Applicants who wish to study in the Long Term Course need to begin preparations as soon as possible. Applicants who wish to start studying in April should consult with us and register around October the year before because of the necessary application processes at the Immigration Bureau. Conversely, applicants who wish to start studying in October should consult with us and register around April. For the Short Term Course, applicants should apply about a month before the date they wish to begin studying. For applicants already living in Japan, classes may already be in session so please contact us for more information.
Students need to come to school on the day they arrive in Japan to finish some administrative procedures. For students who can arrive in Japan at a specified date at the Kansai International Airport, a school staff member will come welcome you at the arrivals gate so there's no need to worry about finding your way to school. For students who cannot arrive at the specified date, they can easily get to Shin-Osaka station on a single train if they take the JR Airport Express HARUKA train from the airport.
Upon starting school, a placement test is taken to determine your class and level. After that, another test is done in six months' time and students may be promoted to a higher level class.
Examinations are held every three months, at the end of each school term. Using the results from these examinations, the homeroom teacher gives individual counseling and advice to each student and regularly checks up on strengths and weaknesses. Furthermore, counseling and consultation can be done anytime students have issues or worries about their studies.
There are two holiday periods that are more than three weeks long; the summer holiday, and after the graduation ceremony. And, there's usually a 1-2 week holiday in each school term. During the longer holidays, students often visit their home countries or make use of student discounts and go on thrifty vacations.
Japan is a country of very different climates. For example, in the north, winters can be quite severe, but in the south, winters can be a lot milder. Since Osaka is located in the center of Japan, winters and summers are not as severe and the climate is relatively milder than other parts of Japan. In addition, students study standard Japanese at school but once outside of school, the local Osaka dialect can be heard. Students can experience the very interesting atmosphere of Osaka.
Although Japan is known for its high prices, it's said that prices in Osaka are a lot cheaper compared to Tokyo. Having about 80,000-100,000 yen will be enough for a thrifty lifestyle.
A student who obtains a work permit can work part-time twenty eight hours per week (during the longer holidays, eight hours per day). A student with sufficient Japanese ability can usually find part-time work in place such as restaurants, convenience stores, and supermarkets. Hourly wages generally around 1000 yen and a student can probably earn about 80,000-100,000 yen a month.
We can help set students up with dormitories. The dormitories are single bedrooms with a desk, bed, and air conditioner already prepared so initial costs are quite low. Also, breakfast and dinner are provided from Monday to Saturday so students can focus on their studying and not worry about household chores and cooking. There are many Japanese university students from different countries also living in the dormitories so it's a good place to meet people. We can also introduce students to homestay families or private apartments.
Japan has a national health insurance system and once entered into the insurance system, medical fees at hospitals reduced to 30% of the cost. There is a big hospital near the school so students can immediately seek medical attention if they feel sick.
Tuition fees vary widely depending on the school and department you wish to study at but expect about 1,000,000 yen for most schools. However, there are many opportunities for scholarships or tuition discounts for foreign students so many students pay less than this. Science courses tend to be more expensive than arts courses because of materials and set-up fees.
Although this depends on the school and department, for students who have never studied Japanese will need at least a year and a half of Japanese study. Students who wish to enter universities need to take Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU) so getting a high score on EJU should be their first goal.
Graduate school students carry out research on topics that they studied about in university. Because of this, graduate school applicants need to write a research plan that shows their knowledge and be interviewed by a professor of the school. Also, an applicant's thesis or research results are sometimes requested as well.
Students who have studied 2 years or more in a university can use the transfer system and begin their study in Japanese universities as a third-year student. Even if a student has graduated from a university before, they can study a different topic in Japan. Using the transfer system, students can pick up knowledge in a new field in a short time.