Gerrard59:


No problem. The issue, in my opinion, is not getting admission but having enough funds. A minimum of 20K dollars would be required to show the immigration bureau that you can cater for living expenses. The price tag depends on the prefecture and city. Tokyo would be like 30K dollars minimum. Okinawa fit be 15K . But the farther away from the major economic zones, the fewer the jobs, but those places have a low cost of living. Importantly, you would learn Japanese quickly as most don't speak English.

Target national universities. Private universities are bloodily expensive for the average Nigerian.

iykejohnson:

Sorry to ask Bro, the 20k USD would it be deposited in Japan or to provide a statement of my account showing 15m

Secondly, is English test exams compulsory?

Thanks for responding Bro.

padua1234:
Please which type of job can an international student do in Japan?

Gerrard59:


Deposited. And the money should be there for at least three months until you receive your COE (certificate of eligibility). Check my previous posts on this page about the COE. Get admitted first. When you do that, let me know. Yes, IELTS/TOEFL is mandatory. Please re-read the post by the blackbiar moniker. Everything stated there is what you need. Begin searching for universities by yourself. I used "National Universities in Japan on Wikipedia" as my starting point. National universities charge the same tuition fees for both Japanese and foreigners. I think Tokyo Tech (now merged with another school) charged Y100K more than the standard.

P.S. The onus of researching everything about getting an admission is on you. I would come in during the visa process as a guide.



Every job except working in adult services. Allocated time is 28 hours per week during school session and unlimited during holidays.

iykejohnson:

The challenge for me right now is this English test exam. And honestly speaking, to sit for that exam na something else.
Was thinking English test won't be compulsory,
since Japan doesn't speak English


Thanks, brotherman

Gerrard59:


Ah! Except for cost, IELTS is and should not be hard for any Nigerian who passed through the four walls of a university. The average Nigerian speaks better English than most East/South East Asians. Which is logical, considering our official language is English. If you can hit 7.0 across all bands, that is OK. The minimum is even below that figure for most schools, but as a Nigerian, I expect you to score above it.

Yes, the official language of Japan is Japanese, but because you are a foreigner enrolling in the MSc targeted at foreign students, the language of instruction is English. However, you would be required to register for Japanese language classes, which I strongly recommend. There are two alternatives:

- get a signed and letter-headed letter from your registrar or head of the department stating that your bachelor program was taught throughout in English. Submit this alongside other documents. Before this, ask the admission section if it is possible to use it in place of IELTS/TOEFL and let them know your bachelor's was taught in English.
- enrol in a Japanese language school learning the language intensively. Then apply for graduate programs meant for Japanese students. This time, you know the language. However, in this case, the visa you would apply for is entirely different and you would spend at least 1 - 2 years learning the language. This time, you are applying to language schools, not universities.

iykejohnson:

Nwanne, not that I can not write the English exam but as a Nigerian and English is, our official language, writing that exam just dey vex me, sorry to voice this out.
I have collected the English proficiency cert already.
Biko, applying for the language course, is it gonna be an online program or I will do the language course over there?
The sole aim is to work and as well go to school cos that is where my permit will come from.
And does the language school has age limit?

Gerrard59:


Well, regarding English proficiency tests, it is how the world is structured.

The language school is face-face. For language school, the aim is to learn the language and do part-time work. The visa allows only 28 hours per week during the school session and unlimited during holidays. Language school and university no be the same thing. You would have to change visas at the immigration bureau in your city/prefecture when you get admitted into a university. Yes, language schools have an age limit (30 and/or five years after graduation. A Nairalander here attested to it. Please check the last two pages). If above a certain age, you are expected to have studied Japanese for at least 150 hours before enrollment. BTW, language schools are undergoing review by the government.

Another alternative is to enrol as a research student. This is a six months' program where you are tutored on basic research protocols depending on your field. Towards the end of your program, you apply to be a graduate student (M1 in the case of master's). You are still eligible to work (28 hours) and can learn Japanese on the side. It is less costly than enrolling in a language school. The lab you enroll in as a research student is most likely the one you would conduct your research as a graduate student. Graduate studies in Japanese universities are research-based rather than taught as in the UK.

iykejohnson:


I think the alternative to enroll as a research student is, the best bait for me cos I have exceeded 30 and my degree would be 10 years in September.

Please, can you enlighten me on how I would go about the 6months research enrollment. Since it doesn't require English exams and it's also less cost

I Hope COE will be done on this one too
Honestly, I want where I will have 90% chance of securing a visa

padua1234:
Please like how much do they pay per hour? I'm already in Vietnam teaching but I'm considering on how to relocate to Japan.

