Life in Japan for an American student

[Hiroshi66]

Hello, everybody.

I have a few questions.

I've decided that I will be studying Japanese language here in the US until I graduate from high school, and then I will go to Japan. I will begin to finish the language there at a language school and then go to Waseda Daigaku and study Japanese history. Few questions:

I know that many Japanese language schools and universties have dorm rooms. Now if I register for the dorm room, I know they have a special "Building for International Students". Since I plan to speak Japanese there and hang out with Japanese people, do you think a lot of them will allow me to have a dorm with the Japanese students or in the same dorm as a regular Japanese student?

This also goes for classes. If i pass the language profiency test, will they put me in a class with regular Japanese students (just any student, etc.)

I'm just wondering and a bit concerned. :)

The name of the language school I'm planning is Yohan Language school, and the university is Waseda Daigaku.

[nice gaijin]

何で高校を卒業してから早く日本に行きたいんですか。 何で日本人の学生のように入学したんですか。このこと がどれぐらい難しいことが分かっていますか。まず、早 稲田大学は私立大学校ですから、寮はほとんど設備され ていません。留学生の為の寮もあり、その寮には日本人 もいるので、そこで友達ができると思います。入学試験 を受けなくてはいけませんが、不合格だったらどうしま すか。普通は入試は一年に一回だけです。早稲田大学で 一部の学部だけ一年に二回しか入試がないから、次の入 試を受けるには最低でも半年待たなければいけませんよ 。ホームページによると百五十人しか入学させないらしいですよ。も し早稲田大学が受け入れてくれなかったらどうしますか 。


日本の生活費について考えたことがありますか。誰が払 うのですか。留学生は日本で働けないと思います。そし て未成年ですから、銀行口座を開くにも、携帯電話を買 うにも、保証人になってくれる人が必要だと思います。


どこに3年も勉強したら自分は流暢に日本語が喋れると� ｢う保証や証拠があるのでしょうか。日本人の学生にで� ｳえ、早稲田大学に入学することは至難の技であります� Bだから受験生は大学の試験を受けるとき、併願といっ� ﾄ、何校も大学を受けるのです。そこには誰がどこの大� wを合格するかなんて何の保証もありません。ましてア� ＜潟J人のあなたが言語、文化や教育システムを日本人� ﾆ同等に理解しているという証拠はあるのでしょうか。� ﾜだ尻が青いですよ。

get back to me when you can read this without a translator. By that time I hope you will understand what I'm saying, instead of just the words I said.

ps: damned mojibake.

[nice gaijin]

edit//unintentional double-post, trying to fix the mojibake.

corrections for the mojibake as I see them in the last paragraph:
...日本語が喋れるという...
...日本人の学生にでさえ、...
...併願といって...
...そこには誰がどこの大学...
...ましてアメリカ人...
...日本人と同等...
...まだ尻が青いですよ。...

[skip]

I'm a student (2 years so far) at Hokkaido University, and I know a few foreign residents who have entered Japanese universities as normal undergraduate students. This is definitely the harder road. Have you ever been to Japan? Is there any reason that you chose Waseda? Waseda is an extremely competitive university.

Anyways, if you're serious, the best possible way to do this is to apply for a Monbusho sponsored scholarship at your nearest Japanese consulate or embassy. See here (http://www.studyjapan.go.jp/en/toj/toj0302e.html) for some information in English. Basically, if you're going to be a normal undergrad in Japan, apply for this.

It is possible to apply for a work permit and work for up to 20 (I think) hours per week on a student visa. Some people work illegally (more than 20hrs, outside of permitted jobs, or without a permit), but that's a -bad- idea. Immigration here is getting stricter than it used to be.

To be a normal student, you'll need to be basically fluent. I don't know your background, so I won't comment on this.

If you don't get a Monbusho scholarship, you'll need to pay by yourself. Understand that you probably can't get a real loan in Japan until you're a permanent resident (correct me on this if I'm wrong, I'm not a permanent resident and don't have a loan :P). Living in Tokyo is expensive. Make sure that you actually think about this. It's not easy. Some people are capable of doing it.

