Studying in Japan Are you planning to study in Japan? The country of anime and sushi? Then this blog is for you about everything you need to know before you apply and start to study in the country.
Education system and universities
Let’s start with the top 5 universities of Japan:
1. University of Tokyo: You can study many different courses in this university. The levels you can study for are PhD, Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees. You can study in both Japanese and English.
2. Kyoto University: At this school, you have a choice between many different types of courses. The difference is that if you go for an undergraduate diploma, you have limited choice in what to study. If you go for a graduate diploma, you have a broader choice of courses. You can study these courses in both English and Japanese.
3. Osaka University: At Osaka University, you have limited English courses. If you are studying for a PhD, every course is available, but if you go for your Master’s degree, you will have way less choice on what to study. Almost all courses are in Japanese at the school.
4. Tohoku University: At this school, you also have a lot of different courses that are taught in English and Japanese. You can study for your Bachelor’s and Master’s degree.
5. Keio University: You have a limited choice of courses at this school. A majority of the courses are taught in Japanese. You can either study for a PhD or a Bachelor’s degree. The school also offers a Japanese class for foreign students.
Application and requirements
To apply to a school in Japan, you would need to do an English exam. Every school asks for a different type of exam to prove that you are fluent in English. Some of those exams are TOEFL, IELTS Academic or having a Duolingo score above 120. At universities in Japan, you would need to send your graduation certificate in either Japanese or English. Some schools have a form you need to fill in about where you went to school, birthplace, previous schools, etc. You also need to do an entrance exam in most schools in Japan. At some schools, you would need to write an essay about why you want to go to the school and why you want to study the course you choose.
Living in Japan as a student
Living in big cities like Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, etc. The rent and transportation are more expensive than living in regional towns. The costs of living in the big cities are 120,000 to 150,000 yen (€650 to €815). If you live in regional towns, the costs are about 20% lower. Most universities in Japan have dorms to make it easier for foreign students to settle into a new environment. Culture and lifestyle In Japan, politeness and respect are very important, especially in public spaces. Their lives are very organized, they care about rules and they care about cleanliness. At universities, you do not have uniforms but it is expected that you wear neat and modest clothing.