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VISA Support & Student Services

About Student Visa

The applicant can apply for a college student visa when she/he receives a certificate of admission from the Shobi College of Music, which is recognised as an eligible institution that administers the required attendance supervision of foreign students. If the applicant lives overseas, she/he must apply for a“Certificate of Eligibility” to the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau to get a college student visa.

※The following persons can apply for a“Certificate of Eligibility”on behalf of the applicant overseas.

  1. Staff at the Shobi College of Music
  2. A relative of the applicant living in Japan
  3. Guarantor living in Japan

As soon as the applicant receives a Certificate of Eligibility, she/he must apply for the college student visa at the Japanese consulate in his/her country.

Support for Students

Assignment of a faculty advisor

A faculty advisor is assigned to each student in every department. The advisor mentors the students on the best course of study according to students’ individual interests and future professional goals in their fields. All other teachers in the department also monitor students’ progress and are available to give counsel on problems in students’ daily life such as health matters. At Shobi, each student is given much personal attention.

Assistance in obtaining professional qualifications/grades

Shobi helps students apply what they have learned in the classroom and student life to their work in the real world by providing assistance in preparing for various outside examinations for general competency, as well as professional qualification/grades and certificates.

Use of the facilities, equipment and research materials (free of charge)

Shobi makes efforts to create an environment conducive to self-study. Students can use the facilities, various equipment and research materials from school for their self-studies and productions. Lesson rooms, various studios, and production rooms are all available for students’ use. Books, sheet music, journals, magazines and CDs are available. In the control room, students can perform/input and generate, record, and edit DTM, visual productions, voice sampling, and Web production. Equipment such as digital videos, video cameras, DAT, microphones, mixers, speakers, equalizers, compressors, and effectors are also available for the students’ use, free of charge.

Library

Our library has books, magazines, and other resources such as CDs and videos. Students can either view these materials in the library or they can borrow them. Using the Internet, they can collect audio and visual information on music. Under mutual agreements that Shobi has with other musical universities, students can access the music libraries of those schools as well.

Naxos Music Library

This is an Internet music library capable of streaming and playing back sound sources (with a concentration on classical music) from major labels. Shobi introduced this service around the same time as its introduction to Japan when Naxos Library already had a good reputation internationally. More than 210,000 pieces of music are available covering all periods and parts of the world. They can be used as course material. Students can also use them on their own.

Professional school counsellor

A professional school counsellor is available to offer counselling on mental/physical health issues, personal relations, and other problems in the student’s daily life. Personal information is kept strictly confidential. This service is also suitable for those students who feel uncomfortable discussing these issues with their faculty advisors and friends.

Student dormitories (Female/Male)

Shobi has several designated student dormitories under special agreement with reduced rent relative to the general market rate. (Shobi subsidizes the discount.). For more information, please inquire the International Exchange Center.

The Japanese language classes for international students (free of charge)

During the academic year 2011, the following three courses are offered to support students and help them improve their Japanese language skills.

  1. Comprehensive Japanese Language Course (This course is a JPLT Level 1 prep course.)
  2. Japanese Business Course (This course introduces business jargon which will be useful for job interviews and life after graduation.)
  3. Japanese Grammar Course (This course introduces and deals with grammar patterns commonly found on the N1 test.)

Support for international students

Together with a professional counsellor and classroom teachers, the International Exchange Centre offers a comprehensive counselling service to international students so that they can concentrate on their studies without any problems. Counselling starts during students’ preparation to enter Shobi, and continues (together with faculty advisors) throughout their student life at Shobi. The counselling includes academic and living advice, instructions and checking for the immigration procedures, and assistance with the procedures of applying for scholarships.

Annual Events for International Students

□ Orientation for International Students
In order to help international students get accustomed to school life in Japan, an orientation is held in the beginning of academic year.
□ Luncheon Party for International Students & Mini Concert
In May, a luncheon party is held for international students to get to know each other and associate with instructors. Through this party, students start to communicate with other international students in different majors and different years. Management staff members for the international student concert are also decided during the party. A mini concert by international students and several instructors follows the party.
□ International Student Concert
The International Student Concert is held in October every year. Students play various roles in the concert such as singers, musicians, dancers, PA and lighting staff, MC, time keeper, floor director, and public relations director. Through planning for the international student concert, they improve their knowledge and skills in their major fields. Through these ensembles, they come to associate with other students in different departments. This year, our 20th annual concert will be held in Studio BUCA (located B2F of the main building) on the 22nd of October.

