Hey everyone, I’m trying to plan my long-term move to Japan and could use some grounded advice from people who’ve actually studied or worked there.
Here’s my background:
- I’m 20 years old and currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in History from a central Indian university.
- My academic stream is Humanities, but I’ve been self-studying programming, Excel, and data analytics since this year.
- I’ll soon start my jlpt prep (planning to reach JLPT N2 or N1) before moving to Japan.
- My long-term goal is to build a career in Japan in fields like IT, Data Analytics, or Finance-related tech (basically the intersection of business and technology).
- I’m considering Senmon Gakkō (vocational schools) because they seem more job-focused, but I’m unsure how they compare to universities when it comes to:
- Job opportunities & salary potential
- Visa stability
- Career growth
- Acceptance of non-science students
My tentative plan looks like this:
- Finish my degree by 2027
- Reach JLPT N2/N1 level by then
- Possibly study a vocational IT or data-related program in Japan to break into the job market
But here’s where I’m stuck.. I don’t have a STEM background or a formal tech degree, only skills and certifications.
So my questions are:
- Would a Senmon Gakkō (especially for IT/data/business IT) realistically help someone like me find a stable job in Japan?
- Or should I instead target a university program, even though it’s longer and more expensive?
- Have there been cases of non-STEM international students successfully entering IT or finance via vocational schools?
- How do work visa and promotion prospects differ between Senmon Gakkō and university graduates?
- Any vocational schools that accept students witout deep programming background?
- Would it help if I first gain internship experience in India before applying to Japan?
by Own-Philosopher572