The normal route is to come as an exchange student, as JET, etc.

As for dorms, here at Hokudai there are several dorms. One is for international students only, two for Japanese and international students, and some special ones. International students are only permitted to stay in the Hokudai dorms for a maximum of one year. After that, you have to find housing by yourself. Finding housing in Japan requires a guarantor, large upfront cash payments, etc. Will you be able to do that?

Seriously, think about it again. Is this a random daydream? Or do you know that you'll be okay living (presumably) alone on a new continent in a non-English environment with new laws where you're not a citizen?

-skip

[skip]

Hi again,

I just checked some of your other posts, and it seems possible that you've thought about this kinda a lot.

So, from my experiences at Hokudai: if you have the language ability (and pre-reqs, etc) to take a class, you are generally allowed to do so. Don't expect special treatment if you're doing this - your work is held to the same standards. I don't know of any foreign degree-seeking students in history here (most of those I know are in sciences), but it seems possible.

High-level Japanese language ability is probably essential. If you're going to study Japanese history, your Japanese needs to be -good-, not just understandable. For sciences/etc this seems less important. If you can't read the Japanese-language replies to your posts, worry about learning the language before the particulars of university life.

If you're persistent, patient, a good student, etc - this is possible. Don't miss deadlines. :)

[Hiroshi66]

Thank you both for your replies.

Nice gaijin ~ I am still learning Japanese. I am going to be taking classes starting in two weeks. I can't read it yet. Mind posting up a translation?

skip ~ Thanks! This is in NO way a random daydream. I have devoted so much time to this. For fluency - I am going to be devoting the next three years to a level of fluency - plus another 1.5 years in Japan to it at a language school.

I don't want to be an exchange student because I will not be dealing too much with Japanese and will be treated as an exchange student. My classes will be studying Japanese and I'll be lectured in English (some of the programs I've looked into have that). I want to be a normal university student, just like any Japanese student.

Thanks for the link into that scholarship.

Right now, I am learning the language. Devoting the next five years to fluency. But I am also looking into university life. That's why I wanted to kno wif, I pass the profiency exam, and I learn the language fluently, I can be a japanese history major, take all my classes with my Japanese students just as a regular Japanese, etc. At the same time, will i be able to bunk in a room with Japanese students?

I know it takes great time, effort, and persistance. But I am willing to make this work.

Thanks so much! Looking forward to your reply.

[nice gaijin]

here is a snippet from another forum that I frequent:
In my highschool you can take Japanese has your language class. This would be my 3rd year of Japanese. I know hirgana and katakana. I already know 100 kanji characters and thier meanings. I am much better at writing Japanese than speaking but I still can speak as much as I know ...excess omitted... The hardest part of learning Japanese, to me, is learning kanji. There are so many freakin' meanings for one kanji. It took 2 years to just learn 100.

From your age and your post, I'm guessing you're probably going to attend high-school japanese classes for the next few years. The quote above is about how fast Japanese classes move in high school - excrutiatingly slow. It won't be until you get some advanced japanese classes that you will realize just how slow things go in high school. in One semester of Japanese at my school, which has a decent (but not great) program, I learned what he was taught in 2 years.

After studying for 2 years and acing every class (including the highest upper division class offered at my school taken concurrently with the fourth semester class), I took a 5-week trip to visit Japan and stay with my Japanese friend's families. I also went with the intention of seeing the Waseda campus, as I plan on applying to study there for a year starting next fall.

Spending some time in Japan and hanging out with Japanese college students (my friends), professors (their parents) and the older generation (their grandparents), I realized one big thing about my level, I didn't know jack; Vocabulary, kanji, katakana (you need to read it incredibly quickly), even modern culture, which i spent a lot of time reading up on over the past few years. I felt like an infant learning to crawl. I had a lot of fun, and I was able to survive (function is an overstatement), but I returned home humbled. This is after two years of fairly intense classes. I'm going to do my best, and I speak, read and write Japanese every day, but I do not expect to be ANYWHERE near fluent by next fall. I'll be happy enough to pass the 2nd level JLPT (4 levels, 1 being the hardest).

