Living In Japan. Scholarships. School.

EpicPhysicist · (#1 (**permalink**))

Hi guys,

I live in Toronto,Canada and I am a really big fan of Japan. Ive always wanted to live there because of the anime/culture/I want to become a physicist and they have a good physics program at Tokyo University. But I am saying this based off of things i heard and thats why I would like to ask you ( I would go myself but student exchange programs are expensive and my family isnt rich.)

I would like to know If Japan is something I would like. I already started to learn the language and up to now I love it. The only thing that people tell me is bad about Japan is taht Tokyo is very crowded. However I do not think that will be a problem as I have lived in Huge cities my whole life. Basically My questions are:

Is Japan A Good Place For A University Graduate ( Physics)

Are there any Cheap Exchange programs or university scholarships that I can apply for ( free )

Can you guys tell me the cons for living in Japan . ( Except its expensive and crowded )

samurai007 · (#2 (**permalink**))

Physics is very hard.

Compound that by trying to learn it and do all your work in a very foreign language that you aren't fluent in, and even if you can get by in it, you probably won't learn all the science-specific words necessary to understand your major in Japanese.

IMO, you'd be much, much better off completing your degree at home and then going to Japan after you graduate.

EpicPhysicist · (#3 (**permalink**))

So by what your saying Im thinking three possibilities.

1. What if I go To Japan For A Few Years After finishing high school and then going to university?

2. What if I go to College in Japan ( Is there college?) And then go to university?

3. Finish my degree here and go to Japan

WingsToDiscovery · (#4 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by EpicPhysicist

So by what your saying Im thinking three possibilities.

1. What if I go To Japan For A Few Years After finishing high school and then going to university?

2. What if I go to College in Japan ( Is there college?) And then go to university?

3. Finish my degree here and go to Japan

1: There won't really be anything for you to do in Japan until you have a degree. There's a thread specific on that called something like "Get a degree if you want to come to Japan." (Just for your reference, you can search for that)

2: You can go to college in Japan, but you'll have to find a program that not only accepts international students, but also the degree type you're looking for. In my experience, most international programs don't offer degrees to the caliber of physics.

3: This is your best choice if you're dead set on physics.

Firebird · (#5 (**permalink**))

2: I think will be difficult

3: will be difficult as well but possible

1: You are from Canada so you are eligible for a Working Holiday Visa, so here´s a kind of number 4
Finish High school, go to Japan on a Working Holiday Visa (must be 18-30years), do some job (like teaching english or anything), learn a bit more of the language, see the culture and make some friends, experience life in Japan and see if you really like it. Than you can still decide after a year how you want to continue. And if you really don´t like it or can´t find a job or whatever you can go home anytime.
It can be hard to find jobs other than teaching english, even with the Visa, but you are a native speaker so teaching will be not to hard to do. Be aware that you will have to save up some money to get started when choosing this version.

EpicPhysicist · (#6 (**permalink**))

thanks dude. so basically I save up some money -finish high school and go on a working visa right? So if I like it after a year , do you think I can get a scholarship? I got pretty good grades and i might graduate when im 15.

MMM · (#7 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by EpicPhysicist

thanks dude. so basically I save up some money -finish high school and go on a working visa right? So if I like it after a year , do you think I can get a scholarship? I got pretty good grades and i might graduate when im 15.

Not quite.

Finish high school. You cannot get a working visa without a sponsor. You cannot get a sponsor without a 4-year university degree. You obviously know what you need to do to get a degree.

You can look at colleges with exchange programs.

Firebird · (#8 (**permalink**))

It is not a working visa its a working holiday Visa wich permits you to do most jobs for up to 1 year, after that you would have to find a sponsor if you want to stay longer. You need to be 18 for this Visa!
I do not know if you can get a scholar ship after that year but you would be sure if you really like it and if its worth fighting for.

Another option is to do it like MMM said and finish college and do a degree and than try and find a real job.
What i wanted to say is, you can do a "trial run" in that year, work a bit to survive and see if you really like it. Because maybe (most definetly) Japan is different from what you imagine it, and on a 2 week holiday you will not see Japan as if you life and work there for a year.

kyo_9 · (#9 (**permalink**))

Tokyo University? that will be quite hard to enter it if you don't have a sponsor.. If you applied for Monbusho scholarship, they might send you to Ritsumeikan University if I'm not mistaken..

EpicPhysicist · (#10 (**permalink**))

None of you suggested a high school exchange program. Do you think that would be good? Also for High school exchange do you guys know any good scholarships i could apply for or cheap agencies.