English

Basic Guide
www.studyinjapan.go.jp

Published: April, 2020. Not for sale. All rights reserved.

What kind of place is Japan? Japan is full of charmand is sure to bring you closer to achieving your dreams.

JapaneseNobel Prize winners

Financial contribution
to the UN

Why Study in Japan?
Three Gassho-style houses with steep thatched roofs.
(Shirakawago) ©Koichi_Hayakawa

Sado Tea Ceremony

In Japan, traditional
culture, such as sado,
kabuki, and budo coexist
with pop culture likemanga and anime.

rdInternational students studying in Japan

Japan has many
mountains and issurrounded by oceans,so you can enjoy thedramatic changes in
the natural scenerythrough spring,summer, fall, andwinter.

Gross national incomeapprox.

rdJapanese universities
in top 1,000 of QS World
University Rankings 2020

Number ofindustrial robots
in operation

World Culturaland Natural Heritage sites

Yahiko-jinja Shrine Sumo Ring ©Yahikomura

Arakurayama Sengen Park (Chureito Pagoda) ©Fujiyoshida City

Tokyo Station ©Mitsunori Egawa

Sushind
Global Peace Index

Average life expectancy

Number ofexported automobiles
Japan is an economicallyrich country with one of
the lowest crime rates inthe world. International
students can relax andfocus on their studies.

thstndThe Shinkansen Bullet Train

2References: • Kids Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Various World Knowledge Ranking (https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/kids/ranking/index.html)• Global Peace Index 2019
• UNESCO World Heritage List (https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/)• The Summary of Result on an Annual Survey of International Students in Japan 2018 (JASSO)

Washoku, thetraditional dietaryculture of theJapanese, isdesignated as anintangible cultural
heritage by UNESCO,
comprised ofhealthy and colorful
ingredients selectedbased on the season.
It is receiving a lot ofattention worldwide.

Ramen Noodles

All photos are published with consent under a Creative Commons license (Attribution 4.0 International) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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Before coming to Japan to study, you must make some preparations!
Let’s look into Japan’s education and examination system and make plans.

Higher Education in Japan

7 Steps to Study in Japan
START

27

School Searchhttps://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/planning/search-school/

Years of study

AgeEducation SystemSTEP

Choose a school

Japanese or
English [Doctor’s Degree]I want to learn theskills directly related
to work!

18Higher Education

74Japanese or
English [Master’s Degree]

CUniversity (Undergraduate)

2Japanese or
English [Bachelor’s Degree]

A

10
97Age

66
1Years ofstudy

15Junior College

Professional
Training
College[Associate’sDegree]

1

12

STEP

Take the Test

Advanced
Course

STEP

Apply

[Bachelor’s Degree]
Japanese Language
Educational Institution /University Preparatory
Course[Diploma or
Advanced
Diploma]B

STEP

Take the entrance examE

I studied in English
through to high school,
so I want to study in
English at university
as well!

College ofTechnology[Associate’sDegree]★ I want to enter university
after learning Japanese!
★ I studied for 11 years inmy country. I want tostudy in the university
preparatory course
for one year and thenprogress to university.

STEP

Entry process

Take the required test
JLPT, EJU, TOEFL, IELTS, SAT, IB, etc.

Junior High School
Elementary School<6~9 months before>Send necessary documents to school
Pay application fee

After passing the document screening,
have an interview and take the entrance exam

 eceive permission to enrollR
Pay tuition feesSTEPTravel preparations

High School pply for visaA
Purchase flight ticket and insurance

G OAL

FI want to startlearning advanced
theories and practicalskills as early as
possible!

About the EJU
Examination for Japanese University Admission forInternational Students (EJU)

Notes: Years of study for each educational institution vary by department and course.
Degree or title is displayed in brackets [ ].

• Higher education in Japan begins after six years of elementary, three years of junior high, and three years ofhigh school (total 12 years).
• International students wishing to enter Japanese higher education must complete 12 years of formaleducation.
• Those with less than 12 years of formal education must first complete a one or two year university
preparatory course before entering higher education.

4<12 months before>Send for school information and application forms
Confirm admission requirements and examinations

D

3

Elementary /Secondary Education

15

I want to study
so that I can start
work soon!

