Activities Covered by This Status of Residence (as described by the Immigration Services Agency)

Activities of receiving education at universities, colleges of technology, high schools (including the latter stage of secondary education schools), the upper secondary division of schools for special needs education, junior high schools (including the latter stage of compulsory education schools and the former stage of secondary education schools), the middle division of schools for special needs education, elementary schools (including the former stage of compulsory education schools), the lower division of schools for special needs education, specialized training colleges, miscellaneous schools, or institutions equivalent thereto in terms of facilities and organizational structure in Japan.

Examples: Students at universities, junior colleges, colleges of technology, high schools, junior high schools, elementary schools, etc. Also includes those studying in the upper secondary division of specialized training colleges or miscellaneous schools (including Japanese language schools).

For more details, please refer to the Immigration Services Agency page on "Student" Status of Residence.

Conditions for Obtaining a Student Visa

1. The applicant must fall under one of the following:
• (a) The applicant is enrolled at a university or equivalent institution in Japan, in a specialized course of a specialized training college, at an institution providing preparatory education for entry into a Japanese university for those who have completed 12 years of school education overseas, or at a college of technology, and is receiving education there (excluding cases where education is received exclusively by attending evening classes or by correspondence).
• (b) The applicant is enrolled at a university in Japan and is receiving education exclusively in the evening at a graduate school division of that university that holds its classes in the evening (only when the university has established an adequate system to manage the attendance status and compliance with Article 19, Paragraph 1 of the Immigration Control Act for foreign nationals in that graduate school division).
• (c) The applicant is enrolled at a high school in Japan (excluding part-time courses; including the latter stage of secondary education schools), the upper secondary division of a school for special needs education, the upper secondary or general course of a specialized training college, or a miscellaneous school or educational institution equivalent thereto in terms of facilities and organizational structure, and is receiving education there (excluding cases where education is received exclusively by attending evening classes or by correspondence).
2. The applicant must have sufficient assets, scholarships, or other means to cover living expenses during the period of stay in Japan. However, this does not apply if someone other than the applicant covers the applicant's living expenses.
3. If the applicant is to receive education as a research student or auditor exclusively by attendance, the applicant must fall under Item 1(a) or (b), be admitted based on the admission screening of the educational institution where education is to be received, and attend for 10 or more hours per week.
4. If the applicant wishes to receive education at a high school, the applicant must be 20 years of age or younger and must have received at least one year of Japanese language education or education conducted in Japanese at an educational institution. However, this does not apply if the applicant is accepted as a student under a student exchange program or equivalent international exchange program established by a national or local government body, incorporated administrative agency, national university corporation, school corporation, public interest incorporated association, or public interest incorporated foundation.
5. If the applicant wishes to receive education at a junior high school, the middle division of a school for special needs education, an elementary school, or the lower division of a school for special needs education, all of the following conditions must be met. However, requirements (a) and (b) do not apply if the applicant is accepted as a student or pupil under a student exchange program or equivalent international exchange program established by a national or local government body, incorporated administrative agency, national university corporation, school corporation, public interest incorporated association, or public interest incorporated foundation.
• (a) If the applicant wishes to receive education at a junior high school, the applicant must be 17 years of age or younger.
• (b) If the applicant wishes to receive education at an elementary school, the applicant must be 14 years of age or younger.
• (c) There must be a person in Japan who has custody of the applicant.
• (d) The educational institution where the applicant is to receive education must have a full-time staff member in charge of guiding the daily lives of foreign students or pupils.
• (e) A dormitory or other accommodation where the applicant can live without difficulty in their daily life, with a resident staff member, must be secured.
6. If the applicant wishes to receive education at a specialized training college or miscellaneous school (excluding cases where the applicant exclusively wishes to receive Japanese language education), all of the following conditions must be met. However, if the applicant is engaged in activities to receive education at an institution established for the purpose of providing primary or secondary education in a foreign language to a considerable number of foreign nationals, requirement (a) need not be met.
• (a) The applicant must have received at least 6 months of Japanese language education at a Japanese language education institution designated by ministerial notification of the Minister of Justice, have demonstrated through an examination sufficient Japanese language ability to receive education at a specialized training college or miscellaneous school, or have received at least 1 year of education at a school defined in Article 1 of the School Education Act (excluding kindergartens).
• (b) The educational institution where the applicant is to receive education must have a full-time staff member in charge of guiding the daily lives of foreign students.
7. If the applicant wishes to exclusively receive Japanese language education at a specialized training college, miscellaneous school, or educational institution equivalent to a miscellaneous school in terms of facilities and organizational structure, the educational institution must be a Japanese language education institution designated by ministerial notification of the Minister of Justice.
8. If the applicant wishes to receive education at an institution providing preparatory education for entry into a Japanese university for those who have completed 12 years of school education overseas, that institution must be designated by ministerial notification of the Minister of Justice.
9. If the applicant wishes to receive education at an educational institution equivalent to a miscellaneous school in terms of facilities and organizational structure (excluding cases where the applicant exclusively wishes to receive Japanese language education), the educational institution must be designated by ministerial notification of the Minister of Justice.

