“90% employment rate.” “Full support for international students.” “Reliable career assistance.” When you search for a school in Japan, you will find plenty of reassuring phrases like these. But what really matters is what those phrases actually mean.
First, be clear about why you want to attend school in Japan. Do you want to learn Japanese, enter a university, earn a qualification, or find a job in Japan? Different goals lead to different types of schools.
Next, check the school’s official status and what the program actually gives you. If it is a Japanese-language school, make sure it is eligible to accept students under Japan’s Student status of residence. If it is a university or vocational school, check exactly what degree, diploma, title, or qualification you will receive when you graduate. Do not choose a school based only on the name of the institution or program.
Tuition alone does not tell you the real cost. Entrance fees, textbooks, facility fees, insurance, and dormitory costs can make the total much higher than expected. You should also check the refund policy in case you cancel before enrollment or leave the school partway through the program.
Be especially careful with claims such as “90% employment rate.” That number means very little by itself. Were the graduates hired as full-time employees or part-time workers? What industries and types of jobs did they enter? Is the figure specifically for international students? Are graduates actually finding the kind of work you hope to do? The details behind the number matter more than the number itself.
The same applies to phrases such as “support with residence procedures.” Does the school simply tell you which documents you need, or will staff also help you prepare them and check them for mistakes? You should also find out whether classes are taught in Japanese or English, how much Japanese you actually need to follow the lessons, and whether extra lessons or individual support are available if you fall behind.
If you are applying from overseas, pay attention to what study-abroad agents tell you as well. Japanese public authorities have warned about dishonest agents who make false claims, such as saying that students can easily cover tuition and living expenses through part-time work and still send money home. To avoid arriving in Japan and discovering that reality is very different from what you were promised, compare what an agent tells you with the school’s own information and official public sources.
There is no need to assume that every school is untrustworthy. But if you are going to spend several years of your life and a large amount of money there, it is worth looking one level deeper. If a school says it is “strong at helping students find jobs,” ask where its graduates actually work and how many found those jobs. If it promises “extensive support,” find out exactly what that support includes. Choosing a school becomes much safer when you turn advertising language into specific facts.
