JLPT 1 in one year. That would be like writing a graduate thesis after studying English for a year.

You can get into international programs without any Japanese...
However, you will be in an intensive university level Japanese course for the first year or year and a half with absolutely no time spent on anything else. It is possibly, in that environment, to reach a workable level of Japanese in that amount of time... But think 8 hours a day of intensive language classes, and nothing else.

Not that it is a bad path at all if your goal is to study in Japan. In fact, it`s the best path in my opinion. Studying Japanese outside of Japan will take an eternity.

But it can and has been done. It`s the level and intensity of the classes - and the determination of the student.
I do have to say that the majority who pull it off are Chinese, so have kanji background to draw from though.

Aha...that would make sense. That must be intense!

I once talked to someone about halfway through the course. She was doing 8 hours of back to back 60 to 90 minute classes, 2 hours of individual speaking practice after them, then 4 hours of solo listening+writing practice and homework each night. Squeeze meals and a bath in there and the day is over.

yeah i also shocked to learn that. I know this mongolian girl who was under that program, after a year of intensive japanese language study, she was required to either take level 1 or 2. she did take level 2. if she can't pass she can't proceed to her degree.

yeah that's about their schedule per day .. i think they are required to memorize at least 10 kanji per day.. with all the vocab, and grammar and all ..:eek:

Maybe I`m just spoiled, but after that type of schedule, I`d want to be able to handwrite a novel with some pretty impressive prose...
I don`t think it would really be able that unthinkable to hit JLPT2 after a course like that - I passed it after only a little over a year in Japan, with no actual study. The gap between 2 and 1 took some time, but 14 hours a day of study for a year and it doesn`t sound impossible to me at all, really.

I think it's really doable, it all comes down to your interest and determination

so in this international program, i can study in english.
but i have to study 1 year ja. lang.
8 hours is easy i think
cuz i studied en in one year 8 hours a day

thanks........