[Miak]

I am currently interested in attending Osaka University. As I am only 14, I have quite a few years before this is possible, but making plans for college can never hurt.

As of now, I am learning Japanese with the method at all japanese all the time, so I plan on being fluent four years from now (not to a native level, just fluent enough to attend college).

I typed up a short overview on my plan to attend Osaka university. Will you please post anything you find wrong with it?

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Plan for attending Osaka University

Osaka University is a major national university in Osaka, Japan. It is the sixth oldest university in Japan and formerly one of the Imperial Universities of Japan.
Osaka University is recognized as a leading university, especially in basic sciences and the medical field. The university was ranked the 61st among the world's best universities and the 3rd best Japanese university in 2006, according to the Academic Ranking of World Universities. (Information from wikipedia)
Expenses

Entrance examination fee: 160$
Tuition fee (two semesters): 5000$
Matriculation fee: 2600$
Accommodation
A. 50$ a month (International students lodge on campus)
B. 250-600$ a month for a private apartment
Estimated Monthly Costs (Information from Osaka University)
A. Cost of Food 300-400$
B. Living Cost, Utilities, Travel Expenses 500-600$
C. Study Expenses 60-120$
D. Entertainment, Clothes 210-220$
F. Other Miscellaneous Expenses 140-230$
E. Total (Per Month) 1210-1570$

Yearly expenses based on the above
First year- 26,000$
Second, Third, and Fourth years- 24,300$

(The above includes all expenses, although, of course, prices may rise a little bit)

Financing

Before leaving for Japan, I plan to have 10,000$ earned through part-time work in high school, international scholarships, parents, student loans, etcetera. This money will be used for fees that have to be paid within three months of my move to Japan (University fees, accommodation, etc.)

During this three month period, I will be searching for a part time job. According to Japanese visa laws, international college students are only aloud to work for 28 hours a week. There are two different employment options I am considering.

1. English Teaching: This involves teaching English to Japanese citizens. Hours are flexible, so I could teach after school. The average pay is 20-40$ per hour. Assuming I was working for 25$ per hour, for my allotted 112 hours a month, I could make as much as 2800$ a month. In summer time, when the government permits you to work eight hours, this would double to 5600$ a month.

2. Freelance translation: Since this is done primarily online, the Japanese government could not enforce the 28 hour limit. Most translators can handle 2000 words of translation with an eight hour work day. Most Japanese-English translators make 0.25$ to 0.40$ per word. Assuming I could translate 1000 words a day, six days a week, for only 0.15$ (rather low pay, considering the market values given above), I would make around 3600$ a month. Since this is all freelance, I could work whenever I wanted after college hours.

Based on the “Expenses section” it would be safe to say my monthly expenses for my first year will be around 2200$ a month. The above employment options, along with scholarships (which there are many), student loans, and the generous support of my family should cover my stay in Japan.

Schooling Plans

Now that I have covered my financial plans, I can talk more about my actual schooling. Although getting into a Japanese university is difficult, many people say the school is very easy to succeed in once accepted.

Foreigners must take a nationally standardized test called the EUJ that determines their level of Japanese. If they score high enough, many schools will accept them, after, of course, they pass the entrance exam.

I plan on studying at Osaka University’s College of foreign studies. My major will be Japanese, and my minor will be business, or English. Below is a course description from Osaka University’s college of foreign studies.

“Our goals are to promote education and research in foreign languages and cultures, both in theory and practice, to instill broad knowledge in the students so that they can contribute to the world community, and to nurture their deep understanding of foreign affairs.

To achieve these goals, SFS offers 25 modern languages as majors and many other ancient and modern languages as minors. During the first and the second years, the students are to take one foreign language as their major language, together with core introductory subjects in various academic disciplines. In the final two years they will study their major language at a more advanced level, along with a problem-oriented research related to a particular academic discipline of their choice.”


Plans for life after graduation

After graduation, I plan on moving back to America for 1-6 months. After my temporary visit, I plan on going back to Japan to be either a full time translator or a full time English teacher.

Closing Note


Although I plan on going to college in Japan, I realize it will probably happen in a much different way then described in this document. The main purpose of this article was to give some information about financing undergraduate life in Japan, along with giving some basic course descriptions.

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Note: I know freelance translating, even after obtaining the work permit from your university and the immigration office, is most likely illegal. I would rather engage in english teaching.

Which brings me to my question. If you obtain a part-time work visa while in college, can you teach english if someone is willing to hire you. As I have stated numerous times, I am only 14, so this is a very vague/naive plan to my future. Please give any advice you may have. Thank you!