Language School or Bekka → Graduate School

Study at a Japanese language school or bekka first to strengthen your Japanese and prepare for a graduate school application.

  • Who it suitsJunior college or university graduates holding a degree who meet the eligibility of the target graduate school, or students who wish to strengthen their Japanese before departure.
  • DurationThe language school or bekka stage usually lasts one to two years, and the master's course usually two years.

Route overview

Japanese study Research and subject preparation Master's application

Who it suits

Students who wish to continue on to a master's degree and meet the eligibility requirements of their target graduate school.

Preparation and documents

Academic records, language scores, and research plan or subject materials. Whether to contact a supervisor and take a subject exam should be confirmed with each program.

Good to know

Here graduate school means the master's course; doctoral programs are listed separately. A language school, bekka, or non-degree research student status does not equal admission to a master's course.

Six-step roadmap

  1. Confirm Eligibility and Goals

    First check the eligibility, graduation timing and required preparation for graduate programs, and clarify your research direction and target schools.

  2. Choose and Apply to a Language School or Bekka

    Choose the preparatory course based on your goals, learn about the support it offers, and prepare and submit the application documents.

  3. Complete Procedures and Depart for Japan

    Complete admission, certificate of eligibility and visa arrangements, and enter the chosen course according to the intake schedule.

  4. Language Study and Exam Preparation

    Strengthen your Japanese and prepare your research plan, subject exams and other documents required by the program.

  5. Apply and Take the Selection

    Separately apply to the graduate program and take the written exam, interview or document screening as required.

  6. Enter the Target Program after Passing

    After passing the selection, enter the master's course at the graduate school.

EJU and preparation courses

EJU (Examination for Japanese University Admission) assesses the Japanese ability and basic academic skills needed to apply to undergraduate courses in Japan. Confirm the subjects and score requirements of your target university first, then plan Japanese and subject preparation.

EJU foundation courses：EJU Japanese, EJU academic Japanese and EJU Japanese basics.

EJU subject courses：Liberal arts: comprehensive subject and mathematics. Sciences: mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology. Choose the subject combination required by your target university.

EJU high-score courses：Intensive reading, listening, listening-reading and writing; plus comprehensive liberal arts, Mathematics 1, Mathematics 2 and science subjects.

You can learn about EJU and related courses; whether to study them depends on your own plan. Requirements for this stage are checked separately, and EJU is not a general admission condition.

Learn about EJU courses Free study-in-Japan consultation

Related links

View related universities See the full process Back to all paths

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