Graduate School (Master’s)

I want to study mysubject of interest
from the foundation
to the practical level.

18Check necessary language skills and costs

Practical Skills & Experience

Graduate School (PhD)

85STEP

Gather information
Research & Study

96Joining a university or professional training college as a regular student

A test to determine if students possess the Japanese language skills and basic
academic abilities necessary to study at Japanese universities and other suchhigher educational institutions.

• Schedule
Held twice a year (June and November)• Location
Held in 14 countries and regions
around the world!

★ More than 50% of Japanese universities (90% of national universities) use EJU
test results when screening applicants★ Results are valid for two years★ Applicants with excellent EJU results are promised Monbukagakusho Honors
Scholarship for Privately-Financed International Students (p.7)★ Test can be taken multiple times

EJU
https://www.jasso.go.jp/
ryugaku/study_j/eju/
index.html

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Let’s calculate the expenses for studying in Japan.
What are your expenditures? Will you receive a scholarship?
A financial plan with a little slack is essential!

Tuition & Living Expenses

Scholarships & Financial Aid

Tuition Fees

Apply for the scholarships granted by the Japanese Government

Method 1* Amounts may vary by level. ** Amount for Japanese language school students• Approximate tuition fees for one year
500,000 yen

Amount ofmonthly support

1,300,000 yen

Notes: Excluding medical, dental andpharmaceutical departments.
For the first year, additional fees for entry
and other things must be paid separately.

Scholarships
https://www.
studyinjapan.go.jp/
en/planning/
about-scholarship/

Reference: •Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Survey of Fees andContributions for Students on Private Universities, etc., 2018(https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/koutou/shinkou/07021403/1412031_00001.htm)

MEXT Scholarship

Monbukagakusho Honors Scholarshipfor Privately-Financed InternationalStudents

Student Exchange Support Program(Scholarship for Short-term Study inJapan)

From 117,000 yen*

48,000 yen or 30,000 yen**

80,000 yen

Tuition fee exemption
Free flight ticket
Free preparatory
education

Living Expenses

Payment period

Entire period of international study

One year or six months

While participating in program• Guide for living expenses

Applicable students

Graduate, undergraduate, collegeof technology, professional training
college, Japanese studies, and teacher
training students

Graduate, undergraduate, collegeof technology, professional training
college, and Japanese language
students

Graduate, undergraduate, college oftechnology, and professional training
college students studying in Japan for
one year or less

Screening process

Document screening, written
examination, and interview

Document screening

Document screening

Number available

UnpublishedAround 7,000 students

Around 5,000 students

Living expenses are more expensive in large cities.

Example: 100,000 yen in Tokyo

Commute5,000 yen
Hobbies,entertainment
6,000 yen

Grade-based

Studentdormitory
28,000 yen

Miscellaneous
expenses
7,000 yen

Rice (5 kg)2,364 yen

Food
27,000 yen

Insurance,
medical expenses
3,000 yen

Utilities(electricity / gas /water) 7,000 yen

Privateapartment
53,300 yen

89,000 yen
per month

Ramen noodles
570 yenApples (1 kg)
560 yenCola (500 ml)
95 yenCoffee at a café
500 yenMovie ticket
1,500 yenTaxi (4 km)
1,460 yen

Householdincome-based

For inquiries andapplications:

The Japanese embassy or consulate
in your country or the school
you currently attend

Method 2Rent
34,000 yen
Reference: L ifestyle Survey ofPrivately-Financed
International Students 2017 (JASSO)

References: P ortal Site of Official Statistics of Japan, Retail price survey (Specialwards of Tokyo, Jan 2020)
Dormitory expenses from Tokyo Japanese Language Education Center
Private apartment expenses are for a 20 m² apartment

Apply to a local government or private
foundation for a scholarship• There are many specifications for home country, school,and field of study.

Working part-time as a student

6

Be careful of international student agents
who emphasize that you can“earn a lot of money as a student in Japan”!
You can receive 3,000 yen per hour.

The average hourly wage
is 900 yen.

As an international student you canearn 300,000 yen a month.

