22:55 Would internships take in foreign students? 23:35 What would you recommend as good ways to support yourself financially as a student while studying a degree in Japan? 25:43 How to get scholarships? 27:45 What's the base level of Japanese required? 29:53 University of Tokyo vs other universities 31:24 Campus life and access to housing 33:07 Common culture shock issues 33:56 MEXT Scholarships 35:22 Do I have to get the chest x-ray? 35:36 Does it help my application if my Japanese is better? 37:24 Approximately how long do you have to study to fully understand the Japanese language? 37:48 PhD in Japan? 40:09 Is it good to abandon a career and get language school visa before transitioning into a job vs applying directly from overseas? 42:17 How big of a boost would learning Japanese be for studying abroad? How effective would studying for N-levels be? 42:56 Is there a minimum age for language or vocational school? 43:22 How difficult is it to support yourself studying abroad? Room for extra activities (social, creative, hobbies, etc)? 45:16 Prices studying at a private vs public university? 46:24 Tips on building Japanese conversation skills while studying in Japan 48:15 As a translator is it better to have a certificate degree from your home country or target country? 49:16 General advice

英語上手ですね

I'm currently a grad student on the MEXT scholarship at Hiroshima University. My advice is if you want to come here to study, there should be a reason why studying x subject *in Japan* is important. Don't come here to study something that has nothing to do with Japan, that you could study anywhere, just because you like Japan. University, especially at the postgraduate level, is hard enough without adding culture shock on top of it, without a real reason you are passionate about to drive you to study here specifically.

As an european who paid 50€ per year for university and got 450 € every month from the goverment to be able to study there I find it always amazing how other countries education systems work. While doing my year abroad in Japan they gave me 1k € because they said Japan is expensive altough my dorm in Osaka cost half the price of my old one in Vienna

I love both his English and Japanese are quite neutral sounding and really easy to hear

Man, I wish I had discovered my love for studying Japanese back in highschool so I could have made something out of it and studied in Japan. Instead I enrolled into courses because I thought they were the "correct" choice, flunked out and here I am at 25 without a degree. I'm gonna study at a language school in Tokyo starting from January, and hopefully after that get into a senmon gakko... universities are just too expensive (I'm not American, uni here is much cheaper) and I cant afford another 4 years So I'll do my best with that, it's the only thing I can do at this point.

Thank you for this , my son wants to study in Japan in 2020. Really appreciate it. have a great day

Undergraduate students: reminder that IF YOU SPEAK GOOD JAPANESE (humanities) or are very good at maths and sciences (sciences), you should 100% apply for the MEXT scholarship. It's the best deal you could possibly get for studying in Japan, just keep in mind that depending on your country it could be ultra-competitive. I got rejected by Sophia U and then accepted by MEXT, so what gives? Apply anyway. PS. I am 99% sure the details about the scholarship in this video do not apply to fully-funded MEXT scholarships so any other variants including partial, research and training scholarships I would recommend doing your own research on.

Regarding the question at 40:09, I know someone at uni who just graduated this past June with a computer science degree. He literally went to the Google careers page, selected the Tokyo office on a whim, applied, and actually got hired-but he actually doesn’t speak any Japanese at all. So it’s definitely possible if you can’t speak the language! Sometimes you just gotta go for it

dude tripped me out so much to hear you speak english! you've got such a nice voice mate

this video could not have came out at a better time, thank you soo much

英語上手！

I'm currently a freshman education student at 鹿児島大学/Kagoshima University. (A public university) It was my dream to enroll in a Japanese university because I felt like it was the key to mastering Japanese. (and making Japanese friends) Before entering this university I was enrolled in a Japanese language program for a year & a half. That being said, my Japanese level is still not that high, so after the 面接/interview with the education department heads I was sure I was going to fail, but somehow I managed to pass. It didn't take me long to figure out it's partially due to the fact I'm American. I'm currently the first American student to enter this program. Honestly the universities are extremely interested having western students enter into their undergraduate and graduate programs, so for western students who are interested, there is an opportunity for you!! That being said, non English degree programs/programs that are not used to or geared towards a diverse student body or international students will not have a developed support system for international students. It's because you entered into a program meant for Japanese students and are expected on some level to study the same way a Japanese student does. Just something to keep in mind when choosing what kind of school or program you want to enter.

