how can i get to study in japan?

i really want to study or work in japan. im 18 and just recently failed my senior year of high school. so if there is any way that i can go without a degree that would be great, but i can enroll in a summer school program if necessary.i am 18 so legally i can work but i have no japanese language experience or a way of getting a visa. i know this doesnt leave me with many options but if anybody can help me out i would greatly appreciate it. any suggestions at all would be great :P

You need at least 12 years of schooling to study in Japan, so if you failed your senior year, it's not going to do you much good. You'll have to continue your studies in your home country first and prove that you are able to keep up with the work.

I was given a deal to study and live in Japan because I have 17-18 years of study, work and 2 year volunteer work despite only being 23, despite not having a bachelor degree. They're allowing me to because they can see that I stick by it and work very hard. It's rare to get someone with as much schooling as I have, but I worked really hard to get to a rough degree level and get as much experience and skills as I possibly could.

Also, get learning some Japanese if you want to go to school there because you wouldn't find many lessons in English unless you wanted to pay $30'000+ for a fancy English campus.

You don't have much of a chance just now, especially considering you failed a year of standard learning. Unfortunately, they don't like it when they see that on your record and may possibly see you as someone who won't stick by it. The form of study is a lot tenser in Japan than you're probably used to. You're going to have to get that year in and more.

if you want to study in Japan, you either get in an exchange program for high school students or something of that sort when you are in high school, which are not common to say the least, or you can study abroad when you are in college.

since you flunked out of high school, you dont have any way of studying in Japan until you go back and finish high school. then when you get into a decent college/university, you can look around for study abroad programs, for example in California, USA, the CSU/UC system has direct study abroad programs with Waseda and the like as an example, or you can contact a study abroad organization like USAC.

however first things first... I dont think ANY half decent school will accept a high school dropout when it comes to studying abroad, ESPECIALLY a Japanese school when you take Japanese culture into account, so go and finish your high school degree, should be a piece of cake to get through at least high school... given that you are in the USA, be happy you didnt have to go to high school in Japan, where its hard as hell in comparison.

also, if you plan on studying abroad in Japan, start taking Japanese classes as soon as possible and start studying and immersing yourself in Japanese culture as much as possible (no, not just manga and anime), or else the culture shock will be too much for you, especially when you are unable to communicate with the large majority of people when you are in Japan, and since the cultural divide is so massive. another thing to think about is the cost... Japan is a very expensive country to study abroad in, so dont set your mind into it unless you are willing to pay about $35000+ USD (about 3Million JPY) for a year in Japan at a respectable school.

personally, im going to Osaka for a year very soon, ive taken over a year of Japanese classes, spent years getting to know as many of the cultural nuances of Japan that i can wrap my head around, and spent about 2 years researching, planning and going through the application process. everything is finally falling into place for me, its to the point where pretty much all that I have left is to get my Japanese Visa and get on the plane for the flight over there. so if you REALLY want to study abroad in Japan, understand that there is a large amount of preparation that is recommended if you really want to get the most out of the trip, or at least not feel completely alienated when over there.

btw this is as of mid July 2011 (1USD is approx 79JPY)

Hello,

I was in a similar position to yourself and I'm going to be very honest. There are next to no ways par studying on a Japanese language degree at a university (in your native country) for you to study in Japan.

I (after 5 years of finishing school) enrolled in a 9 month access to uni course and I'll be starting my Japanese language degree at a UK Uni this September. You'll probably have to work like I am by waiting for the 2nd or 3rd year of your course before you can go to Japan.

This might seem like ages, but it is DEFINITELY worth it!