Study in Japan

Japan has a well developed educational system and its national universities are ranked quite high across Asia and anywhere in the world. Although the higher education system was modeled after western countries, nowadays, it is distinguished in many ways.

An academic year in a Japanese university starts in April and it is divided into two semesters; The first semester is from April until September and the second one is from October to March. While a bachelor's program lasts for four years, it will take two years to complete a master's program and a minimum of three years to earn a doctorate (Ph.D.) degree. This number varies completely depending on the institution or the faculty.

One of the most important questions that we get about studying in Japan, is whether students would need to learn Japanese. Truth is, most universities teach almost exclusively in Japanese, but a great number of national and international universities in the country try to encourage international competitiveness and nowadays an increasing amount of courses are being taught in English.

As an exception, some universities offer masters and Ph.D. programs entirely in English. From our personal experience, we recommend that you should at least learn the basic level of communication in the local dialect even if your program is taught primarily in English.

Interestingly, there is a very significant amount of scholarships that are available to foreign students in Japan. Similarly, students quickly immerse themselves into Japanese culture and the way of life in the country, and this has been considered to be instant developmental positive.

The process of application and acceptance into higher institutions in Japan has become simplified thanks to platforms such as ours and here at RocApply, we are very devoted to our educational needs of all our applicants from around the globe.

Japan is increasingly becoming a study abroad destination on a global level thanks to the fact that both national and private universities are recognized internationally for their quality and are teaching standards, combining modern technology and classroom principles.

Apply to study in Japan today with RocApply and watch your dreams unfold.

About Japan

The land of the rising sun and Asia’s island powerhouse, Japan is the home of a culture that resonates around the world and one of the leading countries in the world. Japan is situated right off the east coast of the Asian continent between the Pacific ocean and the Sea of Japan, stretching all the way from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north, with the East China Sea in the south.

The country is divided into 47 prefectures each with its own unique minimalistic-style flag. These prefectures are divided into 4 different categories Ken, To, Fu and Dō.

Tokyo, Japan’s capital is the largest city in the world with its greater metropolitan area including Kanto containing 37 million people which is more than the entire population of many countries. Tokyo is made up of 23 smaller cities divided into units called ‘wards’ and the forenamed capital is Chiyoda, where the emperor, prime minister and the supreme court are located.

The second-largest city in the country is Osaka and Nagoya follows at third. Noteworthy is that 90% of the population in Japan all reside in big cities.

Tokyo, Japan’s capital is the largest city in the world with its greater metropolitan area including Kanto containing 37 million people which is more than the entire population of many countries. Tokyo is made up of 23 smaller cities divided into units called ‘wards’ and the forenamed capital is Chiyoda, where the emperor, prime minister and the supreme court are located.

The second-largest city in the country is Osaka and Nagoya follows at third. Noteworthy is that 90% of the population in Japan all reside in big cities.

Despite the bustling metropolis regions and skyscrapers, Japan does an incredible job of maintaining its natural integrity. About 70% of the country is mountainous with the highest peak at Mount. Fuji overlooking Tokyo. There is also the Japanese Alps which bisects the country on Honshu which blesses Japan with a unique abundance of flora and fauna.

Today about 70% of the country is forested with nice natural water sources like the Shinano which is the longest river in Japan.

Japan has a population of about 127 million people and is the 10th most populous country in the world. Japan is incredibly homogenous with about 98% of its people identifying as ethnically Japanese while the remainder is made up of Koreans, Chinese and very small caucasian minorities of Americans and Europeans.

Also, they use the Japanese Yen (¥, JPY) as their currency of exchange and the country’s official language is Japanese.

Japan has two main indigenous ethnic groups each with their distinct language, The Ainu people that predominantly inhabit Hokkaido and are known for their rustic features. Today there as less than 30,000 of them left with a larger number still rumored to exist. The second group is the Ryukyu people that are known for their own distinct art, traditions, and beliefs.

About Japan Economy

Japan is the third-largest world economy by nominal GDP with a 2019 estimate of $5.7 trillion and a per capita value of $44,277. This mostly due to their various technology and automotive industries that have swept over the world by storm since the middle of the 20th century.

The largest automotive companies from Japan include Toyota, Mitsubishi, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, Suzuki, and Subaru. There are also world-leading tech companies and their subsidiaries like Hitachi, Sony, Epson, Canon, Toshiba, Fujitsu, Panasonic, Nikon, and Nintendo.

