Undergraduate Programmes
Do you want to study in Japanese or in English?
Japanese Programmes
Although Japanese courses are designed for the local audiences, fear not!
Many schools offer foreign students about a year of preparation at designated language schools to prep you for entrance exams and the course.
Check out the MEXT Scholarship (bond-free!) for a great way to fund your study in Japan.
English Programmes
Contrary to popular belief, many Japanese universities do offer courses in English. Often times, courses are specially structured to give students breadth and depth in their majors.
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Popular courses include STEM fields, Liberal Arts, Environmental Science, Business, and much more...
Japanese Programmes
Depending whether you already have a background in Japanese, are willing to do a year of language courses (thus "extending" your undergraduate duration), or are interested in a progressive English-Japanese hybrid undergraduate course. Here are 3 ways to enroll into Japanese universities:
MEXT Scholarship
The MEXT Scholarship is a bond-free scholarship offered by the Japanese government to international students who wish to study in Japan. For those without Japanese backgrounds, it also covers a year in a language school before your "official" undergraduate studies..
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While the MEXT Scholarship guarantees you a place in a Japanese university, the final placement depends on your performance and test scores.
General Entry
General Entrance into Japanese programmes is a little more complicated. Most universities require you to take the EJU (Examination for Japanese University Admission—for International Students), Japan's equivalent of the SAT; tests can be conducted in Singapore.
The JLPT (Japanese-Language Proficiency Test) is also often required.
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See the detailed guide available at our partner's site, Ryugakusei.
Hybrid Programmes
Some Japanese universities offer hybrid programmes - initial years taught in English and later years in Japanese.
Hybrid programmes gives you the stretch to adapt to the Japanese language while taking classes in English for the first few years.
Check out Kyoto University and Meiji University for popular hybrid programmes. We list some programmes in greater details here.
English Programmes
Most undergraduate English programmes in Japan are four year courses that require no prior Japanese language ability. Some of these courses are conducted fully in English, while some of them are hybrids that teach you Japanese while you study in English so that you can eventually take Japanese classes. Each university in Japan tends to have their own specialty, and so check out the various courses available at each university.
