Study in Japan

About Japan

Japan, located in East Asia, is a Pacific Ocean island nation bordered by the Sea of Japan to the west and stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea, Philippine Sea, and Taiwan in the south. It comprises four primary islands: Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, forming an archipelago on the eastern periphery of Asia.

OFFICIAL NAME: Japan

CAPITAL: Tokyo

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Japanese

MONEY: Japanese yen

Why Study in Japan?

Japan, a favored study abroad choice, provides students with numerous benefits. International students can immerse themselves in Japanese culture, cuisine, and language, enjoying a safe environment with efficient public transportation. With affordable tuition and ample professional opportunities, Japan is an attractive destination for education and personal growth.

Studying abroad can be a great opportunity for students to expand their horizons, enhance their skills, and gain valuable academic and professional connections. Japan is an increasingly popular destination for students looking for a mixture of enriching cultural experiences and top-notch academics.

According to the University of Tsukuba, over 150,000 international students travel to Japan to study every year. Check out these nine reasons why Japan is a great place to study.

1. High level of education

Japan boasts over 700 universities, with 10 ranking in the top 200 globally, reflecting exceptional academic commitment. The country holds the second-highest number of Nobel Prize winners worldwide, underscoring the high quality of education highly valued by the Japanese. Studying in Japan opens doors to a competitive job market, as major companies seek international graduates to enhance their global presence.

2. Economic growth

Japan, the world’s second-largest developed economy, stands as the third-largest automobile manufacturer and the leader in the electronics goods industry. Studying here unveils unexpected opportunities in a realm celebrated for precision and creativity, from electronic design to high-quality fashion. Learning Japanese signals to future employers your determination, patience, multicultural perspective, and a willingness to embrace challenges, setting you apart in the professional landscape.

3. Explore Japan’s amazing culture

Japan has thousands of years of history which has been shaping their culture until today; study in Japan and get to experience a whole new fascinating way of life! Combining traditions and modern technology is one of the uniqueness’s of Japan, especially seen in Japanese businesses too. While are studying in Japan, be sure to take part in Japanese martial arts, mostly offered at universities. Whether you want to learn Judo, Kendo, Kyudo or Karate there is a big variety to choose from at the world’s best universities.

4. High standard of life

Japan is one of the safest and most peaceful places to visit in the world! In addition, they have one of the world’s best healthcare systems with a very high life expectancy. The streets are clean and easy transport systems help travel around the country conveniently. The public transport is more punctual than in any other country! Explore Japan on your days off and visit the temples and shrines and experience the four seasons with breathtaking nature. There is always something different to see and do: like cherry blossoms in spring, festivals and fireworks in summer, hiking, and trekking with beautiful autumn scenery and a snow festival, skiing in winter!

5. Stunning nature and city life

The great thing about studying in Japan is that no matter where you are you can get out of the city life anytime and see the great nature this country has to offer! From hot springs, volcanoes, mountains, and snow monkeys to blooming flowers and the beautiful coastlines. Japan has it all and is waiting for you to experience it!

6. Employment Opportunities

Japan is among one of the biggest economies in the world which makes it a very active economy that favor the students and not just the local students but the international students studying in Japan too. Getting a job in Japan is comparatively easy than in any other country. They even have very welcoming policies for international students, unlike any other country that limit the number of years they can stay back after completing their education and international students in Japan can renew their work visas as many times as they want without having any trouble in the process.

7. Cost of Education and Scholarships

Japan even after offering such high standards in education does not cost as much as you would think. Studying in Japan for international students is comparatively very affordable as to other countries. If your aim is to get a good degree from some of the world’s most famous and prestigious universities and you do not have a considerably large budget then this is the place you were looking for. It does not end here they even provide very generous scholarships opportunities to deserving students which is also never a bad thing for a student.

8. Safety and Security

Parents are often concerned about their child’s safety but they need not worry if you are studying in Japan as it is considered one of the safest countries in the world even though people know kung fu over there. The crime rate in Japan is very low which is a very positive thing to consider. According to World Health Organization, Japanese people have the longest life expectancy thanks to their amazing and advanced medical system which international students would have complete access to at a very affordable national health insurance system they have over there.

9. Education of Mind and Body

Tea ceremony, Calligraphy, Flower arrangements, Anime, and Not theatre are some of the practices they follow to train their body with their mind. Japanese people consider that while training the mind with education and other things it is important that the body is also trained with it so that they can be in complete harmony with one another. Who can argue with them about their methods after all they are considered the healthiest population of all.