I graduated the Univ in Kyoto and Shiga established by the same educational institution which daddy Dogen worked for! then got PhD at Kyoto Univ. I still regretted not visiting APU by using the credit transfer system! And I swear I studied too hard while the Univ cause I majored in science and engineering, so don't misunderstand Univ students in Japan lol I'd like to say Kyoto is one of the best cities in Japan for Univ students. Kyoto was the longest lasted capital of Japan and is the heart of the Japanese traditional culture. And there are many Universities so students can use the credit transfer system of the dozens Universities. And for the first time in my daily life I had to speak in English was in the Univ at least in my labo cause there were several foreign students including government-sponsored foreign students (actually Japan's ODA tho) who couldn't speak Japanese and were exempted Japanese test, and I used to take part in the collaborative researches with foreign Universities. I worked for a Japanese company and also US company in Tokyo but now I'm a freelancer coz I don't wanna commute lol, and often offered from US companies but it seems I can't live there because of the fu*king medical expense system!

Thank you so much for sharing this video with us even though you're obviously quite time-challenged at the moment keep it up

well, im looking into this right now for graduate school so thanks for all the help, your daughter is adorable

As others have mentioned, the MEXT scholarship is a good option for people with the qualifications and those who are serious about doing postgraduate research that has a strong connection to Japan. I got into Ritsumeikan University (in Kyoto not Pacific APU like where Dogen taught) on MEXT so I definitely was one of the lucky ones.

I wish this video had come out a couple of years ago when I was applying for mext after high school. I didn’t get in but I haven’t given up on applying for my masters. Thanks for the amazing video :)

Thank you so much for all the info! Thank you especially for always giving me so much inspiration and motivation. 'Been spending a lot of time on the things I like lately because they no longer feel like a waste of time to me (university does tho lol) and even if I still feel a bit lost and kinda lack confidence, listening to you never fails to make me feel that I can achieve what I want. Thanks a lot! Btw the last part of the video was so adorable your daughter is so cute! ㅜㅜ

So needed.

Thanks for the informative video, also your daughter has grown so much since I last saw her :O

hey man I really like ur video and of course the second part it's really helps me for studying abroad in Japan!

Holy cow I actually had my question answered here. I'm already trying to create a career in translation, and I'm not a native English speaker so it's not related to "teaching English in Japan". I just really want to live in Japan, at least for a while, both as a personal experience and to bring my Japanese to the next level. Studying there sounds awesome, but from a career standpoint having a translation degree/certificate in my own country sounds, sadly, more logical. Thanks for your answer!

I am excited for the video! I really want to be an MEG researcher in Japan and my dreams are finally coming true, I am going to do research and my masters thesis from October for one year at Tohoku University! Anyone else studying there? PS: Watched almost all your Videos over the last few weeks Dogen! Keep up the amazing work!

I went to college in Osaka via study abroad. Not exactly the same as the full experience but was amazing none the less. Kansai Gaidai was the name of the university. Feel free to ask any questions about that place if you are thinking of going there.

Thank you so much for this video! I learned so much, I think I have to watch it again XD

I know this isn't completely relevant to the main topic of this video but I got really happy that you said you went to UW because I also go to (went to? I just graduated a month ago) in a university in WA (went to WWU). So yeah just got really happy and excited to hear you're semi local

Thank you for answering my slightly convoluted question!

....Bruh. I'm going to Ritsumeikan APU in September....As a little first year. Coming from Hawaii, the cost of living in Beppu, as well as tuition is WAAAAAAYYYYY cheaper. It's like I want to cry, it's a miracle.

Moreover, for anyone interested, most universities that offer scholarships for complete tuition or partial are part of the program “TOP GLOBAL UNIVERSITIES”. Just search on google and you’ll find a bunch of results. You can also apply completely through the internet, with no need to go JAPAN or to use mail. Good luck everyone

I really want to study in Japan, but I simply don't have spare £60000 for it. Is there a way to study in Tokyo and pay off once you finish studies?

