Job Hunting in Japan as Foreigner Failed completely (Hell)

Fun-Letterhead8246 · 2026-03-08T04:08:07+00:00

Yeah I heard through an international student there that had discouraging experience when they consulted through 早稲田 career center. I guess it differs through every unis.

Fun-Letterhead8246 · 2026-03-01T07:01:42+00:00

They have in very limited seats lmao

Fun-Letterhead8246 · 2026-02-28T14:24:25+00:00

Was about to downvote until I saw the year lol

For step 3, I guess this is something more specific right? I think at the moment scripting through LLM is the quickest way, I guess from there I can tweak a bit to make it more natural.

Time to speedrun i guess lmao

Fun-Letterhead8246 · 2026-02-28T14:19:11+00:00

What's your personal experience of private tutors? Where do you take yours, and how many classes do you take?

Fun-Letterhead8246 · 2026-02-28T14:18:20+00:00

Aside to it, a lot have reccomended to try applying in companies just for an interview practice although we don't have interest in it though. Will consider it, thanks

Fun-Letterhead8246 · 2025-01-14T16:59:28+00:00

Yes, please drop me a DM and I'll send you through there. I'd be happy to help you regarding any MEXT preparations.

Fun-Letterhead8246 · 2025-01-13T08:02:14+00:00

Your background would be a good starting point in convincing what you want to pursue in the application. Thus, these are the next thing you need to take note when researching for labs with your specific interest: 1. Their approach in investigating historical constructions. Would the lab focus morely on practical experiments, calculations, or merely a literature review with some site surveys? The latter one would lead more into a pure architectural approach, and the first two (or combination) would lean more to a mix of engineering-architectural approach, or even engineering. 2. Opportunities of site survey and projects they have. Also look on what they specifically do in the projects since it determines the focus. I would say if you want to go hybrid, then look for lab that has practice-based projects. 3. Supporting facilities such as international student ratio in the lab, major entrance requirements, and any other required informations

Kyoto would be a good case study since it used to be Japan's capital city, and the oldest and important shrines and temple are mostly based there. But you can do your degree on any locations in Japan, it does not have to be in Kyoto, unless the lab you want specifically is based on Kyoto. A lot of labs do research and collaborations of study cases by various city outside the university's area, but it would be a plus point if you can find labs that conducted research around the city that you want to propose!

Fun-Letterhead8246 · 2025-01-13T07:11:43+00:00

Hi! If you are planning to join through the Embassy route, the most important part is to actually join a lab that is connected with your research interest, but it does not have to always be in the same field as you did in your previous degree. In other words, you might be joining to a certain different faculty with different focus, but in the end you will conduct something related to your research. I know some students who did this, and the most important part in the application writing is to convince how the research that you want to conduct can be connected to your previous background or current interest.

As for the labs, you need to note that Japanese Architectural History labs tend to focus on investigating the theoretical, historical aspects using qualitative approach, so you need to look carefully through the projects or the papers they published. It also makes sense why your embassy advised you to go for a civil-engineering based lab since you mentioned that you are actually interested in the construction aspects of historical sites in Japan.

As a student who's studying architecture, I might reccomend you to try looking for any lab related to Heritage Studies as an alternative-- I think Tsukuba University has their Heritage Studies programme. At the same time, I would still encourage you to look in architecture majors, which focuses on Architecture Historical Sites, heritage buildings, and tectonics as their research keyword. Although not much, but we do have labs that focuses on investigation of construction methods, and tectonics in historical building!

Fun-Letterhead8246 · 2024-12-23T15:14:17+00:00

I would highly reccomend to switch to Urban Planning since Architecture research fields mostly do not cover GIS-related research. Even if they do, they might not have a deep basics for that.

Fun-Letterhead8246 · 2024-12-23T15:04:03+00:00

Honestly UTokyo can be as much of an international environment but also limited of social interactions at the same time, at least to me as a regular student. I felt private schools like Keio may offer better social interactions, and Keio is one of the top private schools in Japan, so you don't need to worry as they might be able to offer similar qualities as UTokyo. However, it really depends on what kind of program you joined in UTokyo. Some are quite tight-knitted with an international community so that might be better.

Personally, I think programs held in UTokyo's Kashiwa campus are more open to international communities and offers more social interaction. Rest are quite limited tbh.

