College in Japan

Thank you very much for all this, I had figured that the amount of similar inquires that you all have come across are immeasurable and are repetitive to the point of being like a written script. To be honest I was rather hesitant to post on this subject simply because I had worried what was to follow, but it has turned out to be truly insightful and I appreciate the time you all have took, as well as the warnings and advice given.

As of now, I think I will attempt to do an intensive language school for two years in Japan to study there and learn the language as well as get a true understanding of what it is to live in Japan. If I find it is not the correct place for me than I would go back for schooling in America, if I find it to be what I wish then I would take the tests necessary and apply for a university. Though it is two years that could possibly be wasted I think it would be a learning experience none the less and allow me to move on instead of being stuck on what ifs. Does anyone have any thoughts, advice, or warnings in regards to this idea?

If you're going to do an intensive language school in Japan, The Yamasa Institute is probably the place to go. We had a member here go there and he seemed to love it, and if I remember correctly Mike also vouched for them.

You remember correctly.

I won't tell you "Go to Yamasa" but I will strongly suggest you put them at the top of any list of places you choose to consider.

In order to get a student visa, you have to show that you have the funds (or that someone else who will pay has them) for all tuition. That could mean proving 2 million yen in the bank, and not on a sudden deposit.

If you get past this barrier and are accepted to a school, then yes, you will be able to experience some of what it's like to live here. It will be a student's life, of course, not one that a full-time working person has. You could apply for special permission to work, but it would be only PT, and some schools prohibit that for the first 3 months. They want to know you area really here to study.

Miss enough classes, and the school can withdraw its visa sponsorship, and you will have to start all over again. So, choose wisely and stick to it.

Thanks for all warnings and advice given I truly appreciate it, I figured the amount of similar inquires are immeasurable and are repetitive to the point of being that of a written script. So honestly, I was a little hesitant to start this thread in the first place due to worry's of the outcome, but it has been truly insightful and has helped me quite a lot. So thanks for all the time given towards this matter and I wish for more help to come.

As of now I was mostly thinking about attending an intensive language school in Japan for two years, to help me study the language and see what it's truly like to live in Japan. I suppose if I absolutely couldn't enjoy it then I would have nothing else left to do but move back to the USA and continue college there. Even though it is possible I could waste 2 years I think it's worth it simply because it would allow me to see if it is right for me or allow me to move on instead of being hung up on what ifs, also, it would just be a great learning experience for my life. But any thoughts or advice would really be appreciated for this matter if someone has something to speak of.

If your long-range goal is to live and work here, then spending 2 years at a language school would not necessarily be a waste of time, and I suspect that you'd discover long before then whether you felt it was.

You could even work PT on such a student visa, but I wouldn't get my hopes up because of your age. If you wanted to explore doing some college work via distance learning, that would impose more studying on you while you are here learning the language, but it would potentially reduce the overall amount of time you'd have to spend to get a degree.

Regarding the language schools, you really do have to do your homework when picking one. There have been problems in the past with Western students who seriously wanted to learn Japanese finding themselves enrolled in "schools" which existed mainly for the purpose of providing students from poor countries an "in" for entering the country so they could slip around and work illegally while maintaining a thin veneer of being here legitimately on a student visa. Their business model revolved around facilitating visa fraud and not around the teaching of Japanese is what I'm saying here. At Yamasa the education is reputed to be first-rate and you needn't worry about them being a visa scam front.

Caveat emptor applies; research everything thoroughly.

Wow, thank you very much for the information I will seriously look into Yamasa; also, the warnings are very appreciative and most definitively solidify my thoughts on being very careful when selecting. The money while not entirely an issue due to my families current economical standings, I feel that I would like to take as much responsibility off of them as possible. So while I have only a few thousand saved up myself, is there any financial aid that would allow me to acquire a student visa aside from having a require amount of money; if not I completely understand as this was just more of a hypothetical inquiry. Though I do feel acquiring a job even if PT would give me a better understanding of what I could come across later.

Also, sorry about the double post for some reason it did not register my first post correctly and so I redid it only to see it was just delayed.