10. Mouth-Watering Food

With sushi on a roll, these days in many countries trust me it would taste a whole lot better in Japan. With a taste in Japanese cuisine rising among people what better place could be to taste it than Japan itself. Each and every region in Japan have their own special dishes and delicacies which will never be enough for a foodie. With ramen being the most common dish to be eaten among students Japanese offers the finest of it so no student will ever go hungry and will be able to expand their taste buds as well. And as for vegan, they got that covered too.

Education System in Japan

The Japan education system uses a traditional approach to educate the students and impart the necessary skills and knowledge. The table below incorporates the structure of the Japanese education system with the respective age groups: 

EDUCATIONLEVELDURATION (in years)AGE (in years)
Primary Nursery (Yōchien) Elementary school (Shōgakkō)63 to 6;
6 to 12
SecondaryLower Secondary (Chūgakkō)Upper Secondary (Kōkō)3; 312 to 15;
15 to 18
Higher University (Daigaku)2-418+

 

Best Universities in Japan for International Students

Course offerings at universities in Japan for international students include STEM courses, social science, humanities, arts and culture, etc. These programs are highly appreciated by rating agencies like Times Higher Education and QS Rankings for their faculty, curriculum and research, and training.  More than 50 universities in Japan for international students made it to the QS Ranking 2021 and 6 of them were under 100. Here are the top universities in Japan for international students as per QS Ranking 2021.   

Ranking (Japan)Ranking (World)UniversityScore
#1#24University of Tokyo83.2
#2#38Kyoto University78.9
#3#56Tokyo Institute of Technology70.8
#4#72Osaka University66.1
#5#79Tohoku University64.3
#6#110Nagoya University55.8
#7#124Kyushu University53.7
#8#139Hokkaido University52.2
#9#189Waseda University44.1
#10#191Keio University44

 

1. University of Tokyo

The University of Tokyo is Japan’s first national university. It was established in 1877 and has 10 faculties and 5 graduate schools. Something that’s interesting about the school is that students change campuses throughout their study. For the first two years, they are on one campus, and then they transition to another one in their third year. The campus is a good option for those who want to sightsee around because it’s located close to main attractions.

Some courses are

1.Humanities and Sociology

2.Education

3.Law and Politics

4.Economics

5.Arts and Sciences

6.Science

7.Engineering

8.Agricultural and Life Sciences

9.Medicine

10.Pharmaceutical Sciences

11.Mathematical Sciences

12.Frontier Sciences

13.Information Science and Technology

14.Interdisciplinary Information Studies

15.Public Policy

2. Kyoto University

Kyoto University is the second oldest university in Japan while being one of the best universities in Japan. In this school, interested candidates can pursue undergraduate, graduate and special programs in different courses. Some of their best courses are Engineering, Humanities and Law.

As an international student, Kyoto will offer you a place of learning, research and growth. So, why not take that decision to pick up the admission form today.

Some faculties are

  • Economics.
  • Engineering.
  • Agriculture.
  • Energy Science.
  • Informatics.
  • Biostudies and Medicine.
  • Global Environmental Studies.
  • Science (Primate Research Institute)

3. Akita International University

Founded in 2004, Akita International University (AIU) is a public university located in Akita City, Japan. International students usually sway to AIU to study because of their awesome program offers. The school offers programs at different levels. In essence, they offer both bachelors, masters and PhD programs in addition to student exchange programs.

In Akita, you’re in one of the best universities in Japan for international students.

Subjects offered

-Business and Law

  • Business
  • Economics
  • Laws

-Education

-humanities and social sciences

  • Anthropology
  • Asian studies
  • Communication Skills
  • Creative Arts
  • English
  • History
  • Human Geography
  • Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Travel and Study Subjects
  • Interdisciplinary Core Subjects
  • International Studies
  • Media Studies
  • Philosophy
  • Politics
  • Sociology

-Engineering and Mathematical Sciences

  • Computer science (General)
  • Information Technology
  • Mathematics

4. Keio University

Keio University is a private university located in Japan. Furthermore, it is one of the oldest private institutes in Japan. As an international student, you can pursue a program in any of their undergraduate, graduate and short-term programs.

Faculty of Science and Technology

Department/Major 

Mechanical Engineering Electronics and Electrical Engineering Applied Chemistry Applied Physics and Physio-Informatics Industrial and Systems Engineering System Design Engineering Information and Computer Science

Degree

Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.)

