Association of International Education, Japan (AIEJ)
Sakura Japanese Language School
College of Social Sciences & Humanities, Vietnam National University - Ho Chi Minh City

Consulate General of Japan in Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City

October 30 (Wed.) and 31 (Thu.), 2002

Nha Hat Ben Thanh (06 Mac Dinh Chi. Quan 1, Ho Chi Minh City)

1,873 (previous Fair: 1,970)

(1) Opening Ceremony

Date & Time: Oct. 30 (Wed.), 1 to 1:30 p.m.

(2) Booth Consultation
Date & Time: Oct. 30 (Wed.), 1:30 to 8 p.m.; Oct. 31 (Thu.), 1 to 8 p.m.
Venue: First floor hall, Nha Hat Ben Thanh
No. of Booths: 49 (45 universities (incl. junior colleges), 1 Japanese language institute, Consulate General of Japan in Ho Chi Minh City)

(3) General Orientation
Date & Time: Oct. 30 (Wed.), 2 to 4:10 p.m.; Oct. 31 (Thu.), 2 to 4:10 p.m.
Venue: Second floor theater, Nha Hat Ben Thanh
No. of Seats: Approx. 300
Program:
(1) Promotional videos on study in Japan: "We're Bringing Reality to Our Vision" and "Invitation to Japan"
(2) Overview of study in Japan
(3) Briefing on scholarships and related topics
(4) Description of experiences in studying in Japan

(1) General Orientation
• Necessity of taking the EJU
• Documentation submitted for visa applications (particularly related to financial circumstances)
• How to find materials for studying Japanese
• Part-time job situation, especially with regard to income
• Living expenses in Japan
• University tuition
• How to find research advisors at graduate schools

(2) Booth Consultation
• Scholarship programs (Monbukagakusho scholarships, scholarships available prior to arrival to Japan, etc.)
• Japanese language institutes, Preparatory Japanese language programs at private universities and colleges
• Procedure for acquiring visa to enter Japan to take entrance examinations
• Details on the EJU
• Universities that accept applications from overseas (incl. universities offering pre-arrival admission)
• State of inter-university exchange agreements
• Systems for transferring to Japanese universities
• Graduate schools (many inquiries related to sciences and international trade)
• How to find research advisors at graduate schools
• Universities that offer courses taught in English
• Living expenses in Japan
• Criteria for determining the superiority of universities and Japanese language institutes
• Studying at special training colleges
• Health insurance

This year's fair was held in the atrium of a building that did not provide sufficient air conditioning, so there some complaints from participating institutions about the heat, but from the viewpoint of the visitors, the venue offered a casual, easygoing atmosphere, and thus helped to draw a large turnout in spite of the fair's weekday scheduling.
As there are numerous Japanese language learners in Ho Chi Minh City, many of the visitors were able to directly ask questions in Japanese without the aid of an interpreter. As expected, the large economic gap between Vietnam and Japan prompted a very large number of questions regarding scholarship programs, and the EJU was another frequent topic of inquiries, reflecting the high level of interest in this examination.
Since AIEJ does not have an office in Vietnam and there are no associations of alumni from study-in-Japan programs, information on study in Japan is in very short supply in Vietnam, compared with other nations that have longer histories of participation in the Japan Education Fair program. Consequently, most of the inquiries dealt with basic matters, and local institutions asked that the fair continue to be hosted in Vietnam.

(1) Hokkaido University
(2) Kitami Institute of Technology
(3) Hirosaki University
(4) Iwate University
(5) Tohoku University
(6) The University of Tsukuba
(7) The University of Tokyo
(8) Tokyo Medical and Dental University
(9) Tokyo Gakugei University
(10) Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology
(11) Tokyo Institute of Technology
(12) Ochanomizu University
(13) National University of Electro- Communications
(14) Yokohama National University
(15) Niigata University

(16) Nagaoka University of Technology
(17) Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
(18) Nagoya University
(19) Nagoya Institute of Technology
(20) Kyoto University
(21) Kyoto Institute of Technology
(22) Osaka University
(23) Nara Women's University
(24) Nara Institute of Science and Technology
(25) Wakayama University
(26) Okayama University
(27) Hiroshima University
(28) Yamaguchi University
(29) Saga University

Local Public University (1)
(1) Iwate Prefectural University

Private Universities (15)
(1) Aomori Chuo Gakuin University
(2) Kanda University of International Studies
(3) Reitaku University
(4) Keio University
(5) Kokushikan University
(6) Takushoku University
(7) Chuo University
(8) Tokai University

(9) Tokyo University of Agriculture
(10) Musashi Institute of Technology
(11) Waseda University
(12) Asahi University
(13) Chukyo Junior College
(14) Nanzan University
(15) Kyoto University of Art and Design

Japanese language institutes with preliminary courses authorized by Monbukagakusho: (1)
(1) Shinjuku Japanese Language Institute