Student Interview with Meng Hengyu | ISI Japanese Language School

Meng Hengyu

From China
JUQ, a college preparatory school within the ISI Group

Tama Art University Graduate School
Graphic Design
Degree Program in Art, University of Tsukuba
Graduate School of Art, Nihon University
Communication Design
Kyoto University of the Arts
Graduate School of Information Design and Product Design
Admitted

Hello! Could you please introduce yourself?: Hello, everyone! I am from Wuxi, Jiangsu Province. I enjoy making Zine and drawing illustrations in my free time. I began attending a preparatory school in my third year of university and moved to Japan in July 2025. In total, I spent about a year and a half preparing for the entrance examinations.
How did you learn about JUQ, and why did you choose our school?: I learned about JUQ through a friend’s recommendation and online research. After taking a trial lesson, I found that the instructors were highly knowledgeable about the admissions system for Japanese art universities, particularly in guiding students through research proposals and interview preparation. That was why I chose JUQ.
Which university did you graduate from, and what did you major in? Why did you come to Japan, and why did you choose this university and field of study?: I graduated from the Department of Visual Communication Design at the Shanghai University Academy of Fine Arts.

I came to Japan because the country has a well-established system and aesthetic tradition in fields such as graphic design, book design, and visual narrative. I have spent many years researching the visual representation of pain, and Japan’s culture of mimetic words and its emotionally expressive approaches are highly significant to my research.

I chose Tama Art University because it excels in graphic design and because my prospective supervisor’s research interests closely aligned with my own.
Could you tell us about your overall preparation process for the entrance examination? When did you begin preparing, how long did you spend on it, and what kinds of efforts did you make?: Throughout the preparation process, before coming to Japan I completed three works, including my graduation project, passed JLPT N1, scored 890 on the TOEIC, and prepared ten sets of the documents required for application, including academic certificates bearing my university’s official seal. Each work took about three months to complete, while my graduation project took five months in total. I began studying Japanese as a hobby in high school, and after deciding to come to Japan, I took online courses and studied it systematically. I took the TOEIC on short notice during my fourth year of university because the University of Tsukuba required an English language score for application. After arriving in Japan, I focused on preparing my portfolio and research proposal. I completed the final draft of my research proposal in about two weeks, but continued revising and refining my portfolio throughout the admissions period. I had never practiced writing in Japanese before coming to Japan, and I only began seriously preparing for the written essay examination one month before taking the Tama Art University entrance examination. For interview preparation, I first took JUQ’s online course and continued participating in mock interviews until shortly before the examination.
Do you have any advice on creating a portfolio?: Since I originally had only a small number of works, after arriving in Japan I added two pieces related to the subject of my research proposal. My final portfolio included five completed works, along with other pieces I had created as an undergraduate.

I printed the entire portfolio at home using an inkjet printer and bound it myself, which allowed me to adjust the pages and content whenever necessary.
What challenges did you face while preparing for the entrance exams, and how did you overcome them?: The greatest challenge was that the application deadlines were extremely tight and there were many documents to prepare, so I was constantly worried about whether I would be able to complete everything on time. I was also not comfortable speaking in front of others and had hardly ever written essays in Japanese, which made both the interviews and written examinations feel very stressful. To address these issues, I carefully reviewed each university’s application guidelines multiple times to ensure that no documents were missing. I also prepared some of the necessary certificates in advance while I was still in China to avoid last-minute confusion. For both language preparation and interviews, I actively took part in my preparatory school's mock interviews and VIP program. Through repeated practice in expressing my ideas logically and organizing my responses effectively, I gradually gained confidence and was able to successfully complete the entrance examinations.
What kind of support did you receive from the JUQ instructors during that time?: Throughout the preparation period, the academic staff proactively coordinated my class schedule, checked my overall progress, and continually encouraged me. Whenever an application deadline or examination date approached, they went through the schedule and required documents with me one by one to make sure nothing was missing, which was very reassuring. I am truly grateful for their support. When it came to specialized instruction, the Japanese instructors were highly demanding about the quality of students' work and showed a strong sense of responsibility. Whether it was revising my portfolio, writing essays, or participating in mock interviews, they provided specific questions and practical suggestions tailored to my research topic. This helped me develop a clearer understanding of my research logic and how to express my ideas effectively, significantly improving my skills.
Could you tell us specifically about the university’s entrance examination?: For the Graphic Design program at Tama Art University, applicants must first pass the essay examination on the first day before they can proceed to the interview the following day. The essay examination lasts 90 minutes, and although the topic is fairly unpredictable, you are generally expected to write based on your own research proposal. The interview is brief, lasting only ten minutes, with two faculty members serving as interviewers. You are first asked to introduce yourself and explain why you are applying, followed by questions about your plans after graduation and other related topics. The atmosphere is relatively relaxed, and the faculty members are kind and engaged. They look through your portfolio during the interview and ask questions about your work as they go.
How did you feel when you were admitted to all four schools? Why did you choose your preferred school, and which school did you ultimately decide to attend and why?: When I received the admission offer, I was truly thrilled. It felt like my efforts had finally been recognized, which gave me a great deal of confidence. In the end, I chose Tama Art University because I had always wanted to study at an art university and immerse myself in a professional research environment.
Looking back on your journey to admission, what three keywords would you use to describe the entrance examination process, and why?: “Thinking,” “Expression,” and “Perseverance”

Throughout the admissions process, I continually asked myself what I truly wanted to research and how I could express it more effectively through my work. At the same time, I repeatedly practiced putting my intuitive and emotional ideas into words through clear logic, particularly developing my expressive skills for interviews and essays in Japanese. Despite the limited time and intense pressure, I remained persistent, revising my research proposal and portfolio repeatedly until the very end. In the end, my perseverance paid off, and I was able to earn admission.

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