APPLYING TO UNIVERSITIES JAPAN cont.
NETHERLANDS
speaker.
The Netherlands was the first country on the European continent to widely offer programs taught in English. Higher education in the Netherlands is a binary system featuring research-oriented and profession-oriented institutions.
By law, Japanese universities can only enrol students who have a high school diploma following 12 years of schooling. Many universities are familiar with the IB diploma, but they will not accept scores for university credit. The same applies to AP exams. However, advanced classes and extracurricular activities related to your program of study will strengthen your application. How to Apply There is no one centralized application system in Japan. Most Japanese universities still operate on a paper-based application system, and it is important to read the detailed directions on each university’s application website carefully as you complete your paperwork.
Research-oriented programs are available at 13 public research universities. Among these research universities, some are general comprehensive institutions and others are universities of technology, specializing in technology, engineering or agriculture. Academic programs focus on theoretical aspects of the field of study and prepare students to undertake independent research. Many programs offer internships and study abroad opportunities; minors are also possible. Bachelor’s programs are typically three years in length. The vast majority of students continue on to complete a master’s degree, a process which typically lasts an additional one to two years.
When to Apply The universities in Japan do not have one single admissions deadline or intake date; some schools have multiple admissions rounds. Very generally, you can expect that intakes for Japanese-speaking programs will be in April (nearly a year after you graduate), and that intakes for English-speaking programs will be in September. You will need to check the admissions deadlines of each university individually. Some LAS students begin applying to schools in Japan as early as December or January of grade 12, but most applications will be due in the spring or early summer. Since our office will need to handle a great deal of paperwork for the Japanese schools, and since we must put everything physically in the mail, we ask that you give our office at least a month’s notice before you apply.
Over the past 20 years, Dutch universities have created university colleges, or selective honors colleges, that follow a liberal arts and sciences curriculum. These international programs are relatively small. Profession-oriented education, or professional higher education is offered by 36 universities of applied sciences. Universities of applied sciences offer programs specializing in a specific field of study. These programs prepare students for particular professions, tend to be practically oriented, and include internships and minors in the last two years of study. The programs lead to four-year bachelor’s degrees. Though less common than at research universities, students can continue on to master’s programs at universities of applied sciences. Graduates of these universities can also apply to research universities to complete a