I'm wondering, you say you're 'still studying,' how far along are you? where are you learning from? what is your motivation? what books will you be using? do you know any native speakers to practice with? Short of being immersed in the culture, 5 years is not going to be sufficient to enter college as a Japanese student. I have two Japanese women watching me write this; one is a Student from Waseda on an exchange program, and the other is here to go to college and earn her degree here in the states. The latter says that taking classes in a foreign country for natives is the hardest kind of class, she has to do a lot of extra work just to try and understand the assignments, let alone function on the same level as native speakers. She has been studying English since her first year of junior high school; that's 3 years in junior high (including cram school), 3 years in high school, and year in various english language schools here in the states before she started college. She's not dumb by any means, what she is doing is incredibly hard.

You grew up in America, and I don't know what you know about Japanese culture or Japanese history, but you want to go to one of the best private schools in Japan the same as a native? You aren't talking about a program for foreigners to enter, you want to be a Japanese student amongst Japanese students... This is being dictated by the Japanese girls now:

You will never be treated as a Japanese person; even if you are accepted as a Japanese student by the school (which requires you to pass a test that the natives spend years studying for), people will still treat you like an exchange student. Moreover, you will be expected to function as a native Japanese student in your classes. Japan is probably one of the hardest cultures to assimilate into; no matter how good your Japanese is, no matter how good your understanding of their culture and history is, you will still be a foreigner...

back to me, I don't especially care to translate my first post, I am sticking to my assertion that once you have achieved a level of understanding where you can read it, you will understand what I mean. If you wish, explain your plans to your teacher and show him my post. I would very much like to hear your response to it, but I want you to understand the gamble this plan is...

[Hiroshi66]

nice gaijin ~ Thank you for your post.

First of all, not to be rude, but you are HEAVILY underestimating me and taking me for some high school otaku freak who wants to go to Japan. I am taking Japanese classes in various community colleges. I am using various sources, texts, and I have several native Japanese friends who are fluent in Japanese and who are college graduates. I currently know the hiragana and the katakana.

I will never be a Japanese, no. You are absoleutly correct. As are your friends. But I would rather do that than go to an exchange program and take classes in English. If I was going to do that, I would rather go to college in the States than spend so much more money just to go to Japan, spend all my time with fellow international students and attend classes in English. I could do that at home!

I know it will not be easy. But on the other hand, should I be discouraged to going if I'm not in an exchange program? Exchange programs may be good - but if I really want to feel the culture, then I want to go with Japanese students. Re-read my post, and please ask your Japanese friends to as well. Did I once mention I want to be Japanese? No. I said I wanted to attend classes with Japanese AS a normal Japanese would do, but I never said I wanted to BE Japanese. There wouldn't be too many differences as an exchange student because I would be mingling with fellow students who I could mingle with in an American institution. So what's the use?

Japanese is not learned in a day, I can't read your post after attending one year of class. You made me look stupid in front of everybody - but here's the deal, I don't know Japanese yet. You might know it, but I already made clear that I am learning. When i come back in five years to check out your post, I will make a translation. Until then though, I hope you know that I am still learning.

I didn't mean to sound hostile, but this is what I'm feeling. I don't want to look like some kid who has dreams which will never come true. Because I have hope. I don't like to be discouraged - telling someone how it is and discouraging someone are two very, very different things. I will never be a Japanese, no. But I'd rather do that than be in an exchange program similar to attending college here, except everybody likes Japan.

Please reply to this. I'm curious to see your thoughts.

Greg

[blade_bltz]

"Boys, Be Ambitious" - William S. Clark and fellow hitsuji

Just don't burn yourself out these next 5 years is all I have to say, I guess. When I was 15, I had absolutely no plan, no schematic, no nothing at all for the next 10 or so years of my life. So I'd say I'm pretty impressed, but I dunno... interests do change. Of course, I support what you are doing fully so Gambatte ne.

