The study examined the effects of external factors affecting language learning strategies by Japanese college/university students learning English as a foreign language. Special attention was paid to the effects of entrance examination, experience of staying overseas, and years spent at college or university. A measure (a Japanese version of the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning) was administered to 315 college and university students. The analysis of data through various statistics showed that the entrance examination mostly had a favorable effect on the students' use of learning strategies in that they gave the students an impetus to try out a wider range of strategies. Staying overseas was found to have a favorable effect, providing students with a good opportunity to develop strategies of learning English through communication. Years spent at college or university, however, did not increase frequencies of using various types of learning strategies. (JL)