What Do You Want to Do after Studying in Japan?

Ms. Mỹ Ngọc

I studied in Japan for 5 years and worked for about 8 years in 3 Japanese companies in my home country. After that, I worked as a freelance interpreter, translator, and presenter, and now I am living in Japan again. I hope that all of you who come to study will have a fulfilling time in Japan.

Please think carefully about what kind of work and life you would like to lead after completing your study in Japan. This will help you to find your dreams and goals.

Let’s Make a Study Abroad Plan

Once you have set your goals, make a study abroad plan to achieve them.

1. What are the paths of those who have graduated from high school in their home country?

The most common paths after going to Japan are as follows.

• Japanese language school (1.5-2 years) → vocational school (2 years) → university (4 years) → employment in Japan
• Japanese language school (1.5-2 years) → vocational school (2 years) → employment in Japan

Recently, we often hear of cases where students do not go from a Japanese language school to a vocational school, but go directly to a university. To do this, it is important to take the time to study Japanese well in advance before coming to Japan.

If you go to Japan after one or two years of study at a good Japanese language school in your home country and acquire JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) N3 level, you will have a much better chance of entering a university without going to a vocational school.

There are also four-year universities that accept foreign high school graduates who have never studied Japanese before and provide intensive Japanese language classes during their first year.

Enter University in Japan Right after Graduating from High School / KOKORO 

I went to a Japanese language school, a vocational school, and a university during my five years of study in Japan, but due to family reasons, I had to return home halfway through and drop out of university. Looking back, I wish I had gone directly to university after finishing Japanese language school.

2. What are the paths of those who have graduated from a university or college in their home country?

For college or junior college graduates, there are paths such as below.

• Japanese language school → vocational school → employment
• Japanese language school → employment
• Japanese language school → graduate school → employment

Study Well in Advance

If you have reached JLPT/N4 level before coming to Japan, you will be able to understand the classes well during your study in Japan. If you have reached N3 level, it will be easier to get a part-time job where you will use Japanese right from the beginning, and you will be able to make Japanese friends quickly and improve your conversation skills.

I studied all 50 lessons of “Minna no Nihongo” and memorized about 500 kanji characters before coming to Japan. As a result, I was able to talk with Japanese people at my part-time job without much difficulty in about six months.

Let’s Learn About the Costs of Studying in Japan

Part-time job is limited to 28 hours per week

Someone might explain, “In Japan, you can cover both tuition and living expenses with a part-time job.” However, this is not true.

One of my friends took out a huge debt to come to Japan and worked all night long at a factory to pay off his debt. Because of this, he was unable to study, gave up on his dream of going on to higher education, and returned home when he finished the Japanese language school.

In addition, there is a rule in Japan that international students’ part-time work hours are limited to 28 hours per week. The Immigration Bureau is becoming stricter in dealing with students who exceed their part-time work hours.

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.

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.

If you want to know more, check here!

Learning Materials｜Japan Foundation