College in Japan?

Hello! I'm currently a HS senior and am considering applying to some universities in Japan, specifically International Christian University (ICU) and Waseda. I'm wondering if there is anyone on here (who is not from Japan) who is attending either one of these schools, or just attending any Japanese university for that matter. Are the classes challenging enough? Is it worth it? How if campus life like? Can you make friends? Did you visit your college before enrolling? PS I am ethnically Japanese but was not born or raised there.

I�fm from the US and graduated from a Japanese university 13 years ago and am still living in Japan.

Is a Japanese University worth it? That depends on what you want (in life). And I know that�fs a difficult question at your age.

If you plan on devoting time to learning the language and culture and spend the rest of your life in Japan, I would say a Japanese university is worth it.

If you have no intention of living in Japan long term, I would seriously not consider a Japanese university as most are subpar compared to elsewhere.

If you�fre intention is to experience japan temporarily, then maybe you should consider Temple University in Tokyo. It�fs the Japan branch campus of Temple University in Philadelphia and there is really nothing Japanese about it except for the Japanese students (most of whom grew up abroad and can�ft read and write enough kanji to get into a Japanese university).

Nowadays there are a lot of English programs at many universities around the country. Don't just think about Waseda and APU, but what about Tohoku U, Kyushu, Nagoya, APU, Akita International, Doshisha, or about 50 others? There are LOTS of options out there - even if your Japanese isn't good enough to study in Japanese.

Like in other countries, there are good and bad classes. The learning style here tends to be more focused on learning facts, but that's not universally true - especially for the English language programs, which tend to have more foreign instructors. If you're looking for someone to teach you, then a small liberal arts college in your home country would probably be best. If you're looking for an opportunity to learn, then I think Japanese universities offer good opportunities for that.

Unlike the big schools in the US, you're far more likely to graduate in 4 years in Japan. It's rare for students to be unable to enroll in required classes, so as long as you're working consistently, you should accumulate your 124 credits in 4 years. Tuition will also be much cheaper than the US, especially if you go to a public / national university.

Thank you very much for responding, Kyushugaijin and Dainichi Heater. Yes, it is very difficult to make such decisions at my age, but I do want to live/work in Japan at some point in the future. I think I will apply and go from there.