Applying for a college student visa to Japan and the big picture

December 5, 2025

In principle, "college student" status of residence is required for those who wish to study continuously at a Japanese school (Japanese language school, vocational school, university, graduate school, etc.) for more than 90 days. This is referred to as a "college student visa," but to be precise, it is a two-step process: obtaining a Certificate of Eligibility (COE), and then having a visa issued by the Japanese embassy or consulate general in your home country.

This article is intended for "those who are thinking of studying in Japan" and "those who have been asked by their school to prepare documents for COE application",Flow of applying for a college student visa, required documents, sense of schedule, and frequently asked questionsWe will organize the following information as concretely as possible. In particular, we try to make the contents easy to visualize for those who are considering regular study at universities and graduate schools, as well as for those who are coming to Japan to study after having worked in Japan.

TOC

0. First points to keep in mind (summary)

In principle, "College Student" status is required to study in Japan for more than 90 days.
In most cases, a COE (Certificate of Eligibility) is issued first, followed by a two-step visa application at the embassy.
Documents are divided into "those prepared by the school" and "those prepared by the individual/family.
The key point in the screening process is whether the applicant has "enough funds to live in Japan" as well as a clear purpose of study.
Recently, more and more universities and graduate schools have adopted a format in which the COE application is made either by the applicant or by an administrative scrivener.

Based on these assumptions, we will examine them in detail one by one below.

1. briefly summarize the difference between a COE and a visa

The first thing that is often confused is the difference between a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) and a visa.

Certificate of Eligibility (COE)Documents certifying the results of the Immigration Bureau's preliminary examination of the applicant's eligibility to enter and stay in Japan.
VisaIssued by an embassy or consulate general as a "permit of entry" into Japan.

In many study abroad cases,1) Obtain a COE from the Immigration and Residence Office in Japan → 2) Apply for a visa at the embassy or consulate general of your home country with the COE attached → 3) Receive a resident card after entering JapanThe procedure proceeds in the following order.

2. basic steps to obtain a college student visa

The process for a college student visa in Japan proceeds as follows.

Selecting a school to study abroad and applying (submitting an application form)
School admission screening (application screening, interview, etc.)
After acceptance, apply for Certificate of Eligibility (COE) through the school or the applicant/administrative scrivener
Examination by the Immigration Bureau (usually 1-3 months)
After receiving a COE, apply for a visa at the Japanese embassy or consulate general in your home country.
Enter Japan after visa is issued and receive a residence card at the airport.

In many cases,COE application to the Immigration and Residency Office is made "through the schoolOn the other hand, in some universities and graduate schools, the school only prepares the necessary documents. On the other hand, in some universities and graduate schools, the school only prepares the necessary documents,The application itself to the Immigration Bureau is made by the applicant or an administrative scrivener.There is also a pattern. In such cases, it is advisable to confirm the division of roles between the applicant and Gyoseishoshi Lawyer as early as possible.

3. who prepares which documents? Organize the division of roles

In applying for a college student visa, there are two distinct categories: "documents to be prepared by the school" and "documents to be prepared by the applicant and his/her family. First, let's check the whole picture at a glance.

classification	Main documents	Preparers.
School Relations	Letter of admission, application form for Certificate of Eligibility (prepared by the school), lesson plans, timetable, school outline, etc.	school
Basic information about the person	Copy of passport, photo, resume, certificate of last school attended, proof of Japanese language study, etc.	Applicant him/herself
Funds and reimbursement	Proof of bank balance, proof of income, proof of employment, statement of remittance schedule, etc.	Applicant/sponsor
Agency Relationships	Letter of attorney to the administrative scrivener for application, copy of passport/residence card, etc.	Applicant him/herself + Gyoseishoshi Lawyer

Organized as a sentence, it is as follows.

Documents to be prepared by the school(1) Letter of admission, application form for Certificate of Eligibility (prepared by the school), lesson plans, timetables, school outline, etc.
Documents to be prepared by the applicantPassport copy, photo, resume, certificate of last school attended, proof of Japanese language study, etc.
Documents to be prepared by the financial sponsor/familyCertificate of bank balance, proof of income, proof of employment, statement of remittance schedule, etc.
Documents related to the agent(2) Power of attorney to the administrative scrivener, copy of passport or residence card, etc.

