Would you like to study in the land that gave us karaoke, instant noodles and camera phones? Then you will be pleased to know that Japan is implementing many strategies and projects to receive more international students. This Asian country tops the charts in terms of education, security and employment, so it is a very promising destination to start a professional career. If you want to study in Japan you have found the perfect guide.
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Japan is well-known thanks to its important contribution in the science and technology sector. His legacy in the animation and video game industry was and continues to be one of the most dominant in the market.
In addition to its exotic cuisine and distinctive manga , Japan has much more to offer the international community than just sushi and comics. If we talk about education, it turns out that this small Asian country is one of the most advanced and avant-garde .
In 2015, the OECD’s Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) revealed that the Japanese school system is the most proficient in math, science and reading. With an academic level of 94.6% according to OECD indicators, it is clear that studying in Japan is an alternative that can give your future a 180° turn . Currently, more than 100,000 international students are enrolled in Japanese higher education institutions. Between its modern cities and ancient imperial palaces are 5 of the best 100 universities on the planet . It is also one of the safest countries in the world, with a homicide rate of 0.2. Alright, now that we’ve covered some of the powerful reasons to study in this East Asian nation, let’s look at visas. These are the visas you can apply for to study in Japan :
Another reason why thousands of international students are attracted to Japan is because they want to learn its official language. Studying Japanese in Japan is the dream of many people who, through anime, music, art and general culture, are interested in this language. Without further ado, we invite you to discover everything this country has to offer you as an international student in this complete and updated guide.
|
Shared room |
$853 |
|
|
Shared room |
$591 |
|
2 bedroom apartment |
$1,685 |
|
|
2 bedroom apartment |
$1,029 |
|
Bus or Metro ticket |
$2 |
|
Movie Ticket |
$17 |
|
A beer in a bar |
$5 |
|
A beer in the supermarket |
$3 |
|
Typical Street Food |
$7 |
|
Meal in a Restaurant |
$32 |
|
Medical consultation |
$58 |
|
Phone plans |
$15 |
|
Average Cost of Living per Month |
USD $2,803 |
If the first thing you think about when evaluating the idea of studying in Japan is how much money you need, we will help you clear up your doubts a bit. Understanding that the budget of each student is subject to variations, it is estimated that a person needs $2,803 dollars to live in Japan for a month . Some claim that with about $850 dollars a month you can cover basic expenses, but this amount is perhaps a bit far from reality. As for accommodation, it is true that there are very varied offers for students. There are very small rooms that can cost just over $250 per month, but they may not be very comfortable. The city where you live also has a direct impact on the budget. For example, according to the Numbeo website, the cost of living in Tokyo is 12% more expensive than in Osaka. The official currency of Japan is the Yen (money symbol: ¥, ISO: JPY) and it is the most used in the country to carry out any transaction or purchase. According to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, tuition fees range from $4,782 to $14,400, excluding medical, dental and pharmaceutical studies. Compared to countries like the United States or the United Kingdom, the price of higher education in Japan is affordable. To learn more about the costs of studying in Japan, we recommend you visit this page .
Yes, fortunately there are many initiatives and support programs for foreigners who want to study in Japan. In fact, the Council for International Educational Exchange (CIEE), a non-profit organization, aims to fuel the interest of international students in Japan through scholarships, grants and loans. One of the most popular scholarships funded by the Japanese Government is the MEXT ( Monbukagakusho ).
To apply to this program, all those interested must have a letter of recommendation issued by the university where they have been accepted, or by the consular office in their country of residence. There is also another engaging initiative called the Global 30 Project , which seeks to promote a more international and multicultural Japanese academic environment.
The project is made up of 13 universities that want to admit more foreign students to their programs, as well as open more courses in English.
Knowing that the university environment provided by the country you plan to travel to is comfortable for you is vital when making a decision. To help you know what it’s like to study at a University in Japan without having to discover it on the fly, here are some interesting facts:
As you can see, the idea of studying in a Japanese university nowadays is quite tempting. Also, there are many universities that are recently accepting more exchange students and signing agreements with institutions abroad. According to the 2021 QS World University Rankings , Japan has some of the best universities in Asia and the world . In position number 24 is the University of Tokyo, the most prestigious in the country and also the one that receives the most foreign students. Other notable universities in the country include Kyoto University, Osaka University and Tohoku University. All these institutions are part of the group of “Imperial Universities” of Japan, which, as the title suggests, were founded at the time of the Japanese Empire (1868-1947).
If something stands out about Japanese higher education, it is that, unlike other countries, they try to make the path as easy as possible for international students . This nation has taken the initiative to attract more foreigners very seriously, so universities ask for “simple requirements.” Although the admission conditions may change from one institution to another, we have found some frequent requirements to be admitted to a university in Japan :
Important. Documents required to study at the university in Japan must be in English (if applying for a course in English). If your documents are not in English, you will need to submit a translated copy of each along with the original. Translations must be carried out by an official body or authorized person. Remember that these requirements are indicative and may vary according to the program and the university. To find out exactly what documents you need to submit, contact the university where you want to study in Japan.
In Japan there are several higher education institutions apart from universities. Among them, we have the Professional Training Colleges or professional training schools. These schools are characterized by offering post-secondary courses in a specific field. Some characteristics of the Professional Training Colleges are:
General Requirements to enter a Professional Training College:
If you want to know more about the Professional Training Colleges and their admission requirements, click here .
