News

The Tohoku University International Student Help Desk is up and running again for the start of the fall 2019 semester. It runs weekdays from 10:30 am to 5 pm.

The help desk aims to support international students as they adjust to life in Japan. Administrative Assistants (AAs) help students with paperwork, housing, translation, the opening of bank accounts, setting up cell-phones and class registration. AAs also offer campus tours to incoming students.

All AAs who work at the Help Desk speak English and Japanese, but certain AAs also offer support in other languages such as Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean and Indonesian.

The Help Desk additionally hopes to improve students' social life both on and off-campus. As such, the Help Desk noticeboard contains information on upcoming social events.

Fourth-year student, Hyo Jae, who has worked as an AA for three years, says it is "designed to be an easily approachable place for students to seek out information that helps them settle into their new environment."

Meanwhile, first-year MA student, Jin, recalls how overwhelmed she felt with the bombardment of information upon her arrival in Japan. "I want to give back and help students navigate their new environment based on my own experiences."

Appointments at the Help Desk are not required and the service is completely free of charge. The Help Desk is also on Facebook.