POST GRADUATE CAREER SUPPORT

The graduates are working actively in various Music and Entertainment industries, and there are two different routes. They either get employed at management agents as an artist player, or as a staff to work in music and entertainment industries. In all cases, we support continuously with our scout systems in two ways, “Debut Center” and “Career Center”

Support from Career Center

  1. Counselling and Career Sheet: We are offering an individual counselling in all matters of post graduated career in regardless of the grade or degree. We’re also encouraging to apply for career sheet for receiving recent information.
  2. Job-get Mail: Career Center has post for hiring, part-time employee, and internship from the company. Also it’s possible to search for further information through Internet and job fair pamphlet. The legitimate applicants for Job-get mail (E-mail service for job information) are those who are in a finishing graduate year.
  3. Career Guidance: We are in an active service of career guidance of finding job with specific method, interview, and examination.
  4. Conducting lectures and examination for attaining various licenses: We support to help attain a license that is practical in the job field. Our Career Center is conducting lectures and examination to help you to be in a better position for employment.
  5. Offer a tool for employment: We have a reserve of specific application for SHOBI to turn in for company, production, and audition. Also, it includes a detail guidebook for how to fill out the application and the written practical advices for interview.
  6. Program for support of employment: For the reason to making sure of the employment for graduate, the Career Center is reformatting into serving the purpose to help getting familiar with awareness, knowledge, and action. We focus students on growing in an environment of social nature by having students to accept into various courses from employment to debut.

Support of Debut Center

The Debut Center supports to give higher rate of opportunity to earn the chances to debut in a mainstream by connecting school to the industry of music, various productions, and recording companies.

Holding S-1 Audition in campus

We offer twice a year (spring, fall) an S-1 Audition for students of SHOBI, and by this, we help debut. Also, we offer an audition for debut collaborating with the production or recording company. For the promotion of debut artist, we’re developing a broad ways in which they are promoted through cheer from music business class (Kasugagumi). Publication from free magazine called, “Recommend”, and distribution of CD to the concert halls and CD shops.

SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS

Scholarship Programs for International Students

□ Honours Scholarship for Private Foreign Students accredited by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology ※Amount of Grant was ￥48,000/month in 2011 and is intended only for 2nd (or upper) year students with recognized financial needs. Applicants should be excellent in both personality and academic records.
□ Kyoritsu International Exchange Scholarship
This scholarship is for students from Asian countries and regions. Students from Hong Kong with British passports cannot apply for this scholarship. Applicants should have obtained a certificate of admission from Tokyo Music & Media Arts Shobi by the end of January. Applicants should submit a letter of recommendation from their current or former schools, including Japanese language schools. Applicants should be excellent in both personality and academic records. In addition, applicants should be in good health and take interest in international understanding and friendship. The Kyoritsu International Exchange Scholarship is a highly competitive scholarship because the grant is 100,000 yen/month provided for two years. It is only available for students who plan to attend school for two or more years.
□ Kyoritsu Maintenance Foundation Scholarship
To be eligible, the student should satisfy the same conditions as the above Kyoritsu International Exchange Scholarship. ￥60,000 per month will be provided for one year. Those planning to be registered students for more than one year may also apply. The school can recommend a total of only one student with Kyoritsu International Exchange Scholarship and Kyoritsu Maintenance Foundation Scholarship combined. Shobi students were awarded these prestigious scholarships in the past.
□ Hashiya Scholarship
Only students with Indonesian citizenship are eligible. Provides 100,000 yen/per month until graduation. (Depending on the number of applications, the amount may be subject to change. There will be a review every year to continue receiving this support.) Only a small number of students receive this support.

SHOBI SCHOLARSHIPS

There are 2 kinds of scholarship for applicants, such as “Honour Student Scholarship” and “Unique Scholarship.” Applicants can apply for these scholarships before applying for admission to Shobi.

1) Honour Student Scholarship

This scholarship is for applicants who have already had experience, knowledge, or techniques in their major fields. In other words, applicants should show evidence that they have won prizes in competitions or auditions, or have excellent knowledge and skills. There are two types of Honour Student Scholarships: “Challenge” and “Selection.” “Challenge” is the self-recommendation type, and “Selection” requires a recommendation by someone who has professional knowledge, skills and experience in applicant’s major field. Application forms for this scholarship are attached in the brochure of Application Guide. Full tuition or half tuition will be exempted from the annual tuition and fees.

  • Application Period/ October 1, 2011 (Sat) to March 2, 2012 (Fri)
  • Screening will be done by audition or presentation during the campus visit days.
  • Result/
    • “SA” Recognition ( Full tuition will be exempted)
    • “A” Recognition (Half tuition will be exempted)
    • “B” Recognition (200,000yen will be exempted)

※Unique Scholarship cannot be applied together

2) Unique Scholarship

This scholarship is given more widely than the Honor Student Scholarship. Applicants should write on the application form what they gained from their experiences and what they hope to achieve. The application form for this scholarship is attached in the brochure of Application Guide. Part of the tuition will be exempted from annual tuition and fees.

  • Screening will be done by evaluating what the applicants wrote.
  • Application Period/ June 12, 2011 (Sun) to March 17, 2011(Sat)
  • Result/
    • ⅠRecognition ( 200,000 yen will be exempted )
    • ⅡRecognition ( 100,000 yen will be exempted )

3) Special Entrance Scholarship for International Applicants (Only for new students)

International Students are given a special 100,000 yen exemption from their enrolment fee at the time of registration. They must submit the “International Student Application Documents” and must be interviewed by staff at the International Exchange Centre.

4) Advancement Scholarship for International Applicants

Upon recommendation by their department heads, students with high standings are eligible for an Advancement Scholarship that allow for reduced tuition as they are promoted to the new school year level.