General Japanese Course

General Japanese Course

A rare opportunity to study in the smallest group classes of any accredited Japanese language school! This innovative premium Japanese course that started in 2022 lasts for between 1 year and 18 months, and prepares you for working and living in Japan. Exciting classes focus on communication skills for daily life, and innovative teaching methods make every day at school a joy!

Student visas are available for citizens of most countries, and the course starts 4 times a year. I.C.NAGOYA will guide you through the otherwise difficult student visa application process. Please note that due to visa restrictions, not all nationalities can be accepted. This course is also available to people with other long-term visas such as working holiday, spouse or dependent visa.

Who is this course for?

  • People who aim to work in Japanese companies abroad or companies in Japan
  • People who plan to live in Japan.

Note: If you plan to attend a Japanese university or college after graduation, we recommend our Comprehensive Japanese Course

Course details

  • 20 lessons per week
  • Classes Monday through Friday, 40 weeks a year
  • Maximum 8 students per class *
  • Starts in January, April, July and October
  • Study from one year to 18 months in total
  • Student accommodation available at extra cost

* may be 9 students during peak season for a maximum of 1 week

  • The curriculum and content of this course is provided by GenkiJACS, a group company of I.C.NAGOYA.

    Click here for details
Begin your application!

Am I eligible?

If you are applying for a student visa, you must meet these requirements:

  • Education

    You must have completed at least 12 years of education, or the equivalent.

  • Funds

    You or a family member must have enough savings to pay for tuition and living expenses (at least 1,350,000 yen total for a one-year course).

  • Application

    You must apply before the visa application deadline.

  • Study

    You must be able to show that you are serious about studying Japanese.

What makes this course special?

The Comprehensive Japanese Course is designed for people who are serious about wanting to master the Japanese language and improve their Japanese ability.

  • Intensive, varied lessons: classes will use your time fully, offering pairwork, discussion, projects and more

  • Hi-tech classrooms: Projectors, tablets and more mean classes can use multimedia content to maximize learning

  • Individual care: Staff assist you according to your goals and abilities

  • Specialized curriculum: classes teach not just the language, but also the culture and history, for a full understanding

Study Program

JLPT CEFR
Advanced (20 weeks) N1 C1
Pre-Advanced (10 weeks) N2-N1 B2
Intermediate II (20 weeks) N2
Intermediate I (20 weeks) N3 B1
Beginner II (19 weeks) N4 A2
Beginner I (16 weeks) N5 A1

Start Dates and Application Deadlines

This long-term Japanese course starts every three months, and runs for one year or 18 months. The Japanese government sets visa application deadlines roughly 5 months* in advance of the start of study, so make sure to apply early! (If you don’t need a student visa, the application deadlines below do not apply.)

Start month Application deadline
January Previous August
April Previous November
July February
October May

*Specific application deadlines may change depending on the Japanese government. If in doubt, contact us to confirm

Schedule

Classes are held Monday to Friday, in either the morning or the afternoon, depending on your level.

  • Morning classes

    9:30 – 13:10

  • Afternoon classes

    14:05 – 17:45

Weekly lesson structure

For beginner levels

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
Grammar/conversation 100min 1 L1①
Homework		 L1③
Homework		 L1⑤
Homework		 L2①
Homework		 L2③
Homework
2
Grammar/conversation 100min 3 L1②
Homework		 L1④
Homework		 L1⑥
Homework		 L2②
Homework		 L2④
Homework
4
Monday
Grammar/conversation
100 minutes
1 L1①
Homework
2
3 L1②
Homework
4
Tuesday
Grammar/conversation
100 minutes
1 L1③
Homework
2
3 L1④
Homework
4
Wednesday
Grammar/conversation
100 minutes
1 L1⑤
Homework
2
3 L1⑥
Homework
4
Thursday
Grammar/conversation
100 minutes
1 L2①
Homework
2
3 L2②
Homework
4
Friday
Grammar/conversation
100 minutes
1 L2③
Homework
2
3 L2④
Homework
4

For intermediate and above levels

  • Multi Purpose: JLPT Kanji vocabulary, grammar, reading and seminar
  • 4 skills: Proficiency (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking)
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
Multi Purpose 100min 1 JLPT Grammar Kanji JLPT Grammar Seminar JLPT Grammar
2 JLPT Vocabulary JLPT Reading JLPT Vocabulary JLPT Vocabulary
4 Skills 100min 3 L1 ① L2 ② L3 ③ L4 ④ L5 ⑤
4
Monday
Multi Purpose
100min		 1 JLPT Grammar
2 JLPT Vocabulary
4 Skills
100min		 3 L1 ①
4
Tuesday
Multi Purpose
100min		 1 Kanji
2 JLPT Reading
4 Skills
100min		 3 L2 ②
4
Wednesday
Multi Purpose
100min		 1 JLPT Grammar
2 JLPT Vocabulary
4 Skills
100min		 3 L3 ③
4
Thursday
Multi Purpose
100min		 1 Seminar
2
4 Skills
100min		 3 L4 ④
4
Friday
Multi Purpose
100min		 1 JLPT Grammar
2 JLPT Vocabulary
4 Skills
100min		 3 L5 ⑤
4

After classes, students spend their time studying at school, working at their part-time job, doing their homework at home, and enjoying life in Japan with their friends.

