If studying in the land of the rising sun is your big dream, keep in mind that even if you don’t speak Japanese, it is still possible to take a complete undergraduate or graduate course in the country. Obviously, only Portuguese will not be enough, but it is possible to study in Japan in English, since several universities in the country offer courses taught completely in the most important language in the world.
To give you a taste of what we are talking about, we have separated in this text three great universities to study in Japan in English.
Tokyo University
We couldn’t start this text any other way! The University of Tokyo, known as Todai, is the best institution of higher education in the country and has a multitude of programs available in English, mainly at graduate level.
University graduate
In the undergraduate field, Todai, through the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, offers (since 2012) programs taught entirely in English on the Komaba campus, one of the institution’s five campuses.
The initiative, known as PEAK (Programs in English at Komaba), consists of two programs: the International Program on Japan in East Asia and the International Program on Environmental Sciences. Both are open to students who have completed high school in languages other than Japanese.
No knowledge of Japanese is required to be admitted and enrolled students come from different countries around the world, including Brazil, the United States, South Korea, Russia, Iran, Poland and Australia
PEAK students study Liberal Arts in the first two years of the program and then move on to two more years of specialized studies (Japan in East Asia or Environmental Sciences). These programs can also be attended by Japanese students, which represents the university’s attempt to create bonds between foreign students and local students.
The Global Science Course (GSC) is Todai’s transfer program. The premise here is that students who have completed at least 2 years of undergraduate studies at foreign universities outside Japan are admitted to the institution’s third year of Science College (in programs taught in English). Upon completion of the course, the student receives a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Tokyo, not the home university.
And the best part is that those approved in this program still receive a monthly scholarship of 150,000 yen and free accommodation.
Postgraduate studies
In the postgraduate field (master’s and doctorate), Todai offers courses entirely in English in 10 of its post-graduate schools, including Science, Medicine, Economics and Agriculture. The highlight, however, is the graduate school in Engineering, which has no less than 9 programs taught entirely in English.
Sofia University
Also located in Tokyo, Sofia University is a private Jesuit institution that was the first in Japan to offer programs taught exclusively in English. There you can also find opportunities in the language both at undergraduate and postgraduate level.
More specifically undergraduate, available programs are found at the Faculty of Liberal Arts (Comparative Culture, Social Sciences or Economics and International Business), at the Faculty of Science and Technology (Green Engineering or Green Science) and in the Program for Sustainable Futures (International Relations) , Journalism, Management, Economics, Sociology and Education).
In graduate school there are master’s and doctoral programs in the following areas:
- Green Science and Engineering
- Global Studies in Environment
- Education
- Global Studies and Japanese Studies
Finally, some programs are exclusive only at the master’s level:
- International Business and Development Studies
- Linguistics (TESOL: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)
Hokkaido University
Although the capital offers more options, it is not necessary to reside in Tokyo to study in Japan in English. The University of Hokkaido, in the city of Sapporo, has an impressive list of academic programs for international students.
The options (undergraduate and postgraduate) are structured around nine main areas: Engineering, Agriculture, Sciences, Modern Japanese Studies, Integrated Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Life Sciences, Veterinary Sciences and Chemistry and Materials Sciences. Check out more information about each of the courses available in the university’s English program manual.
