There are other options for higher education than colleges and universities in Japan. When translated into English, these non-college post-secondary schools, “senmon gakko,” cannot easily be distinguished from 2- or 4-year colleges. They offer vocation-oriented education and training such as animation and hospitality. Many of them use “technical college” in their English names.
Due to legal technicalities, schools that teach international students the Japanese language, “Nihongo gakko,” are not considered higher education institutions. If you decide to take this path, you must ensure that the school is eligible to educate international students under the decree of the Minister of Justice. Otherwise, you may not be able to obtain a residency permit for international students.
Most people who completed programs at Nihongo gakko will then attend four-year colleges. Students will be more confident in their language skills by studying Japanese in Japan before applying for colleges. They can use the time spent studying the language as the period to assess how determined they are to live and study in Japan. Nihongo gakko students can also work part-time, which is a big help in alleviating the cost of living.