Cost

1 year

¥ 1,120,000
  • Entrance examination/Registration fee¥50,000
  • Tuition¥1,070,000

18 months

¥ 1,570,000
  • Entrance examination/Registration fee¥50,000
  • Tuition¥1,520,000

All costs include sales tax.
If applying for a course longer than one year, generally only the first year’s fees are billed initially.

PROCEDURE: FROM APPLICATION TO GRADUATION!

In white are the steps you need to complete, and in blue, the steps the school needs to complete

  • Step 1

    Fill out our contact form

  • Step 2

    We confirm you are eligible, answer your questions, and send the formal application

  • Step 3

    You send the completed application form and supporting documents, as well as pay the application fee

  • Step 4

    If we need any further information, we contact you. Otherwise, we send your application to the government

  • Step 5

    If the government approves your application, we contact you to confirm

  • Step 6

    You pay the tuition fees

  • Step 7

    We send your CoE (certificate of eligibility) to you

  • Step 8

    You take the CoE to the Japanese Embassy, to have it stamped into your passport

  • Step 9

    You book your flight to Japan

  • Step 10

    You come to Japan, and start your study with us

  • Step 11

    After 1 to 2 years of study, you graduate and receive your certificate

  • Step 12

    The start of the rest of your life in Japan!

What do students do after graduation?

  • Getting a working visa

    If your plan is to obtain a work visa after your study with us, most of the time, companies will ask that you have the JLPT N2 (or above). This can vary depending on the industry you target, but the N2 level is very often the norm and what companies require. In some industries, you will also be required to have some experience back home.

    On top of this, in order to be eligible for a work visa, you will need to have at least a B.A degree from a university in either Japan or your home country.

    If you do not have a B.A degree, it will be required that you have at least 10 years of experience in your field, and dpending on which field, the immigration will review applications on a case by case basis.

  • Entering a university

    If your goal is to enter a university after graduating with GenkiJACS you will need the following:

    • JLPT N2 or N3 depending on the university
    • Obtain the Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU), which is a special entrance exam similar to SATs. You can find more information on the JASSO website

    Japanese B.A degrees are, for the vast majority, a 4-year program. Obtaning a B.A degree from a Japanese university will make you eligible to apply for a working visa if you do not already have a B.A from your home country.

  • Joining a vocational college

    Vocational colleges are usually 2-year programs and easier to acces than universities in Japan. However, easier does not necessarily mean easy, and you would still need to have the following to join one:

    • JLPT N2 or N3 depending on the university
    • At least a 6-month study at a Japanese language school (like I.C.Nagoya)
    • Obtain the Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU), which is a special entrance exam similar to SATs. You can find more information on the JASSO website

What Do Former Students Think of the Course and School?

The class sizes are small so you are able to get a lot of speaking practice and you’re able to build a better relationship with the teachers. Because of this the teachers are able to access your skill level and put you in the best possible class.

The staff are also very helpful and ready to answer any questions you have about Japan no matter how small. This makes moving to a new country much less stressful. Even before I arrived in Japan the Nagoya staff answered any and all questions I had about the school, classes and moving to Japan in general.

10/10 would recommend.

- Cassie

Learning here is such an amazing experience! Surrounded by like-minded classmates, sensational teachers and staff; the school atmosphere is exciting and encouraging. It really pushes my drive to learn and study Japanese!

Everyone is kind and helpful, from questions about classwork, to even about life in Japan; the staff and teachers guided me through every step! I was worried about going overseas by myself for the first time to study, but it was a very smooth process, and I was taken care of very well.

- Nicole

Other Important Points

  • This course has competitive enrollment, and we cannot guarantee that you will be accepted. Even if accepted by the school, we cannot guarantee that the Japanese government will grant you a visa.
  • The Japanese student visa has several restrictions, including at least 80% attendance, and academic progress and testing requirements. If you do not meet these requirements, you may not be able to continue your study.
  • With the school’s permission, it is possible to work part-time in Japan while studying on this course, as long as your work does not interfere with your study.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Unfortunately, the Japanese government makes taking a Japanese proficiency test a requirement of the student visa, so you will need to take this test during your study with us.

  • Yes, you are allowed to work for up to 28 hours per week during term time, and up to 40 hours per week during your holiday. However, remember that your primary goal is to study, so please do not allow work to interfere with your school hours.

    Of course, working in Japan could be fun and if you would like to try, due to our scheduling we ask our students to find a part-time job that will allow you to work on weekends and after 18:00 on weekdays.

  • A good number of our students have found employment after studying with us. It does depend on your level of Japanese at the start of your course. Most jobs in Japan ask for a university degree and at least a JLPT 2 level of Japanese.

  • While we can provide you with some support in finding a job, including advice, writing your CV, and preparing for your job interview, we cannot arrange a job for you or promise that we can find you a job.

  • Yes, you can! It requires a high level of Japanese, of course. We are happy to do what we can to help you achieve that goal. We should mention, though, that our Comprehensive Japanese Course is better suited for people who want to enter a Japanese school of higher education.

CONTACT FORM

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