If the question of "which party is to prepare what" is left unclear, the lack of documentation may be discovered just before submission.List the roles of the school, the individual, and the administrative assistant at the outset.is the first step in a smooth application process.

4. main documents to be prepared by the applicant (in detail)

4-1. Documents related to the person in question

Photocopy of a valid passport (identification page)
A portrait photo (generally 4 cm x 3 cm, taken within the last 3 months, no hat, no background)
Curriculum vitae (include academic and professional background in Japanese or English)
Diploma and transcript of the last school attended
Documents certifying your Japanese language study history (certificate of completion of Japanese language school, JLPT pass certificate, certificate of completion of online course, etc.: if necessary)
If you have stayed in Japan before, documents showing the details of your stay (copy of your past residence card, etc.)

In the case of a working person leaving his/her company to study abroad, a brief explanation of the purpose of study and career plan, such as "Why are you studying abroad at this time?" will help convey the consistency of the application details.

Documents related to living expenses in Japan

Studying in Japan involves certain costs, including living expenses as well as tuition. The Immigration and Immigration Bureau is,Do you really have enough money to pay for your tuition and living expenses in Japan?The judging will focus on the following

Certificate of bank balance (in the name of the applicant or sponsor)
Certificate of employment and proof of income of the person responsible for paying expenses
Income certificate, tax payment certificate, etc. (names vary by country/region)
A written statement explaining the schedule for sending and remitting money (who will send money, from which account, how often, etc.)

Types of Documents	Purpose and points to be checked
bank certificate	The stability and continuity of funds will be checked to ensure that the balance is sufficient to pay tuition and living expenses, and that there are no sudden high deposits.
Proof of employment and income	The occupation and income level of the financial sponsor will be a factor in determining whether or not the sponsor can continue to support the student's study in Japan.
Income certificate and tax payment certificate	Past income performance and tax payment status will be checked, including whether they are consistent with the information on the tax return and whether there are excessive debts.
Instructions for Scheduled Remittance	This document is used to organize who will send money to Japan, in what manner, and with what frequency, and to provide a clear outlook on living expenses.

The amount required depends on the school, tuition fees, and planned length of stay, but generally speaking,Balance equivalent to at least one year of tuition + one year of living expensesIt is advisable to prepare the following. For information on the standard living expenses, school guides and model cases of each municipality are also helpful.

Also,If a large amount of money is deposited immediately beforeis a good idea to have a record of the remittance or a copy of the bankbook ready to explain the source of the funds.

5. images of documents to be submitted to the Immigration Bureau

The actual set of application documents submitted to the Immigration Bureau generally consists of the following.

written applicationApplication for Certificate of Eligibility (College Student)
School Documents(e.g., admission letter, lesson plan, timetable, school profile, etc.)
Personal and family documentsResume, proof of education, proof of family relationship, etc.
Funds and expense paymentsProof of bank balance, proof of income, proof of employment, remittance schedule, etc.
Documents related to the agentPower of attorney to Gyoseishoshi Lawyer, a copy of the intercession notification certificate, etc.

In practice, the number of required documents may increase or decrease depending on the country, your family's situation, and your previous history of stay in Japan. For example, if you have stayed in Japan in the past under a different status of residence, or if your family already lives in Japan, additional documents may be required.

6. timing of application and sense of schedule

In most schools in Japan, "April enrollment" and "October enrollment" are common. The COE application schedule for each admission period is roughly as follows.

Admission Period	time	Main Procedures
April Admission	August-October of the previous year	Application and selection to the school (application screening, interview, etc.)
April Admission	Nov.-Dec. of previous year	Acceptance decision, preparation of COE application documents
April Admission	Dec. to Jan.	COE application to the Immigration and Emigration Bureau
April Admission	February to March	COE issuance and visa application (Embassy/Consulate-General)
April Admission	April	Entry to Japan and Entrance
October Admission	February to April	Application and selection to school
October Admission	May-June	Acceptance decision, preparation of COE application documents
October Admission	June-July	COE application to the Immigration and Emigration Bureau
October Admission	August-September	COE issuance and visa application
October Admission	October	Entry to Japan and Entrance

The actual deadlines vary from school to school,When and which documents should be submitted by?"It is very important to confirm the following as soon as possible. In particular, it may take some time to issue documents (e.g., graduation certificate, certificate of family relations, etc.) for which the original documents must be ordered from overseas.

