Students are expected to make their own air travel arrangements. The Office of Financial Aid can work with you to provide financial aid advances for airfare. Also, it may be worthwhile to check student travel sites as they often offer discounted airfare. The airports with the easiest train or bus access to Kyoto are Osaka Kansai (KIX) International Airport and Itami (Osaka) Airport (ITM). Nagoya Chubu International Airport (NGO) is also reasonably convenient. It is also possible to get to Kyoto by train (two trains) from Tokyo's Narita International Airport (NRT), or Haneda International Airport (HND), but the train ride from Tokyo is significantly longer and more expensive than those from Osaka and Nagoya, and you should schedule accordingly. MSU students also have access to discounts through Student Universe.
U.S. passport holders — please be aware that each passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry into Japan. Additionally, students who are U.S. passport holders, may stay in Japan for up to 90 days without a visa. The requirements for non-U.S. passport holders may be different. Students who are not U.S. passport holders should check the rules for entry to Japan for travelers from their home country. If you do not yet have a passport, please be aware that passport processing time for new passports is currently 7–10 weeks (3–5 weeks if expedited).
Michigan State University College of Law reserves the right to cancel the Program in the unlikely event of insufficient enrollment. Applicants will be notified of cancellation as soon as possible. In the unlikely event of such cancellation, there will be a full refund of all tuition and fees and the Program will help interested students gain admission to other ABA approved summer programs. Additionally, if changes in courses offered, or to other significant aspects of the program occur, all registered students will receive prompt notice and an opportunity to withdraw from the program at no cost.
For details on withdrawal and refund policies, please visit the Office for Education Abroad’s site: https://educationabroad.isp.msu.edu/apply/application-process/refund-policies-2/
The U.S. Department of State issues current travel warnings on its website. You may check the advisories listed by the U.S. Department of State (http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_1764.html). In the event of a U.S. Department of State Travel Warning for Japan, either prior to or during the program, all registrants will be given prompt notice and will be able to withdraw from the program. If a student withdraws prior to the program start date based on a U.S. Department of State Travel Warning the student will receive a full refund of all monies paid within twenty (20) days after withdrawal. If the program is cancelled prior to the program start date all students will receive a full refund of all monies paid within twenty (20) days after cancellation and the program will assist students to gain admission to other ABA approved summer programs. If a travel warning is issued after the start of the program, however, any “room and board payments utilized prior to the date of” withdrawal or program termination might not be refunded as per ABA Criterion VII.D.2. In addition to notice directly from the Program Director you will receive updates on travel warnings from the MSU OSA Office.