Is conversational Japanese enough for studying engineering in Japan?
Conversational Japanese is a useful starting point, but it is not necessarily enough for an engineering program taught in Japanese. You will generally need stronger reading and listening skills, as well as kanji and academic vocabulary, to follow lectures and textbooks, understand technical terms, write laboratory reports and exam responses, and discuss technical matters with instructors and classmates. Requirements may differ in programs that use English alongside Japanese, so check the official information for the program’s teaching language and expected level.
Key points
- Engineering requires subject-specific terminology in addition to everyday Japanese, including terms from mathematics, physics, and the relevant field.
- The ability to read textbooks, lecture materials, laboratory instructions, and exam questions, and to write reports and exam responses, is important.
- Check the program’s teaching language and Japanese requirements with the expectation that you will participate in classes and submit coursework.
Things to check
- The required Japanese level varies by university, faculty, program, teaching language, and year of study.