student visa in japan
Are you planning to study in Japan and need a student visa? With over 400,000 foreign students coming to Japan every year there is a variety of options. In this guide we look at the most popular programs for getting a student visa in Japan. We will also go over some techniques, tips, and strategies that can be used to make this process easier.
Visiting Japan? You will need a visa that meets your needs. The best way to find the correct visa is to visit the official website of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. You can get all information about the application, the cost and extra requirements for Schengen, UK, USA and other countries. This article is also a guide for people who want some practical advice in applying for a student visa in Japan.
A successful study abroad or internship in Japan requires some planning. This article will help you think about the things you’ll need to do for an educational stay in Japan, such as obtaining a student visa and preparing for your departure.
Japan is a popular destination for students and exchange visitors. There are many opportunities to study in Japan, including the Technical Intern Training Program (TITP), English Language Instructor (ELI) Program, and more.
If you wish to study in Japan, you should first obtain a student visa. A student visa allows you to stay in Japan for up to 1 year at a time. You can apply for a student visa directly at the Japanese Embassy or Consulate-General in your home country or any country where you reside. You will need to provide documents such as your passport, visa application form, passport photos, proof of financial support from your sponsor or institution, and other specific requirements based on the type of visa you are applying for.
Getting a student visa to study in Japan is a lot of work, but it’s worth it!
There are several steps you’ll need to take to get your student visa. We’ll break down the process below, so you know what to expect.
- Find an accredited college or university that offers programs taught in English and that accepts international students.
- Find out how much tuition costs and whether there are any scholarship opportunities available at your chosen institution. If there aren’t scholarships available, you may want to consider another school or one in another country (such as the United States).
- Make sure the school you choose is accredited by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). This ensures that all of its degrees have been approved by MEXT and will be recognized in other countries throughout the world.
Japan offers a variety of scholarships, research grants, and other financial aid opportunities for international students who want to study in the country. You can apply for student visas and work permits once you’re accepted into a Japanese university or language school.
The Japanese Ministry of Education (Monbushō) offers scholarships for international students who wish to study in Japan. The Monbushō also provides funding for other programs designed to promote educational exchange between Japan and other countries. In order to be eligible for these programs, you must have at least a high school diploma (or equivalent). Additionally, you must be between 18-20 years old if applying via the Monbushō’s “Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET)” program; however, some language schools may set their own age requirements on top of this minimum age requirement.
- Student Visa is a visa accepted by Japanese language schools, Japanese universities and vocational schools. The status of residence will be “Student”.
- The period of stay of a Student Visa is issued for 6 months up to a maximum of 2 years from the date of entry and depending on the studying period.
- You can renew your Student Visa and extend the period of stay depending on your enrollment period.
- Our period of enrollment with a Student Visa is up to 2 years.
- Part time jobs within 28 hours per week are possible if you have permission to do activities outside the one stated in your visa status. However, there are restrictions on the types of work.
- If you want to apply for a Student Visa you will need to submit all the necessary documentation to the Immigration Bureau in Japan through our school.
- It takes time to verify the documentation and about 6 months to obtain the Student Visa.
- Please, contact us as soon as possible regarding recessary documentation and procedures.
About Enrollment Period and Other Procedures Deadlines
| Enrollment date （Enrolment Period) *1 | April (2 years) | July (1year 9months) | October (1year 6months) | January (1year 3months) |
| Approximate Application Deadline* | Late October | Early February | Late April | Early August |
| Application Submission at Immigration Services Agency | Late November | Mid March | Early June | Mid September |
| Residency Grant and Payment | Late February | Late May | Late August | Early November |
| Apply to Visa at Embassy/Consulate | Early March | Early June | Early September | Early December |
*1 The study period at Harajuku Campus is 1 year or 2 years.
* Please note that admission will be closed as soon as each school’s capacity is full.
