Hi everyone,
Please help me find and kick start my master’s degree in Japan.
A brief background – I’m from the Philippines and I have been working as an analyst in an international bank for almost a year. I think I have a prestigious job that really looks good on my resume. In total, I have almost 2 years of work experience in the banking industry. I graduated with an economics degree from one of the top schools in the country. However, my undergrad GPA is bad (below the 3.0 mark) and I regret this a lot. This is what worries me the most since universities would treat this as a red flag. I’m willing to study and take the GMAT just to make up for this and I’m also currently taking beginner Japanese classes to boost my chances.
I’m looking for graduate courses (preferably taught in English) generally within the umbrella of social sciences and business as I can take either a career path in development/government or corporate. My top choice is Sophia University – a Jesuit institution just like my university, but I guess its Global Studies program is too stringent that I feel like my chances of getting accepted are low. Preferably, I want to stay in Tokyo or at least in nearby regions since this city is what I’m most attracted to. I’m planning to get a job in Japan afterward but will only work for two to five years for the sake of experiencing living abroad.
Also, this will be self-funded (using my own savings and investments) and so I really want to save money and avoid paying multiple application fees on universities that I probably have a low chance of getting into. Scholarship might be unobtainable for me but I’m willing to give it a shot.
Let me know your thoughts and feel free to ask me questions.
Thanks!
\- Newbie Redditor
9 comments
What role does Japan have in your life/career?
>analyst in an international bank … have almost 2 years of work experience in the banking industry. I graduated with an economics degree from one of the top schools in the country. However, my undergrad GPA is bad (below the 3.0 mark) and I regret this a lot.
You sound just fine for Sophia, actually ideal—No sweat about your undergrad GPA since you have “almost 2 years of work experience in the banking industry.”
>…My top choice is Sophia University – a ***Jesuit institution just like my university***
#BINGO!! You’re in.
You might be able to get a tuition waiver since you are from The Philippines. Most 3^rd World students can get at least a 50% tuition waiver at Japanese universities (unless you are from an obscenely wealthy Pinoy family).
>my undergrad GPA is bad… I’m willing to study and take the GMAT
Scoring a high GMAT is great idea just to make sure you can apply for a 100% tuition waiver.
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#PROBLEM!!
Sophia University (or any Japanese university) might be lower ranked than your Philippine university. Especially the English programs in Sophia Japan are full of vile WEstern weebs and airhead Japanese girls with only US homestay engRish as their sole talent, meh. If you study in Japan the **ONLY** thing you should be doing doing the ENTIRE time in school is trying to network/schmooze your way into a Japan Inc. job (because a Sophia Master’s is NOT going impress HR folks hiring in the West).
You’d be much better off elsewhere. Japan is really not going to be the best place for studying a masters (especially in English) and you can probably find better universities in Europe
I think the social sciences/business/political path has a lot more focus and emphasis on culture and connections with the right people rather than academic merit. Unless you are have native level Japanese equivalent to 20 years or more living here, a deep understanding of cultural aspects and connections with people in this field, I’d say that just going to University will not significantly help your odds of a career breakthrough in this field.
I think you could look into the MEXT program but I’m not entirely sure!
If you just want to experience living in Japan, you might be better starting with a language school there and work your way up depending on how you like the quality of life there.
A masters is a lot to invest in just for the experience of living there.
If you really are convinced about Japan, then you might want to apply to the MEXT scholarship through the embassy recommended route. Not only this will cover your costs but I think it will make your entrance to Sophia or other similar universities much easier, because they consider MEXT scholars prestigious enough to enter their programs. It’s a highly competitive scholarship but I would give it a try.
MEXT scholarship is your best option
Look into the MEXT scholarship.
FYI I just did my master’s in Japan, and I would just say that I would only do it if it’s your best option for immigrating to the country. If you can get a scholarship like MEXT to pay for it then it’s not that bad of a deal. You should expect the actual education to be almost totally worthless though in my experience.