Students working part-time can expect
to earn around 59,000 yen per month.

Local government or private
foundation scholarships
https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/
planning/by-style/pamphlet/

The school you currently attend

Method 3
Apply for an on-campus scholarship or use atuition fee exemption / reduction system
For university X

For university Y

Tuition fee exemption

82,000 yen per monthscholarship• Apply after joining a school in Japan.

• Available to a few to a few hundred students each year.
Search from the site below.

People with a residency
status of “Student” whoapply for “Permission to
Engage in Activity other thanthat Permitted by the Statusof Residence PreviouslyGranted,” may engage inpart-time work for up to
28 hours per week.

The school you intend to study
at in Japan(50% or 100%)(for four years)
ForForStudents with excellent
grades who would havedifficulty in paying fees
for financial reasonsStudents with excellent
entrance examination
results

For inquiries and applications

For inquiries and applications

The school you will study
at or the relevant group

The school you will study at7

Companies wanting the best and brightest people regardless ofnationality are on the rise, and there is an increase in hiring ofinternational students. Come and work in Japan in the future!

Work in Japan

Interview

From international student to employee(Number ofpeople)

Number of people changing from “Student” resident status
to one of the working resident statuses

30,00025,94225,00020,00015,000

Top 10 occupations for international students

Rank

Job description

1Translation and interpretation

2

Retail and sales

3

International business

4

Technological development

5International trade

6Design

7

Technological development

8

Public relations and advertising

9Education

10

Accounting(data processing)(outside data processing)

10,0008,586
5,0000
2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

Looking for work
Job hunting in Japan is quite unique.
Therefore, it is essential that international
students seeking employment begin
preparations well in advance. Use the sites
below to begin gathering information.
Job Hunting Guide forInternational Students(JASSO)https://www.jasso.
go.jp/en/study_j/job/guide.html

8Open forProfessionals (JETRO)
https://www.jetro.
go.jp/en/hrportal/

2016

2017

Reference: “ Employment status in Japanese firms ofinternational students 2018” (Immigration
Services Agency of Japan)

2018(Year)

Interview

I want to bring
Japan’s civilengineering technology
to Rwanda!

I could focus
on my studies thanks
to the scholarship!

Rumanzi HypoliteTokyo Institute of Technology,
Graduate School of Civil Engineering
Master’s Course

NIT (KOSEN), Maizuru College

My country faces the problem that, even if we want toimprove infrastructure, we lack skilled architects andengineers. Therefore I came to study in Japan, known
for its high levels of education and engineering, so I
can take my skills home and contribute to my country’sdevelopment. I was worried about living in Japan and had
a few troubles, but there was always someone aroundto help me out and I’m so grateful to them. Now I’m
studying civil engineering at a college of technology andplan to advance to university, if possible going on to amaster’s degree. My dream is to create a construction
company back home, and teach the skills and culture I
learned in Japan to the younger generation.

I think being free from financial worries while in Japanis the key to focusing on my research, so I applied
for a MEXT scholarship. The amount of support andguidance given to students at Japanese universities isreally impressive. On the other hand, the crush of therush-hour commute is quite surprising! Japan is a uniquecountry where tradition and technology coexist. I thinkwesterners are likely to experience a lot of culture shock
coming here, so learning about the language and culture
is very important. The MEXT scholarship guarantees asmooth life as a student, so why not give it a try yourself.

Q&A
Q. I have attended a Japanese school. Can I apply toQ. Please tell me about the process of

you can take the international student
A. Whether
entrance exam or not is decided by the school. Thosethe entry requirements, create a research proposal,
A. Checkand confirm what documents need to be submitted.

the international student entrance exam?

Learn Japanese language andcorporate culture to become amust-have employee!

Ioannis Gkolfinopoulos

who have graduated from a Japanese high school,
and those who hold both Japanese and anothernationality should inquire about the entrance exam
before applying to the school.

entering graduate school.

Generally, you must find an instructor yourself. Someinstitutions require you to have informal acceptance before
application, so confirm this with your chosen institution assoon as possible.