Application Procedure
| STEP 1 | Please send the admission application form and other necessary documents to the ISI Education Center, and after the application form is sent, you will be informed of the payment method. Please pay the examination fee by bank remittance or Flywire. To begin the admission process, you will first need to submit an admission application form and pay the application fee. |
| STEP 2 | ISI will apply for the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) at the Immigration Services Agency of Japan on your behalf. |
| STEP 3 | If ISI judges that you are eligible for admission, we will issue a Letter of Acceptance. If you are accepted, you will be able to use our student support portal site “Campusmate-J“ * and we will send you various information and documents through this site. |
| STEP 4 | After the COE is issued, we will issue an invoice for tuition and other fees and send it to you via “Campusmate-J”. Payment must be done by bank remittance or Flywire by the due date. |
| STEP 5 | After payment of the tuition fee, you will be required to take the placement test on the website provided by “Campusmate-J”. |
| STEP 6 | After confirming your payment, we will send you the original Certificate of Eligibility, Letter of Admission, Permit to Engage in Activity other than that Permitted by the Status of Residence Previously Granted. We will also send you information how to enter the school and points to keep in mind when entering Japan via “Campusmate-J”. |
| STEP 7 | Once you have received the documents listed in 6 above, please apply for a visa to enter Japan at a Japanese embassy or consulate abroad. |
| STEP 8 | Book your flight and send the E-ticket with the arrival flight and arrival time via “Campusmate-J” with the image attached as a file. |
| STEP 9 | Please come to school on the date of admission. If your accommodation is arranged by us, please make arrangements to enter the accommodation on the designated date. |
Japan Student Visa Requirements
When you apply for a Japanese Student Visa, you need several documents that support your application. The documents you need for a Japan Student Visa application include:
- Student Visa Application Form, which you can download from
- Your valid passport along with photocopies of it
- Passport-size pictures with the following specifications:
- Dimensions: 4cm x 3cm
- Taken within the last three months
- Plain white background, without any patterns and shadows
- You must be starting straight ahead, with a neutral facial expression
- Your face has to be fully visible
- The picture must be good quality (focused, clear, and sharp)
- The Certificate of Eligibility
- Letter of Admission into the Japanese educational institution, indicating the duration and details of the course
- Previous academic and/or professional qualifications, as applicable (diploma, transcripts, etc.)
- Proof you can meet the financial requirements for the duration of your stay in Japan. The financial requirements for a Japanese Student Visa are about 2 Million Yen for one year. You can show that you meet the necessary financial requirements through:
- Bank or income statements
- Proof of a Scholarship
- Proof you receive Financial Aid
- Letter of Sponsorship, if someone is sponsoring you, along with your sponsor’s proof of income and bank statements
- If required:
- Letter of Invitation and Letter of Guarantee issued from your educational institution
- A Motivational or Cover Letter, written by you stating the reason for your travel
You also have to send documents several of these documents to your school so they can apply for the Certificate of Eligibility.
Keep in mind:
- The documents have to be printed on A4 paper
- Consult with the Embassy or Consulate whether you should submit copies of the documents or the originals. In some cases, your documents will not be returned to you.
- This is not an exhaustive list of requirements. The Embassy or Consulate in which you apply can request any additional documents, as per your specific case.
Conclusion
Japan has a general visa exception arrangement with more than 50 countries around the world. You can see the list in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. If you are a citizen of one of these countries and you need to visit Japan for a short period of time, you are allowed to stay visa-free for a period of 90 days.
However, all international students need a Japanese student visa during their study stay in the country. In order to obtain a study visa, your admission university needs to be the sponsor. Keep in mind that you are not allowed to work during your studies unless you get permission from the university or immigration office and you are allowed work for a particular amount of hours per week.
Japanese Student Visa: What steps you need to follow
The moment you get your admission results from your Japanese university, it is time to start gathering all the necessary documents and translations of the documents you will need for your student visa application.
The Japanese visa procedure is more complex than in some other countries and can take more time than expected, so make sure you are prepared. For more information, visit the nearest Japanese embassy or Consulate in your home country or navigate through the official website of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
One prerequisite for obtaining the Japanese student visa is the Certificate of Eligibility (COE). Obtaining the certificate is only the first step of your application, note that it is not the visa itself. The second one is the actual submission of the application for the Japanese visa which includes other documents as well.
As for the Certificate of Eligibility, it is your school that’s in charge of issuing the certificate’s application on your behalf. You have to send them the required documents before, though. The application process for a Japanese Certificate of Eligibility can take up to three months, but stay positive, it can take less time!
You will need the following documents for your Japanese Student Visa application:
- The Student Visa Application Form, signed by you and the nearest Japanese Embassy or Consulate.
- A valid passport and photocopies of the passport.
- Passport sized pictures taken within the last three months.
- The Certificate of Eligibility (COE).
- A letter of admission, letter of invitation or letter of guarantee from your Japanese university, stating exactly the study objective and duration of the studies.
- Previous academic or professional qualifications such as transcripts and diplomas.
- A motivational letter.
- Proof you can meet the financial requirements for the duration of your studies in Japan. You can prove this by providing bank or income statements, proof of scholarship or a letter of sponsorship of financial aid from a third party, in case someone is supporting you throughout your studies.
All documents must be printed on A4 paper. Ask your Embassy if more detailed documents are needed for your visa application and consult them in case you need to submit original documents or copies. For your Japanese student visa, you apply directly to the Japanese Embassy of your home country.
After your arrival in Japan with a student visa, you will receive a Landing Permit and a Residence Card. These are very important documents and the moment you receive them upon entry, you have two weeks to report your stay at the local municipal offices.