Highlights of this article
- Why Alma Mater Exchange is the most cost-effective and smoothest way to prioritize your school.
- A year in reverse: what to prepare and when to prepare it, to avoid getting stuck at the last minute.
- Online + Paper Checklist
- Recommendation Letter Strategies, Resume and Biography Writing Essentials
- How I got my TOEIC score to 760 in practice
- Why go for Maternity Exchange first? Two Super High CP Value Advantages
- Annual Timeline Overview (Backwards)
- Application Requirements and Thresholds (Common Requirements)
- Application Process (Example from Chuo University)
- List of documents
- Reference Letter Strategy: Who Writes, When to Ask, How to Ask
- Autobiographies and Resumes: Letting Reviewers See Your "Lines" Quickly
- How I Got the TOEIC to 760: Replicable Practices
- Pit Avoidance Checklist (details of the most commonly deducted points)
- My Application Result
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for Readers
- Related Resources
- Read Next
Why go for Maternity Exchange first? Two Super High CP Value Advantages
- The most economical tuitionThe only thing you need to do is to pay Taiwan school fees, and most schools have grants or scholarships available to you.
- Transferable CreditsThe credits earned in Japan are expected to be transferred back to our alma mater, which will give us extra points for applying to graduate schools in Japan and abroad in the future.
If your alma mater has a list of partner schools, almost always make "formal exchange pipeline" your first priority.
Annual Timeline Overview (Backwards)
Take my experience of applying for the 2016 exchange at Central University as an example (Actuals are subject to announcements by the department office/international office.)
- 12-10 months ago
- Research Collaborating Schools and Departments; Confirmation of Quota, Language Thresholds, Credit Requirements
- Preliminary Preface and Rationale for Volunteerism
- Initiate Language Score Preparation (TOEIC/JLPT)
- 9-7 months ago
- Online application system open (normally completed within 1 month)
- Simultaneous preparation of paper materials: transcripts, parent consent forms, departmental recommendation compendiums
- Communicate letters of recommendation with professors you wish to invite (at least 4 weeks in advance)
- 6-5 months ago
- Payment of complete application information (online + paper)
- Check if interviews or replacement parts are needed, and keep in touch with them
- 4-3 months ago
- Admission Announcement and List Confirmation
- Entering the application, negotiation and visa preparation for the Japanese side (to be written in the next article).
Application Requirements and Thresholds (Common Requirements)
- Language: Most schools will require TOEIC 750+ or JLPT N2 or above (according to the announcement).
- Grades / GPA: As specified by each school, it is recommended to maintain at least the upper middle of the department.
- Quota and allocation method: according to the method of quota allocation and departmental recommendation.
Reminder: If you have not yet met the language threshold, you may submit your current scores with "proof of test enrollment + expected score delivery date" and ask if you will accept a replacement.
Application Process (Example from Chuo University)
- Online application (to be completed in about 1 month)
- Application Form, Chinese Autobiography + English Autobiography, Chinese Resume + English Resume
- Proof of language test, other proof of ability (competition, project, club)
- Paper copy (to be submitted to the Department/International Office)
- Application Form, Parental Consent Form, Two Letters of Recommendation from Professors
- Chinese and English transcripts, a copy of the language test, and a departmental recommendation form.
List of documents
- Online Application Form (Chinese/English)
- Autobiography (Chinese/English, 1-2 pages A4)
- Resume (Chinese/English, 1 page preferred)
- Certificate of Language Testing (TOEIC/JLPT)
- Other evidence of ability (competitions, projects, awards)
- Parental Consent Form (Signed)
- 2 letters of recommendation (Professor/Department Chair)
- Report Card (Chinese/English Version)
- Departmental Recommendation Compendium
Reference Letter Strategy: Who Writes, When to Ask, How to Ask
- Who will write it?: the professor, department chair, or project advisor who knows your academic performance best or who has mentored you
- When will you please: At least 4 weeks in advance; even more in advance of midterm and final.
- How to request (packet)::
- Purpose of Application and Preface to Volunteerism (1 paragraph)
- Curriculum Vitae + Autobiography latest version
- Transcripts and Representative Results (Reports/Projects/Competitions)
- Recommendation Letter Payment Method and Deadline (clearly marked)
Standard letter opening can be used as follows: "Hello teacher, I am xxx in grade ○○ of the Department of ○○, and I have taken your xxx course ...... This time I would like to apply for the xxx exchange, and I sincerely invite you to write a letter of recommendation for me."
Autobiographies and Resumes: Letting Reviewers See Your "Lines" Quickly
A thread to tie the story together:
"Experience → Insight → Strengthening → Goals → Specific things to do when you go to the other side of the school.
- Autobiography (1-2 pages):
- Why do you want to go to Japan (Opportunities and Learning Objectives)
- Professional experience (coursework, projects, competitions)
- Foreign Language Learning and Intercultural Experiences
- What do you want to learn at your target school and how do you want to continue when you return to your home country?
