Higher education in Japan for international students

• International rankings and high quality of education

 The QS ranking placed five Japanese universities in the list of the 100 best educational institutions in the world: University of Tokyo (22), Kyoto University (33), Tokyo Institute of Technology (58), Osaka University (71) and Tohoku University (82). Also they stand out among Asian universities: the University of Tokyo took 8th place in the ranking of THE in 2019.

• Attracting foreign students

 In May 2012, the Japanese Government adopted the Global 30 initiative aimed at increasing the number of international students in the country from 140,000 to 300,000. In this regard, universities offer foreign students simplified admission procedures, English-language preparation programs and assistance in finding a job. Some universities even allow students from other countries to start their studies in September, instead of April, which is unusual for Europeans.

• Financial assistance

 In Japan, there is a large number of scholarship programs created specifically for international students. The government, universities, prefectural municipalities, commercial and non-profit organizations are ready to provide students with financial support.

The vast majority of Japanese continue their education at public and private universities. To date, there are about 730 educational institutions of this type in the country.

Obtaining the higher education in Japan consists of three stages:

• Bachelor's degree;
• Master's degree;
• Postgraduate studies.

Bachelor's degree programs last mainly 4 years. Students of the specialty in medical fields (medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine) study for 6 years. The academic year begins in April and ends in March of the following year.

The curriculum consists of theoretical classes, lectures, seminars, laboratory work, master classes, internships and research. At the end of the studying, students usually write and defend a scientific thesis. Undergraduate graduates have the right to look for a job or continue their studies in a master's degree.

Master's and doctoral programs are organized by graduate schools, which can be either independent educational institutions or part of universities. The studying usually lasts two years. The subjects are divided into three categories: basic, research and electives. The first three semesters are devoted to the study of theory, and the last semester is devoted to writing a scientific thesis. At the end of the studying, students take final exams and defend their work.

Doctoral studies take an average of 3 years. For admission, students need to have a master's degree and pass entrance tests. In addition, students should usually contact the future supervisor in advance by sending a letter with the goals, objectives and justification of the relevance of the work, as well as details of the planned research.

The main thing for admission to higher educational institutions in Japan is a document of secondary education (plus one or two years at the institute) and excellent knowledge of the Japanese language. The language preparation of foreign applicants is treated very strictly here. You must provide a certificate that you have studied at least two semesters at a language school, and confirm your knowledge on the exam.

To prepare well for admission, it is optimal to attend preparatory courses during the year, for example, at the International Students Institute or Kansai International Students Institute. All applicants pass the general entrance exam and a number of disciplines, depending on the chosen faculty. For humanities, it is necessary to pass mathematics, world history and English, and for natural sciences - mathematics, physics, biology and English.

One of the most important entrance tests is the Japanese language exam. It is passed by both foreign applicants and the Japanese themselves. The exam involves checking the knowledge of hieroglyphs and vocabulary, listening and grammar knowledge, as well as four levels of difficulty. To pass the first level, you need to know 2000 hieroglyphs, for the second — 1000 and then descending. If an applicant passes the first-level exam, then in fact the doors of any university are open for him, but for some the second or even the third is enough.

One-year Japanese language courses have been organized especially for the preparation of foreign applicants at the Osaka International Student Institute.