In recent years, more and more foreign students have been coming to Japan to study. In this article, we would like to explain the appeal of studying in Japan and the procedures for studying in Japan for foreign students who are currently considering studying in Japan.

■ Attraction of Studying in Japan

Why choose Japan as a study abroad destination in many countries? First, We would like to give you some reasons why Japan is chosen as a study abroad destination.

High educational standard

Every country is focusing on education, but according to a survey on international learning achievement called PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) conducted by the OECD, Japan keeps in the top 10 Except for some countries, it can be said that it has a high level of education worldwide. In other words, besides the Japanese language, studying in Japan has great merit.

Career development at Japanese companies

Due to the globalization of Japanese companies, many Japanese companies have bases around the world, and in particular, many companies have subsidiaries in Greater China and other Asian countries such as Southeast Asia. By making the most of the Japanese skills acquired in Japan by foreign students, when they join a Japanese company in their home country, they can expect to receive higher positions and treatment than students who do not have language skills.

Also, if you stay in Japan as it is and work for a Japanese company, you may be able to acquire advanced technology and get higher salaries than in your home country.

Financial support for students

In the first place, the tuition fees of universities are not cheap in every country. Moreover, studying at a Japanese university means studying abroad, and many people think that it is more expensive than going to a university in their home country.

Currently, the Japanese government and Japanese universities are actively accepting international students, and therefore have various scholarships.

Perhaps by getting a scholarship, you may be able to get to college more cheaply than in your home country. The contents of the scholarship may differ depending on the university, so we recommend that you check the website of the university you are interested in.

■ Study in Japan without Failure

Study abroad period

The longer you study in Japan, the better your Japanese language skills will be and the better you will learn about the Japanese way of thinking and customs, but this will cost you more in tuition and living expenses. However, this will cost you more in tuition and living expenses.

Let's call short-term study abroad for a few months to a year, medium-term study abroad for two to three years, and long-term study abroad for longer periods.

Short-term study abroad can be done through inter-university exchange agreements. If you are enrolled in a university in your home country, you can participate in this program. If you are a university graduate, you can spend 6 months or a year as a research student at a graduate school in Japan, doing specialized research. Depending on your field of specialization, Japanese language proficiency may not be required.

If you are not enrolled in a university in your home country, you may wish to focus your short-term study abroad program on learning Japanese. You can experience life in Japan while studying Japanese for a year in a separate Japanese language program at a university. Shorter language study abroad options include studying at a Japanese language school for six months to acquire simple conversational Japanese skills, or learning the basics of Japanese in an intensive summer Japanese language course. If you have already acquired sufficient Japanese language skills in your home country, you can also study specialized subjects as an auditing student at a university for six months or one year.

As a mid-term study abroad option, you can study at a Japanese language school for one year and then enter a vocational or junior college. At a Japanese language school, it is advisable to aim to reach the level of JLPT N2 in one year. Look for a Japanese language school with such a curriculum.

There are also master's degree programs where you can study in English. If you already have the ability to listen to lectures in English, you can earn a master's degree without the burden of studying Japanese.

For those who are able to study abroad for a longer period of time, there are a variety of ways to do so. If you are a university graduate in your home country, you can study at a Japanese language school for one or two years and then enter a graduate school as a research student or in a master's program. If your English is good, you may directly enroll in a master's or doctoral program where you can study in English. If you have not yet graduated from a university, you should study for one or two years at a Japanese language school and then study for four years at an undergraduate university to obtain a degree, or study for about two years at a vocational school to obtain a professional degree.

Not relying on part-time work

One of the features of studying in Japan is that students can work part-time for 28 hours per week (8 hours per day during summer vacation, for example).

However, it is impossible to cover all living expenses and tuition in Japan with a part-time job. No one will hire you for a part-time job if you do not have a certain level of Japanese language ability, and you cannot always find a part-time job that suits you within the set limits. Even if you are working part-time, there may come a time when you have to stop in order to write your graduation thesis or to look for a job.

Make sure you have a financial plan that will allow you to pay your tuition and live without a part-time job. When you find a part-time job, make sure to come to Japan with a financial plan that allows you to save enough money to live on for the future.

The same goes for scholarships and tuition reductions. Do not come to Japan with a financial plan that will ruin your life as a foreign student without them. Please make a financial plan that you can afford if you have a scholarship or tuition fee reduction.

■ Purpose of Study Abroad and School Selection

There are a number of places of enrollment for international students, including Japanese language schools, vocational schools, junior colleges, undergraduate programs at universities, master's programs at graduate schools, and doctoral programs at graduate schools. This section provides an overview of the admission qualifications, admission period, length of study, qualifications after graduation, and fields of study for each of these programs.

Japanese language school

This is a school where students can learn Japanese language from the very beginning. There are schools and courses designed for students to learn Japanese only, and schools and courses designed for students to enter vocational schools, junior colleges, and university faculties. Preparatory courses offer classes in subjects such as mathematics, general studies, and science in addition to Japanese. Since there are multiple courses within the same Japanese language school, you should not only choose a Japanese language school, but also choose the course that best suits your purpose.

Graduating from a Japanese language school does not earn you a degree. However, a certificate of completion of a course or a certificate of Japanese Language Proficiency Test N1 or N2 will be useful for finding a job or going on to higher education in Japan or abroad.

Vocational school

Most schools require students to have completed 12 years of formal education. Most schools graduate in two years. 90% of the programs offered at technical schools qualify students to earn a "bachelor of specialty" degree. For those who have not graduated from a university in their home country, obtaining a "Senmon shoshi" at a professional training college can fulfill one of the requirements under the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act for employment at a Japanese company.