Gerrard59:


There are two alternatives:

- get a signed and letter-headed letter from your registrar or head of the department stating that your bachelor program was taught throughout in English. Submit this alongside other documents. Before this, ask the admission section if it is possible to use it in place of IELTS/TOEFL and let them know your bachelor's was taught in English

JohnQueen:
Gerrard.59 please do you have any idea on how to go about getting schooling letters to prove that our 12 years of school in Nigeria was in English? Peep the screenshot attached.

Gerrard59:

Gerrard59:






I saw your email. Please read the above post and all other associated posts by him. Admission for April section has closed. Around April - May/June, the admissions process will begin for October entry, which is geared towards foreigners. It's your responsibility to look for universities. If you are short of cash, don't target the Kansai and Kanto regions. Strictly target national universities.

Visa assurance is almost guaranteed by the issuance of the possession of the COE (certificate of eligibility). Admission doesn't guarantee visa. The school isn't the immigration bureau. However, the school will apply for the COE on your behalf.

Gerrard59:


cc: Exodora

Please start from here. Check the quoted post by Black.biar. Then read the follow-up comments till the end of this thread.

blackbriar:


Not all hotels refund payments so you have to look for such hotels, basically use Airbnb it’s cheaper

Exodora:

Glad I can finally hear from you.

But then, Japan is the available opportunity for now. Would like to know about their education system and currency compared to Naira.

majisuka:
Just an info for you guys from an insider (as well as some Sub-Saharan African students I get along with in the university). Apparently the Ministry of Education of Japan (Monbukagakusho) is trying to increase African student quota in Japanese universities, perhaps as an effort to spread the soft power into the continent. I'd say African applicants are given a little bit more leeway to obtain the scholarship, provided one already has gotten an approval from a prospective supervisor/professor. For the procedures, required documents, and deadlines, you can check out the website of Embassy of Japan in Nigeria (I'm not gonna spoon-fed you guys, I'm busy and there is Google to help you out). The website is here btw https://www.jasso.go.jp/en/study_j/scholarships/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2019/04/17/scholarships_2019_e.pdf

On the other hand, they are decreasing 90% (perhaps even more) of post-graduate scholarships to Asian countries (especially other East and Southeast Asians) that it's almost impossible for them to get one now except if the applicant is truly exceptional or even a superhuman . Basically the are abolishing scholarship for those folks. Till a few years ago they are the workhorses of many labs here (as graduate students), but due to this 'woes', many professors and principal investigators (PIs) are struggling to recruit new people. For example, my PI now has to put a couple of our projects on hold due to lack of new grad students. My friend's lab even got severely downsized and close to disbandment due to lack of manpower. Too bad they are sometimes don't know that they can recruit very good students from Africa but alas very few have connection to do so.

Now it's up to your effort because the next is the hardest part. Please read and study thoroughly some scientific journal articles that suits your academic background and try to come up with ideas. Be sure as well to check the professor's current projects in each lab's webpage (typically in top universities a lab/research group has a functioning and updated website) before doing so. You are also encouraged to check their relevant publications, which are often posted in the website too.

Afterwards, try to contact them in professional manner, that is, introduce yourself and give a brief academic background and explain your plan in the lab and Japan (as well as the research idea you conceive). You are needed to attach your CV/resume along with the first communication e-mail so that the professor can be ascertained that you are indeed willing to join the lab. Be patient to wait for the responses because they are super busy (sometimes up to a week). They only recruit very good (even though raw talents) students with strong grasp of respective field's concept so be very, very prepared. Upon convincing the professor that you are worthy to be the member, you'll subjected to entrance interview and test, which is just as rigorous and depends on down to the policy of the department the lab belongs to. Yes it's easy to get scholarship up to a point you earn trust from the prof but in the test they will try to weed out those who don't have the basic concepts. Some universities have low acceptance rate even for Master and PhD level entrance.

I know you Nigerians are very hard-working given being in conductive situation. Good Luck.

