< See All PostsCS grad looking to move to Japan, is language school → Master's → job the right path?
by Fun-Goat1377 on Apr 6, 2026
Hey everyone, long post incoming but I'd really appreciate any honest input from people who've been through this.
I finished my CS degree in 2025 and my original plan was to move abroad after graduation. Australia was my first choice but the visa requirements have gotten really tough and it's just not realistic for me right now. I explored a few other countries too but kept hitting walls with requirements, costs, or competitiveness.
So now Japan is on my radar and the more I research it the more I think it could genuinely work. But I want to make sure I'm not planning this the wrong way.
Here's the path I've been thinking about:
1. Attend a Japanese language school to get my Japanese to a functional level
2. Apply to a Master's program in CS or a related field — ideally while targeting a scholarship like one you can get after enrollment
3. Use the degree + language skills to land a tech job and eventually settle here
My questions:
- Is this path actually viable or am I overcomplicating it? Would going straight for a Master's without language school first be better?
- For scholarships you get after enrolling in a Japanese university — how competitive/accessible are they really for international students?
- Is Japanese genuinely necessary for tech jobs or can you get by with just English?
- Anything important I should know that isn't obvious from just Googling this?
I know this is a long-term plan and I'm okay with that. I just don't want to be two years into language school and realize I made a strategic mistake early on. Any experience or advice would mean a lot. Thanks 🙏
Comments
by milo_peng on Apr 6, 2026
The obligatory why Japan?
Assuming u are English speaking, you get better traction in HK, SG, to some degree, Malaysia if it is just about better salaries.
Japan is hard mode since you waste more time and money on language school, and a job as fresh foreign grad is unlikely to pay well, provided you can even find one in the first place.
by Fun-Goat1377 on Apr 6, 2026
Like I said, Japan is on my radar not my one and only goal. My goal is to do a master's first then a Job so I'm looking at both of these things.
And I'm asking these questions because I had a conversation with someone who's from japan about it and they said it's not that bad in japan.
Since this sub is about japan, I'm asking questions about Japan.
by punkgeek on Apr 6, 2026
Why do a masters first? I'm a (mostly) retired CS person but I've been a sweng/eng mgr/eng director for a long time. Unless there are visa or particular educational gap reasons, almost always a CS masters adds little. Certainly adds little wrt the 'first' job. We typically treated it as equivalent to 2 yrs work experience.
by Fun-Goat1377 on Apr 6, 2026
Isn't it the most logical thing to do? Ik it's become a tradition going abroad doing a master's but wouldn't it help? Unless I'm directly going for a job?
Cus there'll be a gap due to the language school when I apply for the jobs?
by punkgeek on Apr 6, 2026
IDK. Most hiring managers just scan over and ignore the MS and consider the resume/candidate just based on mostly their most recent job or what projects they did in school (and to a much lesser extent which school). Rather than take an extra two years to get a MS you could just say "I decided to spend x months at a language school because I verymuch want to work in your company."
YMMV but spending two years on a resume line that most reviewers skip over IMO might not be best.
by Fun-Goat1377 on Apr 6, 2026
If I do come to Japan, I'll be taking admission in ISI Tokyo. I'll be paying the first year's fee but after that I'll have to manage on my own, with part time work. Will this be viable? Will I be able to manage?
by Easy_Mongoose2942 on Apr 6, 2026
No. Its impossible. U can only work max 28 hours/week under student visa sustaining ur monthly living with it is already hard enough. Especially when things are not as cheap as before.
by Fun-Goat1377 on Apr 6, 2026
Really? So even after the first initial amount of let's say 1 million yen that I pay before arriving in japan, I won't be able to afford the rest with part time jobs?
by milo_peng on Apr 6, 2026
The other person's point is a CS masters, whether taken in Japan or else where isn't likely to increase your employability.