- Resume (1 page):
- Education, Highlights (Rankings/Scholarships)
- Project/Competition (Quantitative Results)
- Language and Skills (JLPT/TOEIC, Tools/Programs)
- Contact Information (Email, Cell Phone Number)
How I Got the TOEIC to 760: Replicable Practices
Before going to university, my English was not very good. The first time I took the TOEIC test, I scored just over 600 points. Then a classmate invited me to watch English movies at the language center, and I realized that learning English could actually be fun - no longer just for the sake of passing exams, but for the sake of understanding the plot and learning on my own initiative. Here are some replicable ways I built up my English skills during that period, and eventually raised my score to my goal.
- Reading: active reading of the original text, building academic language sense
- I forced myself to read original English books in the field of science and engineering, and although it was hard at first, reading a lot of books over a long period of time allowed me to quickly connect to the world when I went abroad to study, and also greatly improved my academic vocabulary and reading speed.
- Listening: Learning English with a photo album in three views is the most effective.
- First time (Chinese subtitles): Quickly catch big ideas and emotions to reduce frustration.
- Second time (English subtitles): Match Chinese meanings with English syntax, phrases, and word usage.
- Third time (with subtitles): It's all about listening, focusing on intonation, intonation and prosody to test true comprehension.
This method has helped me to improve my hearing recognition and oral perception in a short period of time. - Time: at least 90 minutes per day
- Spoken word: active practice and correction of pronunciation
- Although the listening and reading section of the DuoYi exam does not test speaking, I still practice speaking in the audio-visual room of the Central University Library (Self-Study Center) using MyET or the audio-visual classroom, and I make audio recordings to compare and correct my pronunciation. Practicing my speech early will not only help me in my life abroad, but will also greatly improve my confidence in language learning.
- Minor Update: The CKS Audiovisual Room is no longer in use as of November 1, 113, please see details.This WebsiteThe
- Practice exams: Finding weaknesses and adjusting time allocations through practice
- Regular practice exams near the time of the exam, not only to practice speed but also to examine the weaknesses of the question types, and to do categorization exercises and time management training for the wrong questions, so as to avoid losing points due to lack of time on the exam.
- The Key Mindset: Intensive and Continuous Training
- There are no shortcuts to language, but "6-8 weeks of intensive training" can bring significant results. Consistent, planned input (e.g., 90 minutes a day) is more useful than sporadic, passive learning.
Streamlined action plan (replicable implementation)
- Daily study time: at least 90 minutes (can be split into 30 am + 60 pm)
- Reading (30-40 points): Read the original English text or professional article on science and technology, summarize 10 key words and example sentences, and add them to Anki.
- Listening (30-40 marks): Choose a movie or short speech episode and use the three-times method (Chinese subtitles → English subtitles → no subtitles), memorize 5 new sentence patterns for the second time, and do 5 minutes of shadowing for the third time.
- Oral Speaking (10-20 points): 5-10 minutes of practice with MyET, recording, or speech partner, focusing on correcting 2-3 pronunciation problems.
- Practice test (once a week on the weekend or before the test): Do the complete TOEIC exercise, timed and analyzed for errors and time allocation.
- Review (weekly): Organize mistakes, review memory cards, and set goals for next week.
Tips (to improve efficiency)
- Do a second pass of control learning with a double-captioning tool (e.g., Language Learning with Netflix/YouTube).
- When listening intensively, take sentence-by-sentence dictation to identify weaknesses more quickly.
- Make a question bank of the 20 questions you get wrong most often and practice them over and over again.
- Record a 1-2 minute speech every 2 weeks and compare it to the previous recording for improvement.
Pit Avoidance Checklist (details of the most commonly deducted points)
- Request references 48 hours before the deadline (too late)
- Inconsistency between online information and paper version
- Confusing file name or no English file name.
- Autobiography only "want to go abroad to see", lack of professional links
- Failure to state the timeframe for the replacement of a language that does not meet the standard.
My Application Result
About a month or so after I paid the application fee, I was notified of the result of the internal selection process, and I was able to obtain an exchange place at Tokyo University of Science and Technology (the former Tokyo Institute of Technology). The excitement I felt at that moment is still unforgettable - and I am even more convinced that I am on the right path.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for Readers
- QCan I apply for the program if I haven't met the language requirement yet?
- A
You may send a letter with proof that you have taken the test and the expected date of delivery, and ask if you will accept a replacement. At the same time, you will be evaluated by either JLPT or TOEIC.
- QDo I need two letters of recommendation?
- A
Depends on the announcement of each school. If you need two letters, it is recommended that one letter should be on "Academic Performance" and the other on "Project/Competition/Leadership" to demonstrate your strengths in different areas.
- QWhat about a normal GPA?
- A
Supplement with "rank growth," "performance in difficult classes," and "project/competition results," and explain in your autobiography how you have made specific progress (quantifiable).
- QWhat's the best way to exchange for one year vs. six months?
- A
It depends on the goal of the program and the graduation schedule. One year is usually recommended for researchers, but if you just want to test the waters and experience Japanese culture and life first, you can try half a year first. If your target school is Tokyo University of Science and Technology (formerly Tokyo Institute of Technology), you can refer to my next article.
Related Resources
Read Next
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