Difficulty Finding Study Abroad Options as Adult Student & Scholarship Opportunities

Hello,

I'm an American currently exploring the possibility of studying in Japan next year, but have found it difficult to find options for adult students.

I already have an undergraduate degree, as well as a master's degree; I only want to study the language and culture given my long standing interest in Japan. I took some Japanese in High School, and did my exchange there, but that was a long time ago and I've lost my skill in the language.

Most of the options I find online are for current undergraduate or graduate degree-seeking students. But I did find two options that could accept me, for a year-long Japanese course. These are:

– Sophia University

– Waseda University

I came across these schools through my old undergraduate alma mater, which has exchange partnerships with both. Would anyone here have experience with these schools? Was it a good experience? They're located in Tokyo, which wasn't my preference as I assume that it's a very expensive city.

Finally, given the cost of living abroad for a year or longer, especially in Tokyo, I was also hoping to find scholarship opportunities. Would anyone happen to know if they exist for adult students such as myself? Or are individuals on a student visa allowed to work and earn some spending/grocery money?

Thank you for reading, and sharing any insight!

by SoCalBeachTramp