to explore every day. The teachers, director, Taiwanese peers and roommates, and other study abroad students laid the framework for the program, while Taiwan's vibrant culture and natural environment filled in the rest of my experience. Under the language pledge, I was able to make progress in my conversational and formal Mandarin skills. I took classes that challenged me intellectually, but were still a lot of fun, learning the most in my one-on-one tutorial, where I got to delve deep into a topic of my choice. I chose modern Chinese and Taiwanese literature as part of my preliminary research for my senior thesis, and learned more in one semester than I could ever have on my own. Aside from academics, I also spent plenty of time exploring Kaohsiung, the rest of Taiwan, and was even able to utilize some weekends and breaks in traveling internationally within Asia. Despite living in the city, we also spent a substantial amount of time interacting with nature. Our school campus was surrounded by both mountain and beach, and Taiwan as a whole has no shortage of natural scenery to take in. Sprawling rice fields, Formosan monkey colonies gathered on trees, fog descending on the mountain in the early morning: these images of Taiwan have been truly unforgettable. The highlight of my time in Taiwan was of course the food. I ate a variety of Taiwanese dishes (even stinky tofu!), had a wide variety of desserts (108 cups of bubble tea...), and laughed with friends over meals every day. If I had the chance to study in Taiwan again, I would take it in a heartbeat. Studying abroad with Middlebury C.V. Starr Schools Abroad in Kaohsiung was one of the best decisions I have made in my life!