The Engineering University to Go in Japan Past Review
By James Sato (Drexel University) - abroad from 09/29/2014 to 08/06/2015 with
Tohoku University: Sendai - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Gain insightful experience in different engineering cultures. This experience helps me better cultivate my engineering skills to work internationally and cross-culturally.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The best exchange experience I have had for engineering. They place you in a lab which you apply for during the application process from day one, and you do meaningful research for the entire year or semester. Tohoku is synonymous with the epitome of engineering academia in Japan. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Tohoku's JYPE program has everything you could want in an engineering exchange! They stick you in a lab for the entire year, giving you valuable lab research experience that employers will notice! They take care of your acclimatizing to Japanese culture, teaching both the language, as well as the cultural norms of Japan. There are many opportunities to get engaged with Tohoku University, and Sendai, the city Tohoku University is located in. |
Finances
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* 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $200 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Quickly find a 100 yen shop to get daily goods. Get a bicycle early to save on public transport. Utilize the grocery store to bulk purchase foods which you will eat on a regular basis. Utilize cheap food vendors such as Yoshinoya. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| 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 |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Japanese 101 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Learn the basics such as introduction and basic direction seeking. The JYPE program at Tohoku include Japanese language course that is one of the best I have experienced in the world! |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | How to live cheaply in Japan. (It really is possibly to live thrifty in Japan without feeling broke.) |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