As someone in the same field, I agree. You are better off stacking professional certs to learn new languages, frameworks, infra. AI.
by Fun-Goat1377 on Apr 6, 2026
Aight makes sense, but still gotta convince people around me about the masters part
by punkgeek on Apr 7, 2026
Or even better: just do good work on a popular open-source project that matches your passions. That's the real gold start for a jr. eng on a resume.
by milo_peng on Apr 6, 2026
>My goal is to do a master's first then a Job so I'm looking at both of these things.
For most people of your profile, living in Japan is the goal. The master degree and job are just a means to the end.
Since this sub is about moving to Japan, I am answering that you might have misaligned expectations.
The path is viable.
by Fun-Goat1377 on Apr 6, 2026
I started my post by saying my first choice was Australia 😅
So I'm looking at my options and Japan is one of them.
But I appreciate your honest advice, thanks a lot. I'd appreciate it if you'd wanna add something more 🙏
by milo_peng on Apr 6, 2026
If you are prepared to do a Master, wouldn't Australia be way easier?
You can get a student visa off the bat without dealing with language school.
by Fun-Goat1377 on Apr 6, 2026
Financially Australia is not possible for me otherwise that was always my top priority.
by Warm-Yam2234 on Apr 6, 2026
agree, not just because you have to learn a new language, but also adapting to a new culture. even if you are maxing out 28 hours of work, you can get by and still struggle to pay for tuition.
by Fun-Goat1377 on Apr 6, 2026
You're right about learning the new language part but other than that I have to look at options accordingly. Like I've said my main goal was Australia and other English speaking countries but due to financial requirements for the visa, they're a bit out of reach.
That's why I'm looking for other options.
by shiretokolovesong on Apr 6, 2026
Yes this is very possible, but bear in mind in Japan, where you go to school matters significantly more than what you actually studied. I attended a language school briefly before going to a nat'l university to research politics/sociology, and now I work for a Japanese tech MNC.
by Fun-Goat1377 on Apr 6, 2026
How long was your language school duration? From what I've gathered a 1.5- 2 years time. And for the university how much would you say was the sum you spent on both the language school and university?
How was your life like when you were studying and part time working?
by CookieNo7166 on Apr 6, 2026
Is your home country in south east Asia?
by Fun-Goat1377 on Apr 6, 2026
Yes
by sanashin on Apr 6, 2026
Yeah you can definitely get by with only English professionally - everyone here probably knows someone at Rakuten that did just that at some point lol
Generally I'd assume having 2 years of actual experience would probably beat trying to get to N2 from nothing in 2 years (easily doable by many, but also unachievable for many) - you're basically competing against Japanese with little (?) upside.
The other part is, think about how competitive you are as a graduate in your home country, then try to extrapolate that to Japan/Australia, just to be more realistic. If you are, then well that's good sign (although it might not translate). If you're not, then how are you making yourself competitive as a grad in Japan (or any other countries for that matter), apart from having a master?
It's commendable trying to move, but moving abroad is hard, especially somewhere you don't speak the language and don't necessarily have any other skills beyond a degree.
by Fun-Goat1377 on Apr 6, 2026
You're definitely right about the experience part. I've been working and got some internships as well. And working on my skills as well.
Moving abroad is definitely hard but at one point people have to make a choice.
But the things you mentioned are realistic and thanks for that
by batshit_icecream on Apr 6, 2026
Take note that there is much less scholarship opportunities now as the JST SPRING living expense support has become ineligible for foreigners.
by Fun-Goat1377 on Apr 6, 2026
Isn't that for PhD?
by batshit_icecream on Apr 6, 2026
I am sorry, you are right and I was mistaken!
by Candid_Key4636 on Apr 7, 2026
I use jobright for job searches, it's ok but took me a while to get used to it. Your path sounds viable, but language school before Master's could help ease the transition. Have you considered industry connections?
by tuxedocat2018 on Apr 7, 2026
Rather than master's I think you're better off getting relevant experience then language school. Master's from a good school can help however if your language still is not up to par it's not worth much. I think as a relatively new graduate it's much more important to build up your CV instead of master's.
