Preparatory Course students hold the status of an auditing student (non-regular) in the Institute for Liberal Arts and Sciences (ILAS).

Students are assigned to different classes depending on an assessment of their proficiency level. They will study Japanese language during the six-month Preparatory Course and the first two years of the undergraduate program. Five levels of Japanese language classes (from beginner to advanced) are provided.

If students fail to complete the Preparatory Course, they will not be allowed to take the Qualifying Test, which is an entrance examination for admission to the faculty. However, they may retake the Preparatory Course starting in October of the following year.