Japan study at undergraduate level?

are1989 · (#1 (**permalink**))

Hi guys, The question of studying abroad in Japan is something that is asked quite regulary on this forum but I wanted to give my own situation and see what people thought my options were.
I am 18 years old and currently just finishing my BTEC National Diploma in IT at college (in the uk). I am taking a gap year where I will work for 6 months and spend 6 months in japan, and have been taking 1 private and 1 night lesson at university for 2 years so my Japanese is nowhere near fluent but I can talk in everyday conversations with little trouble.
After the gap year I'd like to study in japan at university but am having trouble finding good information on the subject. Can I study Japanese in Japan on an Undergraduate course? My brother is currently on a course in China studying Mandarin and Bussiness at Beijing University and he began with VERY limited knowledge of the language but I know Japan is probably very different.
So can people offer me some advice of where to look and things?

CelestialChild · (#2 (**permalink**))

I'm from the United States, so I don't know how things may differ, but most undergraduate study-abroad programs are offered through your home university. I'm guessing yours does not offer them to Japan? If you're not certain, you should check. Even if they don't, you can probably set something up with them, though you'll have to do a lot of that work yourself I'm sure.

You should also search online for private study programs that aren't limited to a country. Waseda University in Tokyo offers two summer programs through a university in the United States [though it allows participants from all over the world], as does Sophia University. I don't know if that's exactly what you had in mind, but if it's to study the language it could be an ideal situation.

Also, with a school like Sophia you can probably get in contact with the administration easily and find out if you can simply enroll in one or two courses there, independent of your home school.

I hope that helps a little bit.

are1989 · (#3 (**permalink**))

Thanks CelestialChild, I have looked at many universities in the UK that offer Undergraduate Japanese courses. Most are 4 year courses with 1 year in Japan. The problem is these courses tend to be coupled with something else and want some previous study in both. They tend to also have very high requirements.
Private study programs are something I have thought of but they would make me far less employable I assume than an Undergraduate course.
I can presumably look into Universities in Japan while I am out there more (I'll be there from January next year till June/July). But all I can find no courses listed where you can study Japanese from a begginners level in universities like Fukuoka for example.

MMM · (#4 (**permalink**))

Another poster mentioned the Monbukagakusho, a government sponsored program yesterday.

are1989 · (#5 (**permalink**))

I've had a look at the Monbukagakusho and it is offered at an undergraduate level, it would be ideal but can't find any information on how I could apply etc...

MMM · (#6 (**permalink**))

You apply through your closest Japanese embassy or consulate.

MOFA: MOFA's Web Server Network Embassies and Consulates

Contact them...

noodle · (#7 (**permalink**))

If you want admission in a Japanese university for an undergraduate course (4 years), my best recommendation is this site
Universities, Colleges and Japanese Language Institutes-JASSO
It has lots of information, you can look up specific courses and it gives you details on how/who to contact for admission.

I think that if you just want a course in a standard university (ie, not prestigeous), then you have a lot of options, and usually language isn't such a big problem. Lots of universities organise Japanese classes for international students.

are1989 · (#8 (**permalink**))

I looked at the Monbusho, and it is offered at undergraduate level to 4 people in the UK a year and only for one year of a Ba course they are allready taking

Thanks for the website Noodle, I'll take a look.

Edit: I have always wanted to go to kyushu (fukuoka university) as my auntie is from there and has family there. I found it on the JASSO search website and it says courses are offered in english for international students but all the courses it shows they offer is things like art history etc. I want to actually study Japanese... they don't even offer IT which I could have done with Japanese on the side...

Edit 2: Ah I found they do, the contact number for 'International Student Exchange Division' will presumably have english speaking people then?

MissMisa · (#9 (**permalink**))

I'm also in the UK and am wanting to take a Gap Year to do one year of full time Japanese - but I'm having great difficulty finding a course. I just wanted a whole year of study since I cannot do it in University because another course I want is full time also. There is a website called Hot Courses which have a lot of UK university courses on there, you could probably do with looking on there before making a move to go to Japan to learn there. You might have to travel quite a distance if you are living in a small town as Japanese isn't a very commonly taught language in comparison to French, German and Spanish in the UK.

are1989 · (#10 (**permalink**))

Hi MissMisa,

Yeh I've found most only the larger universities offer japanese, and as I said earlier they expect a lot to get on the courses. If I did manage to find one living somewhere far away would'nt be a problem, manchester sounded good but they want some ridiculous things!

Edit: Another problem I found is of course the costs of studying abroad, as I won't be able to get a student loan it'd cost £4000 per year to study, not including living expenses! I would be relying on my dad for that, and I don't think he would pay that