You only get out what you put in! Past Review

By (Deakin University) - abroad from 10/10/2018 to 12/21/2018 with

KCP International Japanese Language School: Tokyo - Intensive Japanese Language Immersion

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Just how many people are passionate and eager to the learn the language. Cultural exchange with classmates and learning more about Korea / China whilst having daily conversations in Japanese really increased my knowledge of Asia as a whole.

Review Photos

KCP International Japanese Language School: Tokyo - Intensive Japanese Language Immersion Photo KCP International Japanese Language School: Tokyo - Intensive Japanese Language Immersion Photo KCP International Japanese Language School: Tokyo - Intensive Japanese Language Immersion Photo

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

It's really, really intense, and asks a lot of you. But is well worth it if you put in the time and effort. Make sure to enjoy yourself too though, of course.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Support was always easy to access and get answers from whenever questions were asked.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I organised my own housing.

* Food:

There are vending machines at the school that are often raided in the morning. But the surrounding convenience stores and restaurants are great.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The school often has tours of areas around Tokyo and regular events including a weekend trip away to help explore and promote the local culture.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Administration are very helpful to the point they'll book and even go with you to the doctor if you need them to.

* Safety:

Tokyo is really safe. I haven't had any issues being here. As for advice, just don't do anything you wouldn't do in your home country. And use your common sense and intuition. You'll be fine.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Having an idea of how intense it actually is now would definitely help me prepare for better use of my time during the school semester.

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

As long as you're not lavishly buying the highest quality foods, you can easily get by on a budget in Tokyo.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 10,000 yen or so, but I do enjoy being social and going out.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Come with more money than you think you need. Try and meal prep if you can, but also convenience stores have a plethora of cheap food available too. Plan ahead, and you'll be fine.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

Classes were all in Japanese.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Beginner
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Intermediate
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Make plans to hang out with the other students who don't speak English. Most classmates aren't English speakers so try and hang out with them out of class to help practice your Japanese further. Also consider going out / using meetup groups to engage with more locals and continue your Japanese conversation practice

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Direct Enrollment

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Other
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Other
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • All classes in Japanese
  • Majority of classmates non-English speakers
  • Challenging content
* What could be improved?
  • More support for students mental health
  • More conversation practice
  • More focus on areas outside of the 'typical' places to go in Tokyo
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That it's actually as full on as everyone said it was going to be!

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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The Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.