Study in Japan

Colleges of Technology | Study in Japan

Colleges of Technology

Colleges of technology are higher education institutions and are also called kosen (高専). They offer a comprehensive five-year programme (a five-and-a-half-year programme for mercantile marine studies) for junior high school graduates. As a general rule, international students start from the third year of the college of technology’s programme, skipping the first and second years. There are 51 national colleges of technology (and 55 campuses) in Japan. There are also local public and private colleges of technology.

Eligibility for transfer admission
Students must satisfy any one of the following eligibility criteria (in the case of national kosen). 1)

  1. Students who have completed (or are scheduled to complete) 11 years or more of schooling in countries other than Japan
  2. Students who have successfully passed (or are scheduled to pass) an academic qualification examination that is equivalent to the completion of 11 years or more of schooling in countries other than Japan
  3. Students who have completed (or are scheduled to complete) studies at international schools in Japan that are officially recognized as equivalent to high schools in countries other than Japan
  4. Students who have obtained (or are scheduled to obtain) an IB diploma from the International Baccalaureate, a foundation whose establishment was based on the Swiss Civil Code, in countries other than Japan
  5. Students who have obtained (or are scheduled to obtain) an Abitur, a university admission qualification that each state in Germany can grant, in countries other than Japan
  6. Students who have obtained (or are scheduled to obtain) a Baccalaureat—a university admission qualification of France—in countries other than Japan
  7. Students who have completed (or are scheduled to complete) 11 years of curriculum at international schools in Japan that are accredited by any of the following international accreditation organizations: The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), Council of International Schools (CIS) or Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI)
  8. Students recognized as having academic ability that is equivalent to graduates of an upper secondary school or above

Note: With regard to 1) to 3) above, students who have not completed 11 years of schooling are required to complete a university preparatory course or a course at a training facility authorized by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, among other things.

Entrance examination
The National Institute of Technology determines the results by overall evaluation of the following items (recorded in 2018):

  1. Application form
  2. Results of Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU)
  3. Transcript of TOEFL®, IELTS or TOEIC® L&R
  4. Assessment of interview (conducted in Japan)

National Institute of Technology https://www.kosen-k.go.jp/english/

Features
  • Kosen offer education programmes to develop hands-on engineers with world-class expertise and the ability to handle the latest technology. There is a focus on lab work, practical work and hands-on exercises, as well as the acquisition of advanced theoretical knowledge.
  • Though most departments in kosen are related to the engineering field, mercantile marine departments that aim to develop mariners are also available.
  • Graduates of kosen are awarded the title of “associate degree.”
  • After a five-year curriculum, a two-year advanced course is offered to provide a higher level of education.
  • A student who has successfully completed a two-year advanced course after his/her graduation from the college of technology will be awarded a bachelor’s degree if he/she passes the examination set by the National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education (NIAD-QE).
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