[Hiroshi66]

Thanks, blade bltz. I appreciate it. :)

[Elizabeth]

"Boys, Be Ambitious" - William S. Clark and fellow hitsuji

Just don't burn yourself out these next 5 years is all I have to say, I guess. When I was 15, I had absolutely no plan, no schematic, no nothing at all for the next 10 or so years of my life. So I'd say I'm pretty impressed, but I dunno... interests do change. Of course, I support what you are doing fully so Gambatte ne.
Hehe, I had no realistic goals until I began approaching 30....and even those have only gelled into a more fulfilling life much more recently. Until I was able to read the paper, understand the news and hold a reasonable Japanese conversation (5-6 years just for all that)....but hey we all do progress differently so best wishes from me as well, Greg ! Please post around freely in the Japanese section once you're feeling up to it.

Lesson #1:

勉強 (study) にも (even in) 目標 (goal) があると (when you have)
やりがいも出てくる (it is fulfilling) のではないでしょうね。(isn't that so?).
:relief:

[Hiroshi66]

Thanks, Elizabeth. =)

Don't underestimate reading the paper. You need 2000 characters to read the paper, and that itself is the # of kanji you need to know to live a normal life in Japan. That's good though. Thanks for the support.

どもうありがとうございます！

[nice gaijin]

After talking to you over IM, and then reading your response, I saw what you meant by "sorry for coming off as rude or rash". Nothing to worry about, I want you to speak your mind.

I will admit that I was a bit snide in some of my comments, mainly because I didn't have a full image of what your plans were. If you can afford to go and live on your own in Japan for 3 years while you are going to language school, to take the entrance exam (on average, 35,000 yen per attempt per school), and to pay waseda tuition (the average 学部 [department] is 800,000 yen per semester), then perhaps this isn't the huge gamble I originally took it for.

I wrote my first response in Japanese because I felt that I could best express myself that way. I started to write it in english, but it wasn't coming out right. I didn't mean to belittle you, but because of the fact that you cannot yet read it I want you to know that you still have a ways to go. furthermore, I want you to read it once you have attained that level of fluency. This is because there is still a lot you have to learn about living in Japan; when you can understand the words and grammar of my first post, I hope you will understand the difficulties I described in it.

I'm also learning Japanese, and I share in your goal of attaining fluency in the language. My last year officially studying will be 2007, if I get accepted to Waseda as an exchange student. I am not sure what my level will be then, but even a passing score on the Level 1 JLPT wouldn't guarantee that I could pass their native-level entrance exam. What we are learning is modern, spoken Japanese. For the 入試 you must understand written japanese, 古文 (kobun, ancient writing),　漢文 (classic chinese sentences), and 現代語 (present japanese), as well as japanese history in japanese, at the very least.

I am trying not to underestimate you, and I hope you succeed; but your goals seem so lofty it seems like you were setting yourself up for disappointment. I didn't imply that you wanted to be Japanese, but you mentioned several times how you wanted to be treated as a Japanese student and hang out with them and speak only japanese. All that is fine, but you have to accept that as a foreigner you will always receive 'special' treatment (good or bad). It seemed to me like you were avoiding that revelation.

a new twist:
this site might be of interest to you, but I'm sorry it's in Japanese; http://www.waseda.jp/nyusi/gakubu_gaiyou2/kikoku.html

basically it is talking about students who have graduated from a foreign primary education system (high school). Essentially, you will not be given the native-level entrance exam. Not because you are a foreigner, but because you did not receive your primary education in Japan. It might be possible to then take all of your classes in Japanese. This might be good news for you, I'm not sure what the differences are between the native student's exam and the foreign student's exam.

you will probably find this site useful:
http://www.cie-waseda.jp/admission/menu_left/undergraduate_e.html but for more detailed information, the page is in japanese ( http://www.cie-waseda.jp/admission/menu_left/overseas.html )

[Elizabeth]

Thanks, Elizabeth. =)

Don't underestimate reading the paper. You need 2000 characters to read the paper, and that itself is the # of kanji you need to know to live a normal life in Japan. That's good though. Thanks for the support.