Junior college

After graduating from high school, junior colleges are places where students acquire the skills and education necessary to become professionals, and entrance qualifications are based on completion of 12 years of schooling. The entrance period is in April, and students can study for a minimum of two years (three years for medical technology and nursing) and graduate with a "junior college degree". For those who have not graduated from a university in their home country, obtaining a "junior college degree" at a junior college can fulfill one of the requirements under the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act when applying for a job at a Japanese company.

University

The admission requirement is completion of 12 years of formal education. Most students enroll in April, but there are a few schools that allow students to enroll in September or October. The minimum duration of study is four years (six years for medical and veterinary schools). Upon graduation, students can obtain a "bachelor's degree," which fulfills one of the requirements under the Immigration Law for employment with a Japanese company.

Traditionally, Japanese universities offer faculties of Letters, Education, Law, Economics, Engineering, Science, Medicine, Agriculture, and Arts. In addition to these, there are also faculties of sociology and business administration. Some are grouped together, such as the Faculty of Law and Literature and the Faculty of Science and Engineering.

Graduate school

Graduate schools offer both master's and doctoral programs, and all graduate schools are open for admission in April; many have two admission periods per year, April and October. The minimum length of study for a master's program is two years, and three years for a doctoral program. Those who have completed 16 years of schooling are eligible for master's programs, and those who have completed 18 years of schooling are eligible for doctoral programs. Other qualifications for admission may be granted after examination of work experience, etc. However, since the examination process takes time, it is advisable to contact the graduate school as soon as possible if you do not meet the required number of years of schooling.

Those who have completed a master's degree are awarded a master's degree; those who have completed a three-year doctoral program are awarded a doctoral degree. A master's or doctoral degree will, of course, fulfill the requirements for employment in a Japanese company. In some cases, a master's or doctoral degree is a prerequisite for teaching positions at universities or research positions at research institutes.

■ Study Abroad Routes and Immigration Procedures for International Students

Study Abroad Pathway

There is more than one way to enter a junior college, professional training college, undergraduate university, or graduate school in Japan. There are three main routes.

Method A: After studying Japanese at a Japanese language school in Japan, enroll in a university or vocational school.

Method B: Come to Japan, take the entrance examination for a university or vocational school, and enroll in the school after passing the entrance examination.

Method C: Take the entrance exam overseas, obtain admission, and come to Japan.

Depending on which route you choose, the method of gathering information, taking entrance exams, and visa procedures will differ. In addition, the length of study abroad and costs differ. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages. Below we have summarized the advantages of each method and what is generally considered to be its disadvantages. Please think about which study abroad plan is best for you.

Immigration procedures for international students, first obtaining admission

In order to enter Japan through Method A and Method C, you must first be admitted to a school in Japan. Then, you must apply for a "College Student" Certificate of Eligibility in Japan, followed by an application for a "College Student" entry visa at the Japanese embassy or consulate in your country.

If you are coming to Japan to take the examination using method B, you will apply for a "Temporary Visitor" entry visa with your application documents or examination voucher. If you are coming to Japan to take the examination and then return to your home country, please wait until you receive the admission letter and follow the same procedures as for the A or C method.

From Admission to Visa Application

Once you have been admitted, you must apply to the Immigration and Residence Management Agency in Japan for a "Certificate of Eligibility". Since you are still in your home country, you will need to ask someone in Japan to complete the procedure for you.

If you are planning to enter a Japanese language school or a vocational school, the school will take care of this procedure for you.

If you plan to enroll in a junior college, university undergraduate school, or graduate school, the school may or may not take care of this procedure for you. If you have relatives living in Japan, you should ask them to take care of this procedure. However, if you do not have a relative living in Japan, please contact the school and ask them to apply for the Certificate of Eligibility.

It takes about two months from the time of application until the Certificate of Eligibility is issued. Once you receive the Certificate of Eligibility from the school (or from a relative, etc.), take it to the Japanese embassy or consulate in your country and apply for a "College Student" entry visa.

What will be judged

The following items will be examined in the "Application for Certificate of Eligibility".

　1. whether or not the applicant has been admitted to a Japanese school.

　　　(Certificate of graduation from a school in your home country or a letter of admission from a school in Japan will be examined. 2.

　2. whether you have prepared expenses for living and studying in Japan

　　　Bank balance certificate, proof of income from parents, etc.

A Certificate of Eligibility may not be issued due to incomplete documents. If a Certificate of Eligibility is not issued, you will not be able to study in Japan even if you have a school admission letter. You will have to wait for the next chance of admission, so please contact the school carefully.

Some countries may conduct an interview to determine whether you can understand simple Japanese, ask about your educational background in your home country, and determine whether you have sufficient funds to study in Japan. If the result is that you are not issued an entry visa, you will not be able to study in Japan even if you have a Letter of Admission. You will have to wait for the next chance of admission, so please contact the school carefully.

■ Expenses for study abroad

Rent is expensive in Tokyo.

The national average monthly cost of living (including tuition) for international students is 138,000 yen. By region, the lowest is 104,000 yen in the Shikoku region and the highest is 154,000 yen in the Kanto region. The Kanto region includes Tokyo, where the cost of living is 158,000 yen, which is 50,000 yen more per month on average than the Shikoku region.

The reasons for this can be attributed to the high cost of rent in Tokyo and transportation costs for commuting to and from school.

Tuition

Tuition at state schools and national university corporations is the least expensive and the same amount in all areas. Public universities are slightly higher than this. Tuition at private universities varies depending on the field of study at the same university, with law and economics about 1.4 times higher than at national universities, arts about 2.3 times higher, and dentistry the highest at 6.2 times higher than at national universities.

■ Let's try studying abroad in Japan!