AustinI came to Japan in 2012 and entered the University of Tokyo to study
political science after completing a preparatory course. I now work
as a freelance programmer.
Although it depends on your chosen major, Japanese university
offers a lot of freedom, and you can even take part in a variety of
extracurricular activities such as internships. Additionally, thanks to
the new graduate hiring system, Japan is the easiest country in whichto shape your first career among advanced countries. To succeed inJapan, rather than becoming Japanese, you should make the mostof your unique strengths as a foreigner. The language skills learned
through studying and working in Japan as well as the understandingof this unique culture are sure to become irreplaceable strength.
If you want to become a sought-after employee in this world ofadvancing globalization, I really recommend studying and workingin Japan.

Q. How should I look for and confirm
the application period, necessary
documents, and entrance
examination?

of the application process and entrance
A. Details
examination can be found on the school’s website
or admission guidelines. Once you have decided
on a school, check their website or admission
guidelines.

Q. Please tell me about the high school international
exchange program and scholarship.

groups below offer support for high school international
A. Theexchange.
• AFS Intercultural Programs
URL: https://afs.org
Note: Use the “Find AFS in your Country” function to inquire at your local
office.

• YOUTH FOR UNDERSTANDING
URL: http://yfu.or.jp

9Study in Japan Fair
A rare chance to meet andspeak with school staff incharge of the schools.
Study in Japan Fair
https://www.studyinjapan.
go.jp/en/other/event/[Host countries and regions]Taiwan (Taipei, Kaohsiung), China (Hong Kong), Thailand(Chiang Mai, Bangkok), Korea (Seoul, Busan), Indonesia(Surabaya, Jakarta), China (Beijing, Shanghai), Vietnam(Ho Chi Minh, Hanoi), Malaysia (Penang, Kuala Lumpur)
Note: Planned as of April 2020

Study in Japan website
Search by subject, medium of instruction, location and more
to find your perfect school!

Study in Japan website
https://www.
studyinjapan.go.jp/en/JASSO International Offices
At each of the five JASSO international
offices, visit us in person, or contact us bytelephone or email. We also have various
reading materials regarding studying in Japan.

Thailand

Korea

10Jakarta Summitmas Tower II, 2nd
Floor Jalan Jenderal Sudirman Kav.
61-62, Jakarta 12190 INDONESIA

Indonesia

Tel : (+62) 21-252-1912
E-mail : info@jasso.or.id
Web : http://www.jasso.or.id/
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/jASSO.
indonesia

1016/3, 10F Serm-mit Tower, 159 AsokMontri Rd., Bangkok 10110 THAILAND

4th Floor, CornerStone Building, 16
Phan Chu Trinh, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi,
VIETNAMTel : (+66) 2- 661-7057
E-mail : info@jeic-bangkok.org
Web : https://www.jeic-bangkok.org/
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/JASSO.
ThailandTel : (+84) 24-3710-0226
E-mail : info@jasso.org.vn
Web : http://www.jasso.org.vn/
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/jASSO.
VietnamVietnam#702 Garden Tower, 84 Yulgok-ro,
Jongno-gu, Seoul 03131 REPUBLIC
OF KOREA

A-7-5, Northpoint Offices, Mid Valley
City, No.1, Medan Syed Putra Utara,
59200 Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA

Tel : (+82) 2-765-0141
E-mail : jasso@jasso.or.kr
Web : http://www.jasso.or.kr/
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/JASSO.
Korea

Tel : (+60) 3-2287-0812
E-mail : enquiry@studyinjapan.org.my
Web : http://www.studyinjapan.org.my/
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/jASSO.
Malaysia

Malaysia

We truly believe that everyone can findsomething worthwhile by studying in Japan.

Japan Student Services Organization(JASSO) provides the following support
programs for international students• Scholarship provision• Running Examination for Japanese
University Admission (for internationalstudents) (EJU)• Collection and provision of information
on studying abroad[Edited and published by]
Independent Administrative Institution, Japan
Student Services Organization (JASSO)
Information Services Division, Student
Exchange Department
2-2-1 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-8630
E-mail : infoja@jasso.go.jp
Tel : (+81) 3-5520-6111
Web : https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/ja/• Japanese language education• Housing support
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