Exodora:

Glad I can finally hear from you.
I have a bachelor degree in German language and Germany has always been my idea country for a master program, but right now I am finding it difficult. But then, Japan is the available opportunity for now. Would like to know about their education system and currency compared to Naira.

blackbriar:



Currency Exchange I yen equals 3 Naira.
Easier to get a job in IT Sector with low japanese skill.
Master sProgram is for 2 years , Research based.
You are allowed to work part time jobs

Gerrard59:


Exodora:

That was the post which gave me the confidence to apply. Before then, the aspect of travelling to Japan, write the entrance exam, returning to Nigeria and wait for the result deterred me. But you see that post? It triggered me. I applied, did research, had a notebook detailing the names of schools and professors' names etc. I called each professor's office by 9am Japanese time (1am Nigerian time) every week. I did every research. Maji just gave me assurances when I did not get an email. I never asked Maji to list schools or professors for me. I never asked him about the tuition fees. I did all the necessary research. So, it is your responsibility to do the same. In fact, all the African students I have met here did the same thing - they researched it by themselves. It includes Nigerians who are MEXT scholars, including a Nairalander.

There was no feeding bottle. Because to be honest, no one feeds you here. They expect you to know it from Day 1.

Gerrard59:


I have a bachelor degree in German language and Germany has always been my idea country for a master program, but right now I am finding it difficult.

So, what program do you intend to study in Japan? German? Blood of Abasi Chineke. The advice I can offer is to come in as a research student (研究生) in a related field. Let's say the Faculty of Languages or social sciences blah blah blah. There will be less coursework than being a master's student. After six months, you can apply to the same department (preferably) as an aspiring master's student. Alternatively, you apply to language school (if you are below 30), and run it for two years. Then apply to universities to study Japanese. You are a Nigerian aka black person. It will be totally ridiculous to study German in Japan because the economic opportunities don't demand German speaking skills. In fact, better to study Chinese or Korean or Bahasa or Vietnamese than German. The folks who will demand German skills (obviously very few) will be German companies. And a black man, especially a black African, is the last person they will hire when there are countless biracial children who are Japanese and have a European parent.

Ah! German BSc wanting to study in Japan? Make una dey fear God na. In fact, in my school, the students on the campus, which houses faculty of foreign languages, I no see any black person. The black folks here are mainly in hard sciences or social sciences. Those in social sciences speak pretty good Japanese or know that they have to radically improve their Japanese before they graduate.

But then, Japan is the available opportunity for now. Would like to know about their education system and currency compared to Naira.


Please start reading from the post I quoted to the end. I have explained the education system for you. In summary, it is research-based rather than taught. Meaning you will always be in the lab more than you will be in the classroom. In fact, from your second year, nothing concerns you with classroom. As for the currency, please use Google.

It is your responsibility to search for schools, study their application process, tuition fees, available scholarships, their contact emails, phone numbers etc.

Gerrard59:


Deposited . And the money should be there for at least three months until you receive your COE (certificate of eligibility). Check my previous posts on this page about the COE. Get admitted first. When you do that, let me know. Yes, IELTS/TOEFL is mandatory. Please re-read the post by the blackbiar moniker. Everything stated there is what you need. Begin searching for universities by yourself. I used "National Universities in Japan on Wikipedia" as my starting point. National universities charge the same tuition fees for both Japanese and foreigners. I think Tokyo Tech (now merged with another school) charged Y100K more than the standard.

lastkingsman:


@the bolded. You mean the money will be deposited cash in a domiciliary account in Japan?
(Modify) (

Gerrard59:


No. The money should be in the sponsor's account, most likely in Nigeria. If you're the sponsor, the money should be in your account.

lastkingsman:


Make sense now. The naira equivalent rate was it official mkt/black mkt? Is they any site one can use to officially calculate rate?

Gerrard59:


To be on the safe side, use black market rate. I never dealt with naira. Everything was in dollars as that is the currency most institutions work with. They convert whatever currency it is to dollars and then to yen. If you hold dollars for a long time, it benefits you as the yen is weak against the dollar. I don't know of any site, but use ￥100K - 110K per month as the base for Tokyo and the Kanto region. Any region outside Tokyo and surrounding areas will have a lower cost of living.

Note: You present ￥110K X 24 months as a source of living expenses to the school. The school then presents that information to the region's immigration bureau to process your Certificate of Eligibility (COE). Without the COE, you can't apply for a visa.

R2bees2:
Sir please do you know any Tokyo-Abj shipping agency can you refer me to one?

Gerrard59:


Like ship wey dey sail for water? If so, currently, no idea. But if something comes up, I will let you know.

Any other form of logistics, I recommend DHL.

P.S. Don't ever use NIPOST in anything logistics.

R2bees2:
Yes Logistics, from Edogawa, Tokyo to Abuja