5. Waseda University

Founded in 1882, Waseda University is a Japanese private research university in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Umakuma Shigenobu is the founder of this prestigious institution. Waseda currently has 36 departments: thirteen undergraduate schools and twenty-three higher schools. Waseda is one of the best types of selected Japanese universities to which additional funds have been allocated under the Top Global University project to improve the competitiveness of education in Japan.

Schools offering English-based degree programs
Undergraduate schools

-Political Science and Economics

-Social Sciences

-International Liberal Studies

-Fundamental Science and Engineering

-Creative Science and Engineering

Graduate schools

-Political Science

-Economics

-Commerce

-Fundamental Science and Engineering

-Creative Science and Engineering

-Advanced Science and Engineering

-Social Sciences

-International Culture and Communication Studies

-Asia-Pacific Studies

-Information, Production and Systems

-Environment and Energy Engineering

-Waseda Business School

Other

-Center for Japanese Language

Academic Degrees to Study in Japan

You can choose subjects like Economics, Education, Physics, Information Science, Medicine, Agriculture, Engineering, Design, Art, Fashion, Anime, etc. Take the distribution of various academic degrees in Japan in the table given below:

Associate DegreeJunior College2 to 3 years
Associate DegreeCollege of Technology3 to 3 years and 6 months
Bachelor’s DegreeUniversity4 to 6 years
Master’s DegreeGraduate School2 years
Doctoral DegreeGraduate School3 years
DiplomaProfessional Training College2 to 3 years
Advanced DiplomaProfessional Training College4 years

 

Documents Required

The following are some of the most typical documents that students must present while applying to a Japanese university:

  • The application form that has been completed
  • Proof of application fee payment (if applicable).
  • To apply for a Bachelor’s degree, you must have a high school diploma.
  • Bachelor’s degree (required to apply for a Master’s degree).
  • A record transcript
  • Photography (passport size) (s).
  • A copy of a valid passport and/or a government-issued photo ID
  • Letter of Motivation
  • Recommendation letter(s)
  • Statement of purpose 

Scholarships and Financial Aid

The Government of Japan offers the following scholarship for Indian students:

Student TypeLevel of Study in Japan
College of Technology StudentsUndergraduate level leading to associate degree (diploma)
Undergraduate StudentsUndergraduate level leading to a bachelor’s degree
Specialized Training College StudentsUndergraduate level leading to a certificate
Japanese Studies StudentsUndergraduate level leading to a certificate
Teacher Training StudentsUndergraduate level leading to a certificate
Young Leaders’ Program StudentsMaster’s degree course
Research StudentsResearch studies (possible  to continue to masters or PhD course)

 

Healthcare & Insurance in Japan

Residents of Japan can choose between two forms of health insurance. Employee Health Insurance (kenkô hoken) or the country’s National Health Insurance (kokumin kenkô hoken) are required by law for all people residing in the country, including residents and expats on long-term visas. This enrollment can, however, be avoided due to an agreement with specific nations. 1) Whether or not you work for a Japanese employer, and 2) whether or not the Japanese firm offers this health insurance benefit are the decisive criteria in which insurance you will enroll in.

  • Health Card

To apply, go to your local City Office or Ward Office’s Residential Affairs Division. The premium is calculated using your age and prior year’s earnings.

  • The Essential Benefit Plan

There’s also a plan in place for low-wage employees and unemployed people. The Essential Benefits Plan (EBP) is the bare minimum of health insurance coverage required of all Japanese residents. It provides essential services at an affordable price.

Part-Time Work in Japan

In Japan, over 76% of privately funded international students work part-time. On average, they make around JPY 59,000 (INR 39,354) per month. It is impossible to afford all school expenditures and living expenses just through a part-time job. Make sure you have a good financial strategy in place so you don’t have to rely on part-time income too much.

Tuition Fee and Cost of Living

It is quite obvious that the average tuition fee to study in Japan is not as high as that in the US and the UK. Your first-year fee for an undergraduate program will be around ¥800,000 at a national university. As for the private university, the fee may range from ¥1,100,000 to ¥1,640,000, excluding medical, pharmaceutical and dental colleges. And, studying in a local public university may cost around ¥930,000. When we talk about the costs of living in Japan, it is around ¥89,000 per month covering rent, food, insurance, entertainment and other living costs.

 

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