I would be wary giving a cost of living per year. I think your approximation at 19:30 is a decent average. I studied at a school in Tokyo for 6 months, but for a year program at the same school: Tuition is $10,000ish Boarding/Dorm fees would be about another $10,000 And as someone with finicky health, I had to keep a steady supply of allergy medication (sidenote: if you have hayfever in your country, odds are you will in Japan as well). To those considering school in Japan, don't forget to factor in the cost for maintaining your health

Oh man, no apologies necessary. This was a great video.

What do I need to do to come to english to teach Japan?

Thank you so much for this video! It’s super helpful as I am an Indonesian student, currently attending in American Community College ( per my parents’ requests ) and wanting to study at Japanese universities at the near future.

5:38 NONONONONO. You cant do that anymore. It was never allowed but the immigration officers kinda let it slide because it was a grey area, but now something changed and they are cracking down on this shit. You can NOT go from tourist-->working visa whilst in Japan.

21:07 "or Nintendo" You mentioned Ritsumeikan as well, I'm guessing you're referring to Cory Bunnell, the guy who showed up in BoTW's credits

Excellent information! What about post graduate students? Like Masters and PhD?

I wish I heard this before I started university. I took a bachelor of IT for the sake of getting on the JET programme and finding a job in Japan, but now I'm already in debt so I feel like I need to finish it so it isn't just a waste of money. I'm gonna see if I can't convince myself to just suck it up, take the hit and try the tourist to working visa route. I don't have to start paying off my debt until I'm earning 45k/y (AUD) anyway.

thank you for making this video! very informative. Apologies if you covered this topic already but-- you mentioned an age minimum (18), but are you aware of an age limit? For example, if you are not just out of high school, but are returning to college to find a new career path? Is that a common thing in Japan and are Japanese companies very open to this in the way we do in the states?

I went and graduated from AIU, but not recommend it to engineers / so-called rikei students. For those who love green and rural areas in Japan, it's the best place to start your life in Japan tho. I struggled with transportation everyday, ended up buying a used car just for spending my last year at Akita.

Man, two toddlers... I have one and he missed his nap 3 days in a row... Thanks for this video, I'm not a student, but interesting to know all these options.

im a senior in highschool i have pretty good grades and im graduating this year or early next year what would you recommend for me for i could go and study in one of these schools or better say were could i apply for them since im still a highschool student?

Thanks Dōgen. Guess I should research how taxes and self employment works in Japan 🤔 especially for creatives.

1 year to learn japanese + 1 year to become able to take classes? That sounds like a lot of studying. The FSI estimates "General Professional Proficiency" to be reached in Japanese in 2200 hours+ (they're actually listing it as the hardest one to learn), so that's **AT LEAST** 3 hours a day for 2 years straight.

I'm transfering to a grad school in 2 semesters and this makes me re think everything hahah, I was planning to do the typical JET program to get my foot in the door, but I really want to teach art in japan

@Dogen. I'm a 19 year old. I just graduated highschool last year june. Is it still possible for me as a non-student (right now) to apply? I soon, maybe starting vocational school sometime soon. But i would like to inquire more about this. Anyway thank you!

I haven't checked the sources yet, but from what heard reently, it is not possible to transform your tourist into resident visa that easily anymore. (to relate to your cousin experience)

I'm planning to study abroad next year in Japan at Sophia, but they don't offer homestay services at the college. Would it be worth finding my own homestay instead of dorming at the college? If so, are there any good services someone could recommend or something I should look for that is like a homestay? The main reason I want to study in Japan is the language so if something like a homestay can greatly improve my experience I want to do it.

Idk man Even if it's possible I doubt they manage to get through

I applied to MEXT as a senior in highschool, however my application was not even considered. I wasn't even accepted for the interview.

Yare Yare daze I studied in YNU Yokohama and back to my home country I got lost in my 1st year master degree. Pondering and wondering if my Japanese level is good enough for a try at MEXT. I am between N4 and N3 for now... Can it be ok?

I'm scheduled to start grad school in Tokyo next month, yet the certificate of eligibility still hasn't arrived. Is this normal? Anyone else still waiting or has waited a long time for it in the past?