Nonetheless, Japan is often seen as one of if not the world leader in robotic and technological science, receiving more Nobel Prizes in Science than any Asian country. This sets them up to a very impressive recognition from the world considering that they have a high population and limited space. Japanese people have designed a special ability to consolidate and innovate much to the admiration of the world.

With limited space and only about 20% highly subsidized arable land, Japan has had to think outside the box and build an economy from its water bodies. Today Japan is disputable the most advanced aquacultural society on the planet.

Not only do they have the largest merchant marine fleet in the world but they also harvest everything from shellfish to seaweed. Japanese farmers have offshore ocean plots and fish farms that produce an abundant supply of fish thereby generating income.

Unarguably the largest fish market in the world, Tsukiji, is in Japan. Japan is very rich in terms of its highly developed economy, Japan has also occupied the 3rd place in the automobile and electronic manufacturing industries and is also listed under the major innovative countries of the world.

In the recent era, the main challenges and competition for Jpan are countries like China and South Korean owing mostly to their larger population demographic. Due to this competition, Japan is mainly concentrating on producing hybrid vehicles, robots, and optical instruments.

Japan’s economy continues to be on the rise, Japan is the largest importing country of agricultural products after the US and Europe, and the first largest importing countries of fish.

Gold, Magnesium, and Silver are extracted from the country and supply the industrial needs of Japan. Japan is one of the largest importers of coal, natural gas and net oil. The country has reduced the import of petroleum and enhanced the use of natural gas and nuclear power.

Why Study in Japan

Tuition Free

The cost of study in Japan is very affordable compared to many other study-abroad countries that of the same or even lower standards.

Tuition costs at Japanese universities are at an average of $5,500 for a full academic year which is considerably cheaper than most. Interestingly, some universities have first-semester tuition waivers for foreign students studying bachelor programs in English, and full waivers for the duration of programs for high flying students.

There are also many government-sponsored and private scholarship schemes reserved only for international students in Japan.

Quality Education

Higher education in Japan is one of the best in the world thanks to very high standards that their system entails. Japanese people are one of the most educated in the world as nearly 50% of the population are university-level graduates.

OECD reports have rated the Japanese system of education top spot in Mathematics and Science. Japan also has the most amount of Nobel Prize winners for science in the entire Asian continent, and also the second-highest out of any country on the globe.

There are more than 700 higher institutions in the country and ten of them rank among the first 200 universities in the world.

Convenience 

Japan has been named one of the safest countries on the globe. Criminal activities are significantly low and non-existent in some communities.

Many news outlets consider Japan an incredibly safe destination to travel and explore with very accommodating people that are very friendly to guests and foreigners alike.

The country also ranks very well in terms of life expectancy and the standard of living that they remotely enjoy.

International Exposure

Japan has a very rich tradition, cuisine, culture and locations that have existed for many centuries. The country has a unique history and culture that is very peculiar and second to none on the Asian continent.

Japan has all the markings of modern machinery filled with high tech transport systems, skyscrapers, and buildings with beautiful architectures, streets buzzing with neon lights and many modern infrastructures. Explore Japan and all its groundbreaking sights, sounds, and experiences.

Scholarships in Japan

Both public and private universities in Japan are recognized internationally for their quality, as a rule, private universities cost significantly more than public universities.

An average tuition fee for an academic year will cost around ¥500,000/$5,000 for an academic year in undergraduate and graduate programs.

Keep in mind that in the first year some universities require students to pay about ¥250,000/$2,500 or more.

As a foreign student, you have the unique opportunity to apply for one of the numerous scholarships that are available in Japan.

These scholarships are both government and private sponsored and they cover tuition and every other academic expense for the most part. A large number of them also provide stipends for the student’s monthly upkeep.

Japanese Student Visa

Individuals coming to Japan for the purpose of study require a student visa. Individuals can apply for a student visa in the Japanese Embassy or Consulate which is available in their home country or country of residence. After securing acceptance into a university in Japan the next step is to apply for a visa as early as possible, the visa process takes 3 to 4 months so we advise that you prepare adequately and apply accordingly.

For many Japanese schools, the university submits the visa application to the Immigration Bureau in Japan on the student’s behalf. In some other cases, the student would have to submit their own documents personally to the Embassy or Consular in their home country. After the student application, it takes two to three months for the Immigration Bureau to approve a visa application and issue a COE (Certificate of Eligibility).

Once the Immigration Bureau approves the visa application, the COE would be sent to the student by the university. Once the student receives the COE, they are expected to carry the document to the Embassy or Consular in their country, proceed to fill the visa application given to them, submit their international passport along with some passport photographs. The Embassy will then issue an actual visa within 3 to 7 days.