Immunization & Medication Notice

Immunization

To ensure the health and safety of students at Sophia campus, prospective students are strongly advised to get vaccinations against not only COVID-19, but also Measles, Mumps, Rubella and Chicken Pox. 

Medication Notice

There are medications that are legal in your home country but illegal to possess in Japan.  
You are responsible to check if the medicine you wish to bring with you is allowed to possess or not.  Sophia University cannot be responsible for any incidents which may arise due to this matter. 

If you are to bring medicine to Japan, you may need to apply for a “Yakkan Shoumei (Certification of Pharmaceutical Inspect) “. (Note: for prescription medicine and psychotropic medicines, please pay particular attention)  
Also, please note that there may be a limit to the amount you could bring into Japan, depending on the medicine.
For more information on how to apply for the “Yakkan Shomei” and the amount limit of the medicine, please check this website and go through necessary procedures before coming to Japan. 
You could also contact the Pharmaceutical Inspector by e-mail (the email address is available on the above website) if you have any questions about your medicine. 

If you have any health concerns and want to receive continue treatment during your stay in Japan, we strongly advise you to consult with your home doctor about your studying abroad. Also, please make sure to bring with you an English written referral provided by your physician so that you can receive treatment smoothly in case of an emergency. 
Depending on your situation, the Wellness Center at Sophia University may be able to give you further advice.

Insurance

Health Insurance

Joining the Japanese National Health Insurance is MANDATORY to all exchange students. The insurance fee differs from resident areas and usually cost 1,000- 3,000 JPY each month.
With the Japanese National Health Insurance, students are required to pay only 30% of the medical costs when seeing doctors.
We will explain about the procedure of joining the insurance after your arrival in Japan. Students are required to submit a copy of your Japanese National Health Insurance card to the Center for Global Education and Discovery at Sophia for emergency use.

Accident Insurance

Sophia requires all exchange students to take out “Personal Accident Insurance for Students Pursuing Education and Research”, which covers physical injuries due to sudden, accidental and external causes which the insured (student) suffers while taking part in educational and research activities at the university (i.e. during regular classes or school events, during extracurricular activities reported to the university and while the insured is within the school facilities for reasons other than the above. Diseases are not covered by this insurance), and during commuting to School. The fee is 800 yen and the term of insurance is 1 year.

Study Abroad Insurance

At the same time, we strongly recommend exchange students to make arrangements for study abroad insurance or travel insurance in their home countries that covers emergencies other than medical costs overseas throughout their exchange period.

Medical Services & Counseling

Sophia the Health and Wellbeing Center is located at the Yotsuya Campus and provides consultation service mainly on Internal Medicine and Mental Health. Information on English-speaking doctors is also available.
The Counseling Services located on the Campus also provides assistance in dealing with concerns such as students life, relationships, mental and emotional health, etc. both in English and Japanese.

Navigating Healthcare in Japan: Information for Individuals with Significant Illnesses or Conditions

In Japan, there are limited medical facilities where medical care provided in English is sufficient.
We are concerned that exchange students may face challenges in receiving sufficient healthcare services provided in English.
Therefore, it is essential to prepare an *English referral documents in advance for any unexpected situations, for those who are facing serious illnesses, chronic conditions, or disabilities.

A referral letter written in English should include the following points:
1.Diagnosis name
2.Current symptoms
3.Progress since the onset of the disease
4.Details of treatment
5.Important aspects related to the patient’s medical condition