Going to College in Japan

I really want to go to college in Japan. The thing is, I heard from a friend when discussing the subject that unless you're a resident in Japan, the tuition may be much bigger for foreigners. I'm worried about this because I am from America and am not a Japanese resident. I know that Japan can be very expensive and I know there is no way I can go to Japan to become a resident before I go for college. My parents tell me they'll help pay for college, but I'm worried that even if I work to help pay the costs, I may not be able to afford it. I think I'll need to get a scholarship. Can anyone give me advice about getting a scholarship and all the things that go in between when it comes to going to Japan for college? I want to go into a college that is at least pretty good, and I know Japan has high academics. Will getting a scholarship there be really hard? I know there are other places to go for college, but I really really want to go to study in Japan. Please help me.

First off do you speak or know Japanese? When I say speak or know Japanese I mean at a very advanced high level? Example: You can write and read a research paper in Japanese.

If not good luck getting into a Japanese University.

Yes it is expensive for foreigners in Japan, students in Japan have access to many government sponsered programs etc just like how students in the USA have government support. Also remember in the USA that if you live in one state and go to a state university you pay tuition cheaper then if someone from another state were to pay to go to the same school.

Now lets say you can't speak Japanese and don't qualify for japanese scholarship programs. What is left for you?

Well thankfully you have one college in Japan that is actually an American College. That college is Temple University Japan, TUJ is a branch of the US based Temple University, and the good part is as a US National, you can get US government FAFSA (if you do not know what FAFSA is ask your school consular or check the internet), any US college student knows what FAFSA is, it is US Federal Aide for Students , and because TUJ is a US school you can at least apply into it. Assuming of course TUJ has majors and classes you want to take. Now for the quality of TUJ itself, there are many threads here on japan-guide and many other websites, so I refer you to them.

Some colleges teach all the classes in English and you don't have to know any Japanese to get into. Sophia University in Tokyo is an example. It's a great college and offer many scholar ships. Just google it.

Sophia University doesn't teach all its classes in English, thats the catch! Only a special part of it does:

The FLA (Faculty of Liberal Arts) is classes taught in English (minus the language courses), half of the students there are exchange students from other universities, the other half is specifically chosen for admission (only 150 students worldwide).

The rest of Sophia and the rest of Sophia's university majors and programs are Japanese.

My point is that one doesn't have to know Japanese to attend Sophia.

Your initial response sounded so negative and discouraging...

Not sure how it was discouraging as it is a fact that you'll have a heck of a time getting into a Japanese university if you don't know Japanese, and getting into smaller programs such as Sophia is a lot harder, even if it were all in english.

Since the question also deals with scholarships, funding, tuition prices, I mentioned that TUJ is a US University in Japan, and He (the poster) being an American is also entitled to file for FAFSA which is the Free Application For Financial Aide from the US government. Since the OP mentions he just wants to study in Japan, but might have some financial difficulties, I think I gave him some really good information there.

FAFSA is only applicable if you are applying into a US school, and considering that TUJ is the only American university in Japan, it won't work for Sophia, ICU or any other school that may or may not offer classes in english.

The thing about ICU is that they actually have a federal school code which can be used on the fafsa form.
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
3-10-2 OSAWA
MITAKA
Federal School Code: G06851

You can double check this at the fafsa website. Considering the source, I'll say you can get some funding. Good luck.

Why don't you just study Japanese at an American College then come to Japan on your exchange year. That's what I'm doing right now. I'm attending Kinjo Gakuin University in Nagoya for a year- and what's more, I only had to pay half of my home college's tuition fees this year- and none to the Japanese Uni!

Thanks for all the advice and information. It has helped a lot. I know better now.

i want to go to collage in japan someday im just a sophmore in highschool but they say highschool goes by fast and it does so i want to know whats the best way to learn japanese and some places in high acidemics there and some reagular to the colleges cuz im not really a straight a sutdent

you will need to have high SAT scores to be eligible for college in japan at a place like sophia or temple university.

you will also need to speak english at a much higher level than you did in your post, for the sake of readability please use proper grammar and spelling.

if you are a good high school student you can apply for the monbugakusho (i think i spelled it right?) which is eligible for exceptional students under the age of 20.

good luck.