Studying a Master in Japan: life and future

Hello,

I'll start telling you some things of myself. I'm a 21 year old student, with only a year left to finish a Business Administration degree, in an AACSB accredited university. I have an strong interest on japanese culture, from it's language to its culture, history and gastronomy. I'm going to study the first 4 months of the last degree' course in Nagoya in an exchange.

This question goes a bit far beyond that next year, so I'm really interested on coursing a Master's degree of Business Administration in Japan. I've contacted, and searched for a lot of universities. However, my first option will be Hokkaido University. Its one of the national universities of Japan, it has a huge and beautiful campus and, despite not having much of history compared to other cities in Japan, I like Sapporo very much.

I'd like to hear from someone who could have lived situations like this. Studying a Master in Japan, while working on a part-time job (to earn and help sustain your expenses). I know Hokkaido University is not the best business school in Japan, but I've heard its pretty well recognized in Japan and beyond. I'd like to know, particularly in Hokudai but appreciated in any other japanese university, how the graduate life is (expenses, difficulties, required bureaucracy, etc.), and what are the jobs you can apply or you can be hired while finished the Master. (also heard that university helps on this?).

My level of japanese is currently around N5, I'll take a course in the university in Nagoya and I'll keep studying it while finishing my degree, so I'd probably be realistic if I expect to finish the Master's degree with a level of around N1.

On the other hand, I will also be very active on my months in Nagoya (also applied in Hello-sensei to teach my native language and get some people for trial lessons) and will also look for an arubaito to help my parents on the expenses. I don't know if it's common or any useful to deliever my CV on companies in Nagoya, just to apply for a job/internship or to just let myself be known to companies and specialy those with headquarters in Sapporo.

I'm afraid this post is too long, I just want to thank you if you read it all, and I will be very thankful of hearing any experiences, feedbacks or tips.

Sincerely,
Jim.

Have you considered a scholarship for your graduate studies instead of working?

This site may help. http://www.japanscholar.com/

It was set up by someone that was successful at getting a scholarship to study in Japan and lists quite a few that are available and details on how to apply.

I don't mind working while studying because those earnings will be very appreciated and I'll be starting to get used to work in a japanese company, which is something I'd like to do.

However, and without doubt, that link will be very useful. Thank you very much!

Hokkado Uni has a much of reputation in Hokkaido but not any others.
If you like to be hired by a JP firm, I think you better to study at Nagoya first, get a job in JP, then move to Hokkaido once you got an experience in JP firm(preferably hired by a well known large firm).

I'm going to Nagoya in about a month, but let me remind that I'll be there just for 4 months, then I must come back to my country to finish my degree in the university here. I'll be looking for a job/part-time while in Nagoya.

Do you mean looking for a job in Japan in Nagoya to start after I graduate? Will many companies do that? Won't this be a setback for my aim to study a Master's in Sapporo? Thank you for your reply, it's highly appreciated.

Jim.