やっぱりDogenさん、APUで仕事してるから、大分に住んでるんですよね。当たった🎯立命館アジア太平洋大学のことですよね。東京にもオフィスありますよ。この前、オープンキャンパス行きましたから（笑）秋田の国際教養大学も留学生は多いです。こちらは昨年、オープンキャンパスに行きました👍

The problem with a Japanese undergrad degree is that it is NOT as internationally recognized as a degree in the states. It won’t be easy to relocate back to the states after graduation. Plus I wouldn’t say that the undergrad program in English offered in japan is sufficiently worth the tuition you paid since the professors were not really proficient in English which reduced significantly the education quality. The only advantage of undergrad education in japan is that it will not cost as much as in the states. I spent two years studying abroad in japan, however I still transferred back to the states. Lol. I really suggest those who can afford in-state tuition back in the states not to go for an undergraduate education in japan. Really can’t say it’s worth it.

Does Japan take transfer students? I have an AA Degree and currently back to school to get my BA but am thinking of transferring to a foreign uni, specifically Japan if possible. I'm just a bit confused on if they take transfers or if I have to start all over

Not sure if this was answered in this video, but would a person be able to apply to Japanese Colleges/Universities from abroad not directly after/during Highschool? I was thinking of becoming a teacher there not just teaching English but teaching in general, I'd like to know if that was possible. My current route was to go and get a Bachelors of Education under a University then going to Japan through the JET Program. Thank you in advance!

ahhhhhh, useful

I've been in Japan for almost a year at a language school, and I've been told by a couple of Japanese students that going to a private university is mostly a waste of time and money. Apparently an undergraduate degree from a private university isn't as useful as one from a public university? I'm also told that the students there don't really think for themselves or study much, and that I may struggle making friends with the Japanese students. If anyone has any information about this I'd be interested in hearing it.

have a couple questions, hope you don't mind: Is the quality of education comparable to that of the states? Are the classes taught in English typically taught by native English speakers? I would think that if they were taught by Japanese people who don't have a particular grasp on English than there would be some difficulty in understanding and conveyance going both ways in the classroom and that would be problematic Also, this may not be a very appropriate question, but I find myself lacking in any sort of direction career wise (and it seems like this could be a big problem if I want to study in Japan). Any advice?

I'm from Germany and plan on applying for a PhD in Physics at the University of Tokyo. I know it's been a while since this video came out, but if there's anyone that can give some perspective on the University itself, doing a PhD in Japan or perhaps give some tips for the application (also for MEXT), that would be a great help!

My first semester of college, I was looking into the Japanese exchange programs my university offers, and I ended up stumbling upon Waseda’s programs for international students. I remember sitting in my uni’s library and feeling so cheated that I didn’t know those kinds of programs existed until it was too late 😂

I study at Akita International University, leave a reply if you have a question.

ARE YOU SERIOUS?! Dogen I’m moving to Japan in a year and a half and have been breaking for 12 years now! Do you know any bit of the scene personally? It would be my dream and an honor to teach breakdance but I only know of a breaking studio in Hachioji(Bboy Tsuyoshi is the teacher). I have family in Sapporo, a cousin in Kobe, and I’ll be visiting Japan for 5-6 weeks November-December 2021 with N3 level Japanese

I don't know if this was asked already, but I noticed this video was mostly targeted at those coming straight our of high school. Does the advice in this video also apply to those who are returning to school at a much older age, or are thinking of making a decision to study in Japan at an older age?

Very informative!! Just one question lot of people do that as u just said is come to Japan, thru" jet"after 4 years block that like stop that and start doing different things! But People who genuinely like to be a teacher! Who cherish the field people like me who literally wanna do that for the entire life which is my question! Should I not do it!? Or is it somehow unsatisfactory!? I know I can do that for as long as I want!but people are variously saying no matter where I search the same thing jet program or alt then do it for several years and quit and new job! I don't wanna have that I want to be a teacher and remain for the good! Bcuz this is what my passion is.. Any word on that!?

Could you perhaps go into more detail concerning scolarships?

I was wondering if athletic aid is a thing in japan specifically for track and field.

What can stop me from obtaining a scholarship from MEXT For ex: grades.

I'm working in the video game industry and I believe it would be easy to go work in Japan in a international video game company :3 Or just work from home with a laptop as a freelancer. :3

They get portuguese language teachers on the program? I'm a native speaker of portuguese, although I understand english well enough, I dont think this is enough to teach english as I'm kind of a learner too(although I never studied english).

