Suggestions for university admissions

Hi all,

I am writing on behalf of a minor who is madly in love with Japan from TV shows and series. I know that this is not a very healthy way to decide to leave your location and move to a complete strange country where at least the culture is way too different. But at the same time I do not want to hinder her enthusiasm. So here I am, my daughter is not even in high school yet but I also know that time flies by and for building a strategy she will need time. She is trying to get grasp of the language first. Then comes some questions.
1- In most general way, how can she apply to the universities in Japan.
2- What is the system there, any university entrance exams?
3- If so, what are the terms for entering the exams?
4- What do these exams cover and how one is considered they pass these exams?
5-What to do to take national exams instead of taking them as international student?
6- What is the difference between applying as national and internation student?

I am aware that these questions require detailed explanations and I know that I have a lot to research. I do hope to have a good start point from there.

Thank you so very much in advance for all comments.

My most general advice would be for them to go to (start) uni there where you are, take a couple years of Japanese (along with other courses), and then do a year abroad here in Japan. Or, if they need to get here faster, do a year of Japanese, and then a summer, or one term, abroad.

This will skip all uni exams, applications, and so on. It also provides a goal--get into and then study here in our home country for a year or two, and the reward will be a year abroad. Tho some do, most year abroad programs don't have any testing/vetting (having the money for it is a more common hurdle).

There are a few uni here that accept students from abroad. Ritsumeikan, ICU, Sophia (Jochi), and some others. Use google to get some info on those.

Also do some Googling on Monbukagakusho Scholarships.

Hi pipetkefir and welcome to the forum.

Please be aware that many Japanese universities have programs for both native Japanese students and foreign, English-speaking students. Regarding programs for native Japanese students, quite frankly, it would be impossible for your daughter to pass of these entrance exams.

But many Japanese universities have programs for foreign, English-speaking students. These are mush easier for foreign (English-speaking) students to be admitted to. (Even Tokyo University, the most prestigious university in Japan and the most difficult of all universities to get admitted to, has such a program.) Your daughter should (eventually) try for one of these programs.

How does this sound so far?

pipetkefir said:

Hi all,

I am writing on behalf of a minor who is madly in love with Japan from TV shows and series. I know that this is not a very healthy way to decide to leave your location and move to a complete strange country where at least the culture is way too different. But at the same time I do not want to hinder her enthusiasm. So here I am, my daughter is not even in high school yet but I also know that time flies by and for building a strategy she will need time. She is trying to get grasp of the language first. Then comes some questions.
1- In most general way, how can she apply to the universities in Japan.
2- What is the system there, any university entrance exams?
3- If so, what are the terms for entering the exams?
4- What do these exams cover and how one is considered they pass these exams?
5-What to do to take national exams instead of taking them as international student?
6- What is the difference between applying as national and internation student?

I am aware that these questions require detailed explanations and I know that I have a lot to research. I do hope to have a good start point from there.

Click to expand...

Two years ago, I had the same dream, and it worked out!
You know, in Japan, there are different English programs for foreign students. And it's real to study there. For some people, Japan is something unreachable, but that's not true, so I hope that the journey will be easy for you.
Try to take you time and do proper research of programs, requirements and so on, because it's very important choice.
And yes, as it was already mentioned, read about Monbukagakusho Scholarship