Here is a list of Frequently Asked Questions about life in Japan.
Q: What countries do the students come from?
A: As of November 2010 we have students from 14 countries; China, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Sweden, Vietnam, Congo, the Philippines, USA, Indonesia, Australia, Turkey, Germany and France.
Q: What kind of schedule do the classes follow?
A: There are 5 periods per a day, Monday through Friday. The timetable of the lessons is as follows; morning classes from 9:00 to 13:10, and afternoon classes from 13:40 to 17:50.
Class placement depends on your Japanese ability.
Subject such as mathematics and English are offered in addition to the regular course for those who are interested. (you must pass an entrance exam, and the tuition for those subjects are not included in the tuition fees for the general Japanese course.)
Q: How can a student work part-time?
A: If you have a Short-time stay visa, you are not allowed to work.
Student visa holders can work in the allowed types of industries within the given time after getting permission from the immigration office.
- 〈Examples of prohibited jobs〉
- Any work involving entertainment and amusement industries
- ex.) hostess bars, darkly lit coffee shops, bars, or gambling establishment such as mahjong parlors or places which have pachinko or slot machines
- 〈Working hours〉
- 28 hours per week, (During school holidays, such as summer holiday, winter holiday and spring holiday, the limit is 8 hours per day.)
- 〈Requirements for applying for permission to do a part time job established by ECC〉
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- Students who get good scores on the term test conducted 3 months after their entrance.
- Students who have attended at least 95% of classes.
- Students can apply for permission if you meet the above 1 and 2 or all requirements from 1 to 3 below.
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- Students who have studied at least 6months at ECC.
- Students who have attended at least 90% of classes.
- Students who have exhibited good behavior.
If you work without permission, work for a prohibited business or work more than the specified working time, it will be considered illegal and you may be punished by deportation, imprisonment or a fine, and you will be expelled from ECC.
Q: How much does it cost to live in Japan?
A: It depends on how students live.
It costs between 80,000yen and 100,000 yen per month if you live simply.
It costs between 30,000 and 50,000 yen for housing, and 25,000 and 35,000 yen for food, plus transportation, incidentals etc.
Please note that after arriving in Japan, you will have to pay a deposit for housing.
Q: What happens if a student gets hurt or sick?
A: There are a lot of hospitals around the school. Many hospitals employ staff who can speak English, Chinese, or Korean. At the orientation we will hand out a school handbook written in each language, which gives the names of the main hospitals, their addresses, telephone numbers, and includes some maps. If you become sick, the school staff can give you information about hospitals, so please don't worry.
As for medical bills, students who have a Student Visa can use the national health insurance. We will explain how to obtain the national health insurance after you come to Japan. This insurance covers 70% of the medical bill, so you have to pay only 30%.
Unfortunately, students on a Short-stay Visa are not eligible. We recommend that you obtain insurance in your home country.