どもうありがとうございます！
聞き取り or listening comprehension has always the most challenging mode for me individually mostly because you need to follow along at a natural pace
and parse out all the similar sounding words, homonyms, etc., of which there are hundreds at least. Everyday native conversation being more unstructured and therefore difficult than news broadcasts or public announcements which I've gotten to the point of understanding mostly living here in the US.

In short, if you haven't already started tuning your ear to the spoken word via radio, practice cds, tv if possible I suggest you start immediately.

There was even one part of the earlier post I didn't get completely either
「早稲田大学で 一部の学部だけ一年に二回しか入試がないから、次の入 試を受けるには最低でも半年待たなければいけませんよ 。」。。。so let's all concentrate on working together on the learning bit however our personal goals for it may diverge. :wave:

お互い、素敵な一週間を送りましょうね！

[Mike Cash]

I think nice gaijin's heart is in the right place, even if the content of his post might appear a bit harsh. He certainly has a few good points, along with a couple that may be either overblown or result from a lack of total understanding between you two.

Among the good points may be the slow pace of high school Japanese classes. I remember many years ago doing an IRC chat in which an Australian high school girl who had been taking Japanese for about three years got totally stumped when I used the word "kuru" in a sentence instead of "kimasu". Same word, same meaning, different form. In three years of classes, they had yet to get around to introducing something a s fundamental as the plain form of verbs.

We can argue how much anyone may or may not be "accepted" until the cows come home and never arrive at a satisfactory conclusion; I've been through such discussions before. The biggest part of the problem is defining what "accepted" means. People love to point out "you'll always be a gaijin". So what? I'll always be a whatever I am, wherever I am. So where's the harm in being a gaijin in Japan?

One thing about living here and atempting to function in a 100% Japanese-only environment, such as what I do and what you wish to do, is that for those of us who didn't acquire the language as a child there is quite a bit of extra brain work involved. You have to be on your toes and keep your brain revved up to the redline sometimes just to keep up with things that those around you are doing with their brains idling.

[nice gaijin]

sorry for the confusion, I hope it's grammatically correct...

早稲田大学で 一部の学部だけ一年に二回しか入試がないから、次の入 試を受けるには最低でも半年待たなければいけませんよ 。

at waseda a few of the departments have entrance exams twice a year (compared to the average once a year), so you'll have to wait at least half a year to take the next entrance exam.

[Hiroshi66]

Thanks everyone for their responses.

Nice gaijin ~ That's great info. However, as your friend told me earlier, you CAN take the entrance exam in English (for foreigners) and then take your classes with Japanese students as a Japanese. So essentially, you don't have to be someone in an exchange program to take the exam in English and then go with Japanese students. Depending on my level of fluency, I may also be eligible to take that entrance exam in Japanese.

Mikecash and Elizabeth - thanks for the posts. :)

I do plan to speak japanese on a fluent level by the time I graduate my language school. I do want to hang out with Japanese only and speak Japanese, but its fine if I'm still viewed as a foreigner. I don't care. If I wanted to speak English there and hang out with Americans, I could do it here at home without spending as much money and commitment as well as five years of my life learning a language I would hardly use. I also dont' want an exchange program because I would have to go through an affiliated university here, go there for a year, and then come back. I want to graduate from Waseda, not from a CSU school, for instance.

But I'm glad to hear that I could take the entrance exam in English or Japanese (as a regular student) and still take normal classes with Japanese. I would still need to pass JPLT Lev. 1 though.

[Elizabeth]

sorry for the confusion, I hope it's grammatically correct...