Yeah, im just going to continue studying in England

What happens if you fall into the "don't really need to go to university" category?

Nice vid! I did PhD at a top Japanese uni (MEXT scholarship) and got N2 in 2 years, working at a national lab in japan now. Ask me about anything if you have questions.

i want to apply for MEXT scholarship for art(illustration) and i wanted to know if i should pass math exam too?i asked the embassy and they said its written on the embassy site but it wasnt(because you normaly dont need to pass math/physic/alchemy for applying for art subjects)

Is the application process similar to the Common Application?

So...our educational system ( in sudan ) is kinda weird, because we finish high school 1 year earlier than everyone else...this is my last year, if i got good grades...can i apply to a university EVEN IF I'm still 17 years old??? I'd be happy if someone answered me...cuz my exams r close 🙂💔

Sigh if only I found this video in 2017 when i was applying to college

Any advice for those of us that only have 11 years of education instead of the required 12?

well I'm a highschool student currently and idk what I want to do for 3-4k a month

Great, informative, thorough video. I an American living in Japan for 20+ years, and have and undergrad degree from a US university and a masters degree from a Japanese university. I'm sorry if you mentioned this in your video but I missed it. I do not see it in the list of questions. First, what do you think of the QUALITY of Japanese undergraduate education? As you said in your video in the beginning, traditionally Japanese universities are considered a "4-year vacation" between studying hard for university entrance exams and working hard at a life-long job at a company. Presumably that mostly focuses on the Japanese-language (i.e. typical) undergrad programs. But faculties that teach in English must be much smaller than at a US university. I would imagine that either quality or options at an English-language undergrad program in Japan would be limited. Any honest thoughts? Second (related) question. If someone (for example an American) decides to come to Japan for an undergrad at any of the universities you mentioned at the beginning (Ritsumeikan APU, Sophia, Keio, Waseda, ICU, Akita International University) (NOT Temple), and they change their mind about living and working in Japan long-term, if they finish their degree and then go back to the US, how useful is the degree in the US? I believe your degree from the University of Washington is very well respected in Japan (and in the US) but while these schools listed above are generally well respected in Japan, how much respect do they garner with US (or other country) employers who do not have a particular connection to Japan? Finally, you said that there are a lot of professions these days that don't need a college degree per se. Still, I could imagine that someone could learn programming or web design or other skill-focused degree at a school in Japan. Then having the degree doesn't hurt you, it just doesn't help you, but the SKILLS that the person learned at the school are what helps them. Do the English-language programs you mention also teach these kinds of skills, or are they mostly humanities?

Is anybody here a student or alumni of Bunka Fashion Graduate University? I'm currently studying for a diploma in apparel design, and I am interested in entering that university after I graduate. The website doesn't cover much for foreign students and scholarships, so maybe there are people here who know.

Dogen, when you picked up your daughter your mood changed completely. You became warm and natural and I started to like you (more.) Can she do more of the show and you can do a little less.

Anyone have any experience or aware with civil engineering in japan for international people? Or anything similar to international student programs?

Hours limit of foreign students working in Japan 28 hours a week

Bruh, I applied to WWU but you literally called out APU as an alternative. That is weird af. You had my curiosity but now you have my attention.

Wish I would have known about this out of highschool. Now I feel like I'll be paying off my student loan for the rest of my life. 10k tuition? My private university was 56k a year and went up every year by about 1k!

So what's your opinion on MEXT?

EJU is in 2 weeks please pray for meeee!!!!

Thank you for this!!!!!!!!

so cute help

46:50

33:55 :( very sad for them i suppose

Dogen: I did work at the admissions office of a major Japanese university Me: OMG Dogen worked at Todai!!! Dogen 5 seconds later: In Beppu Me: Fuck

Actually there is University called Tokyo International University and there are lot of international students

Shit, you gotta be under 23 to be able to go to a University in Japan through MEXT. Why didn't i know about this about 18 months ago? hmmm i remember, i was moping around because my gf left me.

She resembles her mother.

College in America?

"Parental leave" :3 u all missed it smh

Msc Masters?