Hey everyone!
I’m a high school student in Finland, and I have been really intriqued by the idea of continuing my studies in Japan. I have about 3-4 years before I would be starting my studies in an university, and I was wondering if it would realistically be possible to learn good enough japanese in that time so I could go study there. If so, how? I have the possibility to take japanese courses from the local university, so I think that would be helpful at least.
Thanks in advance for any tips!
2 comments
It’s possible, but it’s going to require some hardcore self-study. I wouldn’t bother with taking courses from the local university, universities in Japan want you to pass the JLPTN1 (N1 being the highest level of the test and N5 the lowest) and a major in Japanese at a university will only get you to about N3 level. Also, there is another test known as the EJT that almost every school in Japan wants foreign applicants to take. I don’t know if it’s offered in Finland, but it’s not in the US, so I’m assuming the chances are low.
Japanese universities also require entrance exams that you have to take *at* the school, so you will need to travel to Japan in advance to take the tests. They are known for being quite difficult.
Of course, that’s if you take the normal route. Another option is the MEXT scholarship. It is very competitive but you don’t have to go through all these steps and it doesn’t require Japanese abilities (depending on what you plan to study, there are options to study completely in english, but Japanese abilities always look better on an application). Please look into it.
Some Japanese universities do offer courses in English too, but they’re usually very limited.