早稲田大学で 一部の学部だけ一年に二回しか入試がないから、次の入 試を受けるには最低でも半年待たなければいけませんよ 。

at waseda a few of the departments have entrance exams twice a year (compared to the average once a year), so you'll have to wait at least half a year to take the next entrance exam.
That's roughly what I deduced....this though 一年に二回しか入試がないから reads to me like only a few have them just twice a year, which I think sounds better as "although a few have them twice a year"... 最低でも even if you're at the bottom, the worst ? You mean if you fail, you have to wait at least six months. 'At least' wouldn't that be 'sukunakutomo' or 'semete.'

And maybe it is technically correct....I'm too exhausted to even think of an alternative at the moment... :sorry: I'll ask about some other parts before Hiroshi reaches the point of comprehension. :relief:

[Mike Cash]

I also dont' want an exchange program because I would have to go through an affiliated university here, go there for a year, and then come back.

Not necessarily. You would have to monkey with your visa stuff and look into changing status at school from exchange student to a "normal" student, but there is nothing carved in stone that says you have to return at the end of your exchange study. (I didn't).

[Rio Lee]

Hello, everybody.

I have a few questions.

I've decided that I will be studying Japanese language here in the US until I graduate from high school, and then I will go to Japan. I will begin to finish the language there at a language school and then go to Waseda Daigaku and study Japanese history. Few questions:

I know that many Japanese language schools and universties have dorm rooms. Now if I register for the dorm room, I know they have a special "Building for International Students". Since I plan to speak Japanese there and hang out with Japanese people, do you think a lot of them will allow me to have a dorm with the Japanese students or in the same dorm as a regular Japanese student?

This also goes for classes. If i pass the language profiency test, will they put me in a class with regular Japanese students (just any student, etc.)

I'm just wondering and a bit concerned. :)

The name of the language school I'm planning is Yohan Language school, and the university is Waseda Daigaku.

Generally what you are doing are what most Malaysian are doing, since over here we dont have alot of exchange programme available to us and the goverment only sponsor around 5 person or less per year to study in Japan. So most people over here did what you are doing.. the hard way :-) (which what im currently trying to do.. and I'm going to Japan in April next year). I would be happy to share some info with you if you like.

So to answer your question regarding the dorm stuff, usually(for japanese language school - im pretty sure that everyone is a gaikokujin there so there wont be a building for international student) there are 2 kinds of dorm, inside and outside the school. As for example the school i will be attending ABK, have 3 dormitary, one inside one 3 min walk and the last one is 40 minutes by train and walks (not sure about yohan. cant seem to find it in the site). So if you want to have more exposure to Japanese culture and people obviously you take the last dorm.
And for the university dorm, I have no idea regarding waseda, but from what i got from talking to the nagoya dai (i think) there are dormitaries where gaikokujin and nihonjin stays together. Not sure bout this info tho... but after one year you have to move out anyway. So you definately have the chances to hang out o.o? with japanese people, if you make the effort that is..

As for the classes, If youre coming in using the hardway.. EJU -> University Entrance Exam etc. Yes. You will be put into the normal classes like any other japanese. And as for the entrance exam, i think most university in Japan require you to take the entrance exam in japanese. (national and local not sure bout private)

Thats about it i think, will post more if i can recalled them. As for the accuracy of the info, Im not 100% sure about them, because all this info i got from asking the representative of the university when there was a japan education fair here, from the embassy and from the people already there. So no guarantee that all the stuff I've posted is even accurate, but i hope it would at least help you a bit. I would gladly share more info with you if you want.

Rio

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

A document of a student dormitory of Waseda University
http://www.waseda.jp/student/kosei/dansi-boshu.html

A site of a student dormitory of Tokyo
http://www.gakuseiryou.jp/

[Hiroshi66]

Everybody, arigatou gozaimasu!

I enjoyed hearing about your experiences and thanks for the links. Good luck Rio Lee-san! :)

I got an email from Waseda, and they said I need to take EJU to get in and take classes with Japanese students. I guess the only time I will be grouped in classes with other foreigners is if I become an cxchange student

[Rio Lee]

No problem, and good luck to you too :)

I assume you already know about EJU already since they started to use that instead of JPLT ( some dai still uses JPLT and EJU ). Since youre taking Japanese history, you will be taking the basic stuff + Japan and the world subject. I think. And if youre interested I'd be willing to scan last year EJU exams question for your reference.
And if you dont mind me asking, why waseda o.o?. Well the tuition fee shouldn't bother you that much since youre from the US and the currency exchange rate wouldn't bother you as much as it would for me >.<.