Both in universities and in Professional Training Colleges, the admission process may vary. The Japanese Government recommends that international students start the process at least 6 months before the date they plan to study in Japan. After attaching the necessary documents and paying the application fee, you must attend an interview and take the admission exam. If everything goes well, you will receive your acceptance letter and you can start preparing to apply for your Student Visa.
Since there are many universities to choose from in Japan, we recommend that you take some time to evaluate the academic offer of each one. The university ecosystem in this country is very diverse, so international students have many options at their disposal. Some of the universities where you can study in Japan are:
Without a doubt, do you want to study in this first world country? Below we will tell you about the types of visas, their requirements and the process that you must carry out in order to fulfill your objective and study in this academic powerhouse.
The Student Visa is the main visa that all foreigners need to apply for if they want to study in Japan for more than 3 months . In order to apply, there is a specific requirement that you must have: a Certificate of Eligibility. Although it is true that you can apply for a Japanese student visa without this certificate, the process would be more extensive and complex.
Since you do not have a Certificate of Eligibility, you will have to accept the fact that you will be asked for more documents than the ones mentioned below. In addition, the waiting time will be much longer than usual, because the request would have to be studied directly by the Ministry of Justice through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan. Similarly, having this certificate does not guarantee the granting of the visa.
Important. Please note that this list of requirements may vary depending on your country of residence.
No, the Student Visa does not allow you to work while studying in Japan . In order to have a job as a foreigner, you must process a “Permit to carry out an activity other than that permitted by the residence status previously granted”.
If you want to do a short course in Japan that lasts less than 90 days , this may be the visa for you. Citizens of some countries who wish to visit and stay in Japan for short stays (less than 3 months), do not always need to apply for this visa. Before continuing, we suggest you open the following link and make sure that your country does not have a visa waiver with Japan. If so, you can enter this Asian country without the need for a visa, as long as it is not for more than 90 days.
Important. The requirements mentioned in the list above are general, that is, they may change depending on your country of residence and your profile as an applicant.
No, a Visitor Visa ( short-term stay ) does not allow you to work in Japan or engage in any paid activity.
If you are interested in studying Japanese in Japan, the good news is that there are many academies, schools, and universities that offer courses to international students . In private universities and ” junior colleges “, there is never a shortage of a Japanese program for foreigners. This is because there are still many programs that are taught entirely in Japanese (or English and Japanese). Also, almost 100% of the population speaks Japanese as their first language . That is why, even if you are going to study in Japan and your university offers you a program in English, it is best that you take some Japanese classes so that you integrate more easily into the society that surrounds you. Some academies where you can study are:
The general requirements to be admitted to a Japanese course in Japan are:
Each academy or language center may have a specific process for admitting international students to their courses. After starting your online application and attaching the requested documents, all that remains is to wait for the institution’s response. If you will take a course that lasts more than 3 months, remember that you will need a Student Visa and a Certificate of Eligibility to study in Japan. It is likely that the academy of your choice will advise you regarding the visa, but it is best to do your research before starting the process.
Although in recent years the Japanese Government has shown its clear interest in promoting Japanese culture through educational exchange, there is still no visa to study Japanese . We also do not know if the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan plans to create a visa for this purpose. At the moment, the visas that you can process to study the official language of Japan are those that we described above. Depending on the duration of the course, you will need a Student Visa or a Visitor Visa (if your nationality requires it).
Although tuition fees at universities in Japan are cheap compared to other countries, it is possible to receive financial support from the government or another institution . Financial aid to study in Japan is based on two types of programs: scholarships and tuition reduction systems. Most of the available scholarships can be applied for after you arrive in Japan, when you have already taken the entrance exam and are ready to start your career. Some of the scholarships for the 2020/2021 period are:
There are many other scholarships available to study in Japan, so we recommend you open this page to see the full offer for the 2020/2021 academic term.
In order to work in Japan while studying, it is necessary to have additional permission in addition to the Student Visa. This document is known as ” Permission to carry out an activity other than that permitted by the residence status previously granted “. In other words, when processing your Student Visa, you only have permission to study the program at the corresponding institution. That is why, if you want to work, you must go to the immigration office closest to your home and start the process. Here are some aspects that you should consider in order to work in Japan as a foreign student :
For more information on this, click here .
With more and more international students enrolling in its universities, it is not surprising that Japan is also making things a little easier for those who decide to stay in the country to work. If you belong to the group of foreigners who want to stay in Japan and look for a job, there are a couple of things you should know. The first, and perhaps most important, is that you must change your residence status to the one that suits your new purpose of staying in Japan. If you are interested in working in a company, you should probably change your status to “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services.”
On the other hand, if you are going to work as a researcher at a university or institution, the most appropriate status would be “Researcher” or “Professor”. To be successful in your job search in Japan, you must take into account that Japanese society is quite competitive in this regard.
Most companies are comfortable hiring foreign people to give a more international impression. However, almost all employers require a knowledge of Japanese, at least at the business level . If you want more information on this subject, visit the JASSO website or the website of The Employment Services Center for Foreigners . At Go-Study-In we have a team of expert advisors who can help you fulfill your dream of studying in Japan. If you fill out the form below, one of our advisors will contact you and give you all the support you need to study abroad.
