Schools have taken different measures depending on their size and facilities, but some common features include stringent cleaning of school facilities, installing infrared thermometers at entrances to campus, and placing hand sanitizer throughout campus buildings. At universities where classes are being conducted in person, faculty and students to perform regular health checks before coming to campus, where temperatures are checked before entrance, and masks are required. Many universities have also adopted new teaching styles, and made a shift to teaching online. Depending on the state of the pandemic, classes have ranged from fully online, to a return to in-person teaching, to more recently adopted hybrid (part online, part in-person) classes, making sure that student learning remains uninterrupted.

Some universities have also opened up their own COVID-19 vaccination centers, or worked together with other universities to establish several different vaccination sites, so that their students can be provided the opportunity to receive a vaccine, and students can benefit from measures to let them attend in-person class with a greater sense of safety.

In addition, some schools have begun lending out pocket wifi to help students with the shift online, financial support systems have been established for students whose part-time jobs were affected by the pandemic, and meal support has also been offered in some school cafeterias.

For more details on measures each school is taking, please refer to their respective websites.

All of the changes brought on by the spread of the coronavirus have greatly impacted student life, and especially the life of international students, far from their countries. Study Kyoto spoke with several international students in Kyoto to really discover what changes there have been in their school experiences during this global pandemic.

To begin with, they told us about the changes in how classes were conducted. The students we spoke with all attend different schools, and though in-person classes have begun to be held again, until recently, classes and seminars were held entirely online, and many reported going to campus very rarely. Said one student, “Since I graduate next spring, the last two years of my university life will have been online (since all of my classes are now conducted via Zoom, MS Teams, etc.). Before the pandemic, I used to go to campus every weekday. In the past two years, I think I have only gone to campus about five times (for paperwork and to receive my Moderna vaccinations).”

This student also admitted that because their classes had been conducted online, they hadn’t been able to see their classmates face-to-face as much, and this made them feel a bit lonely.

Another student commented that they feel exhausted “from sitting all day staring at the computer and [from] the lack of human interaction.” It’s a feeling that, student or not, we’ve certainly all experienced during this pandemic.

Despite the challenges of the pandemic, some students felt that the shift to online learning had made some school facilities more accessible than before: “Many things such as submitting documents [have become] more convenient now [with] the online systems, and we have got new online booking systems for [the] gym and library in my university, and we can even order textbooks online now.”

In addition to online systems, some schools have offered their physical infrastructure to help students better attend classes–even when they’re remote, as this student reported: “At school, they’ve opened up empty classrooms for us to take online classes in. They’ve set it up so that we use computers and wifi. As a part of support for our student life, they also offer cafeteria meals at a discount, and sell bento lunches at low prices. My school also provides vaccinations, PCR tests, and other support related directly to overcoming COVID.”

When we asked students if the pandemic’s shift to a new lifestyle had helped them to realize anything, they shared some truly insightful responses with us:

“[I realized that] some types of work–especially desk work–can be done from anywhere, mostly thanks to the advancement of technology, [though there is work] that you cannot do online no matter how you try (in regard to my research, there is no way online methods can ever replace fieldwork in person). …[I also realized]  I have a great support system, especially my professor who has been very understanding and has given nothing but support during this awful period.”

“Not having to wake up early and prepare to go to school is something I am really thankful for. Now I simply have to make sure to setup my computer before classes start and can even take classes in comfortable room wear. Also, since I don’t have to go to school for classes anymore, I am able to cook at home more often and save money. “

Some students even found ways to utilize the time to explore their personal hobbies and interests:

“I don’t need to move to other classrooms between classes but only need to click another link which is also much more convenient for me than before. With the time I saved on transportation I could better arrange my schedule and arrange much more things than before. Also, I spent a lot of time at home during the pandemic which helped me to develop my interests and spend more time on the things which I did not [have] time to do before.”

“I was able to really focus on studying a variety of things while we were stuck inside. I’m more able to be myself now because of this.”

“I’m a very sociable person, and interacting with others was a big joy of mine. But during the pandemic I’ve been stuck inside, and haven’t been able to do my part-time job or go to school, much less interact with others. Until now, I’d thought that how I appeared to other people was the real me, but when I was suddenly alone, I felt like I’d lost my identity. At first, I felt really down, but then I realized that I hadn’t actually had any time to myself until now. I started exercising, and studying Japanese, and made time to work on myself. Because of COVID, I have been better able to understand myself, what kind of person I am, and what kind of life I want to have in the future.”

It’s been a long, hard pandemic for all, but students in Kyoto have not been without support from schools, local government, or other organizations to help them continue their studies and adapt to lifestyles. There is help for you out there, and together, we’ll make it through! We look forward to welcoming you to study in Kyoto, this one-of-a-kind student city.