r/Waseda

Hey everyone, I'm going for my exchange for Waseda this September and my brain is fried from comparing dorm options (my WISH application was rejected). Would really appreciate some outside perspective, especially from anyone who's actually lived in one of these

My top 3 right now:

1. DK House Nerima - rent ¥57k + ¥15k monthly fee, ¥30k move-in cost, plus electricity on top, plus ~¥17k for a 3-month commuter pass since it's about 40 min to campus. Comes out to roughly ¥77k/month. Reviews for this one are actually really good, which is reassuring, but the commute is definitely long

2. Hakusan House (Uninest) - shared room, 6 people, 40-50 min to campus. Bedding is included, there's a small gym, and the reviews I found were solid. But rooms are tiny and for 20 weeks it comes out to ¥385k + commute

3. Square Seibu-Yagisawa(Tohjin) - ¥85k/month all-inclusive (room rent, meals, utilities,), 40 min by metro to campus. On paper it looks decent since food is already covered, but I was not able to find any comments about it + long commute. is there other Tohjin dorm worth to take into account?

Also I was looking for XRoss shared aparts near Waseda, but someone booked this room in 10 mins after i have found it. I will try to find another, but for this moment only 4 is available for my moving time.

My actual question: has anyone lived in any of these three, or have opinions on which is the better deal overall (price vs location vs actually being a livable space)?

And separately about WID: I noticed some WID dorms are actually really cheap, like 75k with meals (WID Hanakoganei 2), which sounds amazing, but every listing I see has the price listed as a "2 year contract." Does that mean I'm locked into paying for 2 full years even if my program is shorter? Should I apply for WID if i'm going only on 1 semester?

Also open to any other suggestions ! !Thanks in advance to anyone who reads this wall of text 🙏

Hello everyone,

I urgently need your help.
This morning I received a rejection for a room (the three dormitories that are managed directly by the university).
I was absolutely certain I’d get a room, as that’s always been the message at our university.
The university has listed a few partners I can apply to, but I’m feeling really overwhelmed at the moment and don’t know what’s a good option and what isn’t. I’m really at the end of my tether emotionally.

Can anyone give me some tips or share their experiences? I’m also worried that I’ll lose touch with people there and end up spending my time on my own.

Thanks for your help.

PS: starting this year September, fall semester.

Except my essay and specs. I don’t even have my essay anymore🙏🏻

I applied for WISH and the email said that it will be out by 5pm JST on the ‘result announcement day’ but what day would that be? Based on the website itself, it might be announced in early August but I was wondering about the fixed date based on previous years (specifically September intakes).
Thanks in advance!

Hello!! I'm currently enrolled in the 1-year SILS exchange program, and I wanted to know if anyone knew of any internship opportunities available during the 2026-27 year (September 2026-August 2027).

I've been looking around on the internet and the search has been relatively unsuccessful considering the different nature of internships in Japan. I've asked my study abroad advisor and the SILS exchange advisor in Japan, but the opportunities are scarce and very competitive. I'm a rising junior don't have any prior experience and am not expecting acceptances, so I thought to turn to the Waseda community.

I was wondering if anyone knew who to reach out to within (or outside of) Waseda to get assistance with finding an internship? I want to gain work experience abroad, especially because I want to work internationally in the future. Or does anyone know of (or have) any leads on international internships? Thanks😊

Hi everyone,

I’m from India (Chhattisgarh) and I want to apply for the MEXT Undergraduate Scholarship 2027 through the embassy route.

My background:

• Recently passed Class 12

• Stream: Commerce

• My Class 11 and 12 marks are average / not very strong

• Complete beginner in MEXT preparation

• Dreaming of studying in Japan through MEXT scholarship

I’m honestly feeling very confused and lost right now because I don’t know where to start. But one thing I know for sure is that I’m ready to push myself to my absolute limits to achieve this goal. I’m willing to work extremely hard, stay disciplined, and give everything I have.

That’s why I’m here requesting help from seniors, MEXT scholars, or anyone preparing for this journey. Please guide me.

I really need help with:

• Complete roadmap for MEXT UG preparation

• Eligibility for commerce students

• Application timeline for 2027

• Subjects I need to study

• Best books / notes / study materials

• Previous year papers or mock tests

• Beginner-friendly study strategy

• Interview preparation

• How competitive MEXT is in India

Also, if there are any active communities, please share:

• WhatsApp groups

• Discord servers

• Telegram groups

• Any MEXT preparation communities

My questions:

1. Do I still have enough time to prepare for MEXT 2027?

2. Can a commerce student realistically clear MEXT UG?

3. Even with average marks, do I still have a chance?

4. What should my first step be right now?

Please help me with guidance, resources, or even honest advice. It would mean a lot to me.

Thank you so much 🙏

Hi! So I'm planning to apply to Waseda next year once I finish first year in my university.

Here's some of my profile: 1490 SAT; 7.0 IELTS; 7.5/10 GPA in High School; Third Prize in my province physics competition; Second Prize in my National Economics Olympiad. I don't have AP, IB or other stuff cuz they're hella expensive in my country

Is it a good base to start with? I'm planning to take a few more competitions and activities later on and also retake the SAT to get a better score

I don’t think I have a strong CV. I’m not from IB board, my grades are very average, some even below average. The only thing I that I can do rn is bring a good score in SAT, IELTS and write an excellent SOP.

Is there anyone who got into Waseda, even if your grades were low? Can someone please help me?😭😭😭

Im going to apply for EBSE mechanical engineering, i just wanted to know the daily timetable for the people, do the classes end at around 8pm everyday? If so, when will I get time to explore japan and enjoy it?

Hi everyone,
I’m looking for some advice about applying to Waseda SILS. I’ve been feeling a bit discouraged lately about my SAT and GPA, but I’m still really passionate about the program and genuinely interested in attending.
I’d really appreciate if anyone gave me some honest advice or anything I can do to strengthen my application moving forward. If anyone has gone through a similar situation, I’d love to hear your experience too. Thank you so much 😓