Study as Much as You Can Before You Go to Japan

Do not go to Japan without studying hard, thinking that you will automatically improve your Japanese once you start living in Japan. If you want to get the most out of your study abroad experience in Japan, it is important to study hard and prepare well over a long period of time before you go to Japan. You will be able to speak Japanese much more quickly if you go to Japan well prepared, rather than without proper preparation.

Choose a Good Japanese Language School in Your Home Country

Students who wish to study in Japan should go to a Japanese language school or a Japanese language center (referral agency) in their home country to get a referral to a school in Japan and receive Japanese language education in advance. The following points differ depending on the school or center.

• Tuition fee
• Quality and quantity of classes (term)
• Availability of Japanese teachers
• Other fees

Fees

In some cases, schools and centers pay rewards to the referrer (broker) and charge the amount to the student. In addition, a year’s worth of tuition and enrollment fees for the school in Japan must be paid in advance. Many families incur a large amount of debt in order to pay these costs.

If the debt is too large, international students try to earn money by working part-time and send it to their parents. However, working too hard may interfere with their study. There have also been students who have been forced to leave school because they worked beyond the time limit and were not allowed to continue their studies by the Immigration Services Agency (Immigration Bureau).

To avoid such situations, look for a school or center with reasonable fees.

What are the Costs and Income of International Students in Japan?

Costs and Income while Studying in Japan Do you know that it is difficult to earn money for living expenses and tuitions while studying in Japan by only working part-time? This section will give you an idea of how much it costs to live in Japan and how much you can earn by working part-time.

Level of Education

Gather information and choose a school or center with a high level of education. Some schools offer advanced Japanese language education for more than a year in a dormitory before sending students to Japan.

Part-Time Job

Many international students who have acquired a high level of Japanese language skills worked in part-time jobs where they have many opportunities to talk with customers and Japanese colleagues, such as in izakaya restaurants (Japanese pub) or as a cashier at a supermarket or convenience store. You may not be able to get this kind of job right away, but study hard so that you can work these jobs soon.

If your Japanese language skills are too low, you will only be able to work where you speak very little Japanese, such as sorting packages at a warehouse or placing food in bento boxes at a food factory. In many cases, these jobs require you to work late at night to dawn, which cuts into your sleep time, and you run the risk of being too sleepy to study. If this happens, you will not be able to improve your Japanese.

To avoid these situations, it is important to study before you go to Japan.

Part-time Job and Immigration Control Act

If you are an international student working part-time in Japan, there is a rule that you can work up to 28 hours per week. However, there are other important things to know in addition to this ‟28 hours per week” rule. Let’s take a look at regulations on part-time work.

Increase Opportunities to Use Japanese as Much as Possible

Increase your interactions in Japanese outside of school. Find opportunities to make Japanese friends, such as your classmates at school, your club mates, and your seniors and colleagues at your part-time job. Do not just stick together with people from your home country, but spend more time interacting in Japanese with Japanese people and international students from other countries.

For more tips on how to improve your Japanese language skills while studying in Japan, read the following article.

6 Tips for Improving Your Japanese Language Skills While Studying in Japan / KOKORO