[Hiroshi66]

I got an email from Waseda today, and they said that you don't need the JPLT for undergraduate admission - just EJU. So I asked them if JPLT is needed for graduate admission, but haven't gotten a reply yet.

I sure would love that! thanks for being so helpful.

I want to try Waseda Daigaku because its a private uni with less competition than the national unis (even though Waseda is pretty competitive as well). Also, it has a strong humanities department.

[Rio Lee]

I just recalled theres another version on the web. Found it a few month ago while browsing Jasso site. Heres the link. (JASSO is the organization that organized the EJU Exams, and was called AIEJ before)

http://www.jasso.go.jp/examination/img/shikou_all_htm/shikou_all.htm
http://www.jasso.go.jp/examination/efjuafis_examination_e.html
http://www.jasso.go.jp/examination/efjuafis_e.html

Even tho its a trial version (meaning they do the trial test when they do the education fair in my country) its almost the same format and difficulty as the real one.

And it seems Waseda offers pre-arrival admission, which means no Entrance Exams like other national dais :cool: From this site it seems you have to take the EJU in Japanese for History Major (not alot of daigaku uses English EJU).

http://www.jasso.go.jp/examination/efjuafis_baij_uni_e.html

and yea its seems Waseda is easier to enter(comparing the number of procuders to enter it) unlike any other national/local universities ( with 2 - 3 exams including EJU and some needed JPLT and TOEFL-for non-english speaking people like me ). Im tempted to try for Waseda too if not for the hefty tuition fee and how hard to enter it since its so compatitive from what i heard from other people. Anyway good luck, Im pretty sure you'll get through :-)

Rio

[Hiroshi66]

Thanks for the links, Rio-san! =)

That's fine. I plan to be able to be fluent in six years, anyways.

[Ewok85]

I will never be a Japanese, no. You are absoleutly correct. As are your friends. But I would rather do that than go to an exchange program and take classes in English.

Heres the options:
1) Do classes in English in a Japanese University
2) Sit the same exams as Japanese students do, pass, and do the same classes as Japanese students do.

Now leaving High School and doing a year of Japanese or even 2 years of Japanese in Japan you might be just able to do a 1st grade JLPT, but getting in and doing the same as any other Japanese student? Its a long shot. Thats what he was getting at.

should I be discouraged

Hell no, and trust me, being an international student is not a tradeoff and you do not miss out on anything.

Exchange programs may be good - but if I really want to feel the culture, then I want to go with Japanese students.

Theres no difference. Been there, done BOTH.

Edit: Bling!
a new twist:
this site might be of interest to you, but I'm sorry it's in Japanese; http://www.waseda.jp/nyusi/gakubu_gaiyou2/kikoku.html

basically it is talking about students who have graduated from a foreign primary education system (high school). Essentially, you will not be given the native-level entrance exam.

Thats pretty cool, I looked into doing Uni in Japan back a few years ago and decided it wasn't worth the effort, but if this is the case I could bum accomadation off a friend and go to uni in Japan... :blush:

[Hiroshi66]

Thanks, ewok85.

But again, I've looked into a lot of the programs here, hoping that they give the option of staying in Japan like mike mentioned. Its more of just going there for a year than staying there. I want a degree from Waseda, not a CSU, for instance. That's all.

[Ewok85]

One year student visa, leave, come back, 90 day tourist visa, convert to one year student visa ;)

I know people who have done it with working visas but I dont know if you can do the same with a student visa...

[Hiroshi66]

Nah, it would be easier to just go on my own rather than through a liason. Especially since it seems to be easier. Also, I'm not going to university right after high school, I'm going to language school for two years or so.