Hi guys! How are you doing? I am about to choose my destination for my semester abroad in university and I am very conflicted.
On the one hand I have always wanted to go to Kyoto because I am a Japanese Language and Culture student and damn I want to see all those temples and shrines and castles so hard… so Kyoto would be the top 1 option.
But the problem is that my University only offers an exchange with Kyodai in the last semester of my last year, so that would mean losing one year between my bachelor and master degree (bureaucracy and grades conversion stuff). The other option would be Doshisha which is pretty decent from what I heard and has a nice Japanese language program, but of course it’s not Kyodai ):
Osaka University is another option, but the exchange would last 10 months instead of 5, and I am poor (I could try JASSO as I have a GPA of 3.94/4, but I would get the results just before leaving, and don’t know if I want to bet on the money I need to live on the other side of the world honestly).
Then there’s Keio: lovely and very prestigious Uni, but it’s in Tokyo, and I heard of people who didn’t find it easy to make Japanese friends and stayed in the “international bubble” while in Tokyo. Plus: maybe I am being orientalist af, but Kyoto just seems richer in culture and tradition.
Do you guys have any suggestions on which university to pick? Is prestige of the Uni important as an exchange student who will only spend limited time there matter? Do you prefer Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka?
4 comments
Also, do you think JASSO is hard to get?
While I know nothing about the exchange program, I just want to point out that Kyodai is known for being eccentric. Famous aspect is タテカン, which [someone even wrote a Wikipedia article](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD%E5%A4%A7%E5%AD%A6%E3%81%AE%E7%AB%8B%E3%81%A6%E7%9C%8B%E6%9D%BF) about it lol
For Kyoto University, I think you will be offered two different programs according to your Japanese level.
If you don’t have N1, you will be offered KUINEP program, which included courses conducted in English and also Japanese language courses.
If you already have N1, you can go for the GEA program, which you are able to take courses conducted in Japanese. These courses are provided by the university faculties and therefore you are able to study with the local in the same course. You can also register Japanese language courses too.
I hope this helps : ).
The Doshisha program is good and the university has a pretty good reputation though for better or worse it’s not Kyodai as you say. Ask yourself what you really want. Does being able to say you went to Kyodai overrule everything else including actual learning experience, scheduling convenience, etc? If yes, hold out for Kyodai. If no, I think you’ll have a rewarding time at Doshisha and it’s just across the river from Kyodai anyway so if you want to hang out there you totally could.