Period of Stay

The period is designated individually by the Minister of Justice (not exceeding 4 years and 3 months). Possible periods granted include: 4 years and 3 months, 4 years, 3 years and 3 months, 3 years, 2 years and 3 months, 2 years, 1 year and 3 months, 1 year, 6 months, 3 months, etc.

Required Documents (Overview)

The required documents differ depending on the type of application and the type of educational institution (university / specialized training college or miscellaneous school / Japanese language education institution / high school / junior high school / elementary school, etc.). Always confirm the latest forms and complete document list at the Immigration Services Agency's "Student" Status of Residence page. Documents issued in Japan must have been issued within 3 months of the application date.

1. Application for Certificate of Eligibility (for those entering Japan for the first time)

If you are coming to Japan from overseas to study, you must first apply for a Certificate of Eligibility (COE). After obtaining the COE, you will apply for a visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate abroad and then enter Japan.

• Application for Certificate of Eligibility: 1 copy
• Photo: 1 photo (required specifications)
• Return envelope (with postage for registered mail): 1 envelope
• Other required documents: Application notes, attached tables, financial support statement, scholarship certificate list (if applicable), supplementary sheets (various confirmation documents), and documents specific to the type of educational institution (university / junior college / graduate school / college of technology / specialized training college / miscellaneous school / notified or accredited Japanese language education institution / high school / junior high school / elementary school).

2. Application for Change of Status of Residence (for changing from another status to "Student")

This application is for those who are already residing in Japan under another status of residence and wish to change to "Student" status in order to engage in study activities.

• Application for Change of Status of Residence: 1 copy
• Photo: 1 photo (not required for those under 16 years of age)
• Passport and Residence Card (to be presented)
• Other required documents: Same as in (1) above, including application notes, attached tables, financial support statement, scholarship certificate, and documents specific to the type of educational institution.

3. Application for Extension of Period of Stay (for extending stay under "Student" status)

This application is for those already residing in Japan under "Student" status who wish to extend their period of stay.

• Application for Extension of Period of Stay: 1 copy
• Photo: 1 photo (not required for those under 16 years of age)
• Passport and Residence Card (to be presented)
• Other required documents: Application notes, attached tables, Declaration Regarding Expenses for Stay, scholarship certificate list (if applicable), supplementary sheets (various confirmation documents), and documents specific to the type of educational institution.

4. Application for Permission to Acquire Status of Residence (for acquiring "Student" status while already in Japan)

This application is for those already residing in Japan who wish to acquire a status of residence (e.g., those who have renounced Japanese nationality, etc.).

• Application for Permission to Acquire Status of Residence: 1 copy
• Photo: 1 photo (not required for those under 16 years of age)
• Documents specific to the applicable category (document proving nationality, other documents proving the reason)
• Passport (to be presented)
• Other required documents: Financial support statement, scholarship certificate, documents specific to the type of educational institution, etc. (Documents from the COE application list may be applied by analogy.)

Note: If someone other than the applicant submits the application documents, a document proving the submitter's identity and authority to submit the application may be required. If submitted documents are in a foreign language, a Japanese translation must be attached. In principle, submitted documents cannot be returned.

For guidance on how to complete application forms and details of required documents, please contact the Immigration Information Center (TEL: 0570-013904) or your nearest Regional Immigration Services Bureau.