Japan

• First-year costs at national universities (about JPY 820,000) are lower than at private universities (about JPY 1,300,000).
• With permission you can work up to 28 hours a week during term and up to 8 hours a day in long holidays.
• After graduating you can usually stay up to a year to look for a job in Japan.
• Most universities admit students in April, and some also admit in autumn.

Teaching language

Japanese; some universities offer degree programmes taught in English.

Intakes

April is the main intake; some universities also admit students in autumn (September or October). For April entry, applications usually happen around October to December of the year before.

Bachelor's

4 years; 6 years for medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and some pharmacy programmes

Master's

2 years

PhD

Usually 3 years after a master's (5-year programmes are split 2 + 3); 4 years in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and some pharmacy programmes

Tuition

First-year undergraduate costs (admission plus tuition) are about JPY 820,000 at national universities, JPY 910,000 at local public universities and JPY 1,300,000 at private universities, excluding medicine, dentistry and pharmacy (Study in Japan, checked October 2026).

Apply directly to each university. Many undergraduate programmes ask for the EJU (Examination for Japanese University Admission) and Japanese-language results, while English-taught programmes ask for English scores. Start about a year ahead and submit applications 6–8 months before the start; once you are accepted, the school usually applies for your Certificate of Eligibility.

The Certificate of Eligibility is issued by a Regional Immigration Services Bureau in Japan, usually on an application made by your school as your proxy, and you use it to apply for your student visa and to enter Japan.

1. 1

   Step 1: Apply to your school

   Send your application and documents to the school about 6 to 8 months before you start, after registering for the EJU and any language tests the school needs. Then complete document screening, the EJU and the school's own entrance examination.

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2. 2

   Step 2: Accept your offer and pay fees

   You usually receive your admission acceptance letter about 3 months before the start, after which you pay your tuition and fees.

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3. 3

   Step 3: Send documents for your CoE

   In most cases your school applies for your Certificate of Eligibility as your proxy at the Regional Immigration Services Bureau, so ask the school which documents to send. You may need to prove your funding, for example with savings records and your sponsor's income records; processing usually takes 1 to 3 months.

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4. 4

   Step 4: Get a TB certificate if required

   Nationals of the Philippines, Nepal and Viet Nam (and of Indonesia from 4 January 2027) need a TB clearance certificate from a designated panel clinic in their country. It is submitted with the CoE application and is generally valid for 180 days from the chest X-ray.

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5. 5

   Step 5: Receive your CoE

   Your school sends you the CoE on paper or forwards it as an email, since the Immigration Services Agency can issue it electronically. Use it promptly: the CoE becomes invalid if you do not apply for landing in Japan within 3 months of its issue date.

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6. 6

   Step 6: Apply for your student visa

   Apply at a Japanese embassy or consulate with your passport, the visa application form, a photo and your CoE; a copy or the CoE email is accepted.

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7. 7

   Step 7: Arrive and register your address

   At the airport, show your passport, visa and CoE; major airports such as Narita, Haneda and Kansai issue your residence card on arrival, and you can ask for permission to work part time there too. Within 14 days of moving in, register your address at your municipal office.

   Official page (opens in a new tab)

Visa

Student visa (status of residence 'Student')

Your school usually applies for your Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) at an immigration bureau in Japan, and you may need to show your sponsor's savings and income. With the CoE, apply at a Japanese embassy or consulate with your passport, application form and photo. Nationals of Nepal, the Philippines and Viet Nam must also get a TB clearance certificate from a designated clinic, and Indonesia is scheduled to follow (certificates required from 4 January 2027).

Visa fee

About JPY 15,000 for a single-entry visa for applications from 1 July 2026, paid in local currency; the amount can differ by nationality.

While you study

With 'permission to engage in activity other than that permitted', up to 28 hours a week during term and up to 8 hours a day during long school holidays. Work in adult entertainment businesses is banned. You can apply at the airport when you first arrive or at a regional immigration bureau.

After you graduate

'Designated Activities' status for job hunting: after graduating from a Japanese university, junior college or graduate school (or a specialised training college with a diploma), you can change from Student to this status for 6 months, usually with one 6-month extension, and in some cases continue into a second year. Once hired, you change to a work status such as Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services.