Answering your study in Japan questions

Studying in Japan sounds amazing until you actually start looking into it. Suddenly, you have university requirements, entrance exams, scholarships and about thirty open tabs. And somehow, you still have no idea where to start.

I studied in Japan as an exchange student in 2023. I had an amazing time, but I also remember how confusing the preparation could be. So I asked you to send me your questions. Quite a few of you did, and the same worries kept coming back.

This is how I would talk through them with you. My own experience was an exchange semester, so I will make that distinction when it matters. A full degree and a semester abroad can be very different experiences.

“How much Japanese do I actually need?”

That depends on what you want to do. Getting through a Japanese-taught university class is a different challenge from ordering lunch or having a slightly awkward conversation with someone you just met.

One question was whether a year and nine months of language school could be enough to reach N2 or N1. I would see N2 as something to aim towards with intensive, consistent study, rather than a result your tuition automatically buys. Your starting point, the time you put in and what you do outside class all matter. N1 is a much bigger target.

Personally, learning languages takes me a while. I already struggle to put a sentence together in the languages I know. Adding Japanese was apparently my idea of making life easier.

What I would really avoid is making the certificate your entire goal. The JLPT describes reading, listening and language knowledge. Being comfortable speaking to people needs practice of its own. You can prepare for a test and still freeze when someone asks you a perfectly normal question.

Use what you learn outside the classroom, even when it comes out badly. It probably will at first. That is a fairly normal part of learning a language.

“Where do I even start with applying?”

I would start with what you actually want to study and what you want to do afterwards. Then look for a specific university and programme that fit. “I want to study in Japan” is a good starting point, but it does not narrow things down very much.

Check the language of instruction, application dates and required documents on that programme’s own website. Depending on the course, you may need transcripts, proof of graduation, language results or recommendation letters. Do not spend weeks preparing a document because another university asked someone else for it.

For undergraduate entry, completing twelve years of schooling is the general starting point, but there are recognised alternative routes too. MEXT explains those entry qualifications; the university still needs to confirm your individual eligibility.

I went through my home university as an exchange student. If you are already studying, ask whether that is an option. Mine let me experience studying in Japan without committing to a whole degree there. The annoying part was that one semester turned out to feel far too short.

“Do I have to take entrance exams?”

Possibly, but there is no single answer for every programme. Some use academic exams, Japanese-language results, interviews or a combination. Others select students differently. The official Study in Japan examination overview is useful for understanding the different tests, including the EJU.

My exchange route was different from applying independently for a full degree. That is another reason I would check exchange opportunities, but I would not assume every exchange skips every test. Read what your own programme actually asks for.

“How much did you spend?”

For my own semester, I spent around €6,300 — roughly ¥1 million at the time. That included my flight, accommodation, food, public transport and travelling.

I could have spent less. Some of that money went towards exploring, or what I prefer to call sniffing out the local culture. If I was only going to do this once, I wanted to actually see something beyond the route between my room and the classroom.

That figure is my exchange experience, not a quote for your university degree. Check your tuition arrangement separately, especially if your home university is involved. Where you live, how long you stay and how often karaoke somehow turns into an entire night will change the total.

Work out your own budget before deciding mine sounds affordable or terrifying. Both are understandable reactions.

“Is there a magic bank balance for the visa?”

I wish there were a simple number I could give everyone. There is not one figure I can responsibly promise will settle every application.

You need to show how your studies and living expenses will be supported. Depending on your circumstances, the school or application process may ask for bank documents, income information or evidence from a sponsor. Ask your school exactly what they require and how documented scholarships are counted.

Schools commonly help with the Certificate of Eligibility process. The COE is part of the process, though — it is not the visa itself, and it does not guarantee a visa. The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs student visa page explains that distinction.

My advice is to get the funding plan clear early, rather than treating the paperwork as something to sort out after everything else is booked.

“What if I do not have the money?”

Then I would look into funding before ruling the whole thing out. There are MEXT, JASSO and other scholarship options, alongside university awards and support that may exist in your own country. Eligibility and application routes differ, so start with the awards you could actually qualify for.

And please check your home country too. When I went abroad, a Dutch government scholarship together with the student funding I was already receiving meant I personally covered around twenty percent of my exchange costs.

So, in my case, the Dutch government helped fund a fairly serious Japan addiction. Very generous of them.

That was my funding situation, not something everyone can claim. Check deadlines, coverage, selection requirements and whether awards can be combined. Some applications go through the university, some through an embassy and some directly through the organisation. Finding an award is only half the job; applying through the correct route also helps.

“How have people treated you?”

My experience has mostly been positive. Most people I have met have been kind and understanding, including when my Japanese has been less than impressive. But I have lived in Tokyo and Osaka, and my experience does not speak for everyone.

I did have a frustrating visit to City Hall when I needed a particular version of my certificate of residence. The staff member crossed out the option I had specifically requested, and getting the document became much harder than I expected. I still do not know why that happened, so I cannot honestly tell you what her reason was.

That is the bit I want to be careful about. One awkward encounter does not explain an entire country, just as my mostly good experiences do not erase someone else’s bad ones.

Japan has lovely people, difficult people and everyone in between. Moving here does not remove that part of being alive.

Would I do it again?

Yes. My exchange gave me experiences and connections that made me want to come back. But you do not need to copy my route for yours to be worthwhile.

Start with a course that makes sense for you, understand the money and give yourself time to prepare. Then leave some room to enjoy actually being here. There is more to studying abroad than becoming very familiar with your desk.

If there is something you are still wondering about, leave your question under the video. I will try to help another bro out.

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