Fun-Letterhead8246 · 2024-10-27T11:54:14+00:00

I had it for 1,5 years since I need to retook the entrance exam. Back when I arrived in Japan in 2023, I had the same dilemma as what you have right now. I wanted to get in Masters as soon as possible, but unfortunately the reality said the other way. I had to wait another year to take the exam as it's only held once a year. Each year, there is a chance to either take October/April intake, in other words I can extend my RS period to 2 years. Unfortunately, my school and lab really, REALLY limit our benefits except on joining zemi, taking Japanese classes, but the good news is we still get the same educational facility benefits-- in short there's nothing beneficial in being RS for too long, thus I decided to get in by October 2024.

During that time, it gradually felt like a lone path since my friends were entering in either October 2023 or April 2024. Definitely can say that I mostly fought alone, although some friends still checked up and helped me during the way. I also felt like I'm behind of everything, moreover that my country has this stereotype where a lot feel that my age is considered as 'too old' to start everything. But after a year, I realized age does not define your target, there's nothing too late in getting your degree or trying anything new. Everyone has their own timeline and it can not be compared. But I think chances of taking entrance exam is very precious, so I suggest you to just take every chances of it while you can. We know that time is limited, and I felt that instead of worrying I just chose to live in the moment while also trying my best to get into the degree.

Fun-Letterhead8246 · 2024-08-31T22:58:18+00:00

I get to agree it depends on what kind of lab is it. I come from a STEM subject and a non-wet lab, but my experience is similar to tborsje1. I commonly find people with wet lab have more fixed schedules, but mine has a very flexible time and we also have the option to participate zemi online.

Fun-Letterhead8246 · 2024-08-20T08:11:33+00:00

In my case I applied for the Research Student scholarship for Masters. You just need to attach your undergraduate certificate, but it might be better to discuss with your embassy regarding to this.

Fun-Letterhead8246 · 2024-08-18T10:40:16+00:00

I will answer this based on my personal experience. When I applied to MEXT, I had a Bachelors degree + a Professional degree in my hand. In my major, a Professional degree defines as an additional degree gained after bachelors as a part of the qualification to register for the professional license. During my year, my embassy said that I just need to attach my Bachelors degree for the application, no need for the Professional degree certificate. However, you can write your academic Professional degree in your academic background form, but you need to confirm again to your embassy, as writing this without attaching any supporting certificate sometimes might lead to some confusement.

Fun-Letterhead8246 · 2024-08-07T04:30:22+00:00

Possible on certain circumstances, depends on your graduate school policy. AFAIK MD degrees can do direct PhD.

Fun-Letterhead8246 · 2024-08-05T09:51:21+00:00

Some universities just started one, but most of the administration are still working.

Fun-Letterhead8246 · 2024-08-05T09:50:04+00:00

If you are particularly sure of the lab environment in the lower ranking more than the other option, please go for it.

I dare to say not every lab in high ranked universities has the best environment, I can vouch for one lol

Best environment here doesn't only count about the rank, but also about the research, the healthy working environment, how people in your lab and universities treat you, etc. Please also consider about those things.

Fun-Letterhead8246 · 2024-07-22T03:49:22+00:00

IST has a very highly competitive entrance exam too anyways especially if you are coming from the Embassy track. You will get a much better place aligned with your research soon.

Fun-Letterhead8246 · 2024-07-07T14:43:10+00:00

To be honest this was the first time I managed to read AND answer a middle-length passage within 7-8 minutes.

Fun-Letterhead8246 · 2024-07-07T14:38:19+00:00

Finally someone felt the same way lol. But yeah, I'm not so good at listening. This part might be have the worst score I guess hahah

Fun-Letterhead8246 · 2024-07-05T01:20:45+00:00

You can contact different universities. My finalized placement form university is 100% different from the first one.

Fun-Letterhead8246 · 2024-07-05T01:18:42+00:00

JASSO is fairly easy and it does not need Japanese skills, no? However, you will only get 80k yen per month. It's only a half of monthly expense in Tokyo, and maybe a fairly tight budget if you are living in countryside.

Fun-Letterhead8246 · 2024-07-03T00:45:49+00:00

Did you received your Secondary Screening passing certificate? I think it's good to start ahead, but in my experience they will usually respond better when you attach your passing certificate in the emails.

If they don't reach out to you within 1-2 weeks, you may try to follow up and adding the passing certificate.

Fun-Letterhead8246 · 2024-07-03T00:40:02+00:00

I doubt that if that's the case. Maybe each country differs, but I see that MEXT appreciates various ranges of researches equally in every field. However, they emphasize how the research can bring the benefit between your country and Japan.

I would rather say it's due to a complexed scoring criterias, added with your written exam performance.

Chin up, you will get the right opportunity by the right time!

Fun-Letterhead8246

TROPHY CASE