Excellent employment opportunities for international students

Japan is the world’s 3rd  largest economy and home to many famous multinational companies in the technology, automotive and manufacturing sectors. With Japanese companies being active around the world, knowledge of the Japanese language and business culture can be extremely beneficial for your future career both in Japan and abroad. It is well known that Japan faces demographic pressures as its population continues to shrink and age rapidly. This is creating great employment opportunities for international students who graduate from Japanese universities.

There are skill shortages emerging in many industries and increasing competition amongst companies for workers who are bi-lingual and tri-lingual. Most companies will still require fluency in Japanese which you can attain while studying at a Japanese University. However, there are an ever-increasing number of jobs that do not require you to have JLPT N1 level Japanese.

Japan has a very welcoming set of immigration policies towards skilled labor. Unlike some countries which limit the number of years a graduate can “stay back” in the country, international graduates of Japanese universities can renew their work visas as many times as they like, so long as they remain in employment. There is also a points-based path to permanent residency now in place in Japan which grants extra points to international students who have graduated from a Japanese university.

At many Japanese universities, international students pay the same fees as Japanese domestic students, this helps to make Japan a more affordable destination than many other G7 nations. The Japanese government supports international education through its JASSO (Japan Student Services Organization) and MEXT scholarships. In addition to this, most universities have their own academic merit scholarships that you can apply for. At MAC we have four tiers of academic merit scholarship available, you could receive a four-year waiver of 25%, 50%, 75% or 100% of your tuition, facility and equipment fees. Applying for a scholarship at MAC is as easy as submitting an extra essay with your application to MAC.

According to Times Higher Education, the average tuition cost for an international student at a typical public college in the US is $26,290 USD per year. A typical private non-profit college would charge $35,830 USD per year. In comparison, the yearly tuition cost of a Japanese university is around one half to one quarter the cost of a US university. Tuition fees will vary between different universities so be sure to check the rates at the particular universities you are interested in. International students in Japan also have the ability to work part time up to 28 hours a week during semester and up to 40 hours a week over vacations, again making studying in Japan a more financially viable option than many other countries.

Safe and secure, with an excellent medical system

Japan is one of the safest countries in the world. The crime rate in Japan is extremely low, with minimal rates of drug use. The Economist Intelligence Unit ranks Tokyo and Osaka as the world’s 1st and 3rd safest cities respectively. While Japan does have natural disasters from time to time, it also has very high building standards. Japan’s natural propensity for earthquakes has brought forth centuries of innovations in earthquake-resistant technology, putting Japan at the forefront of safe infrastructure in the world.

Japan was also the first country in the world to enshrine environmental protections into law and continues to have very strong food safety regulations. According to the World Health Organization, the Japanese have the longest life expectancy in the world, thanks in part to Japan’s excellent medical system which you will have access to as a student through the very affordable national health insurance system.