7. common questions and points to note when applying for a college student visa

7-1. How long can I work part-time?

In principle, students with the status of residence "College Student" alone cannot work, but by obtaining "Permission to Engage in Activity other than that Permitted under the Status of Residence", they can work,Up to 28 hours per weekPart-time work is permitted within the range of 1.5 hours per day (with special exceptions, such as up to 8 hours per day during long vacations). However, part-time work that interferes with schoolwork may affect the continuation of residence, so a balance must be maintained where schoolwork is the main focus.

7-2. the source of funds is very important

Even if there is a large amount of money on the deposit balance certificate, the Immigration Office may ask for an explanation as to the "source of funds" if there is a sudden large deposit made shortly before the date of the deposit. If possible,Prepare funds systematically over time.is desirable.

7-3. Your past history and status of residence in Japan will also be checked.

If you have a history of violations of your status of residence in Japan in the past (illegal employment, overstaying, etc.) or if you have a history of not responding appropriately to inquiries from the Immigration and Residence Office, your application may be subject to more stringent screening. If you have any worrisome circumstances, we recommend that you consult with a specialist in advance.

7-4. What happens if the application is rejected?

If your COE application is denied, depending on the reason, you may be able to reapply in some cases. However, this is because repeated applications with the same details often do not change the result,Analyze the reasons for denial and consider reapplying after sorting out which areas need to be improved.is important.

Advantages of hiring an administrative scrivener

These days, schools do not file COE applications in bulk,The school only prepares the necessary documents, and the application itself to the Immigration and Residency Management Bureau is handled by the applicant or an administrative scrivener.This is increasingly the case in the form of

In such cases, requesting an application agency Gyoseishoshi Lawyer offers the following advantages

Able to check the complete set of documents before submission and correct any deficiencies or lack of explanation
Gyoseishoshi Lawyer can apply on behalf of the applicant without the applicant having to go to the Immigration and Immigration Bureau himself/herself.
Be able to organize the application and explanation of expenses and reimbursement based on the key points of the review process.
Professional response to inquiries from immigration authorities, even until the results are available.
In the event of a denial, you will receive professional advice on the analysis of the reasons and future course of action.

9. Flow of consulting with our firm (example)

Our office provides the following consultation services for college student visa applications, including those for admission to a university or graduate school.

Contact us via inquiry form, e-mail, etc.
Interview via e-mail or online interview (preferred school, time of admission, personal history, financial plan, etc.)
Information on possible risks and required documents and quotation
After request, check and correction of documents and preparation of complete application documents
Follow-up of applications and results with the Immigration and Residency Management Bureau
After the COE is issued, information on precautions regarding visa application at the Embassy

Compared to applying on your own, we place importance on preparing documents in a manner that is tailored to the applicant's circumstances, while lowering the risk of omissions or lack of explanation of documents.

Summary: Early preparation and accurate documentation are the keys to a successful student visa.

Applying for a college student visa to Japan involves many steps: selecting a school, preparing tuition and living expenses, preparing and translating documents, and applying to the Immigration and Residence Office.

In particular,

Financial planning and proof of living and school expenses
Organize your educational background and Japanese language study history
Division of roles between the school's documents and the individual's documents

The entire application process will go more smoothly if you have the following in place.

If you want to know which documents are required in your case, or if you want to consult with an expert once for a student visa for graduate school, please consult with an expert as soon as possible so that you do not miss the timing of your application.

Inquiry / Access

Horiuchi Gyoseishoshi Lawyer Office (Shinjuku, Tokyo)
Attn: Gyoseishoshi Scrivener Yukiko Horiuchi
Affiliation: Tokyo Gyoseishoshi Lawyers Association, Shinjuku Branch
Tokyo Immigration and Residency Management Bureau, Application Agency Gyoseishoshi Scrivener
Member of Foreign Employment Support Organization (FESO)

▶ See our office introduction page

Access:
5-minute walk from Higashi Shinjuku Station on the Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line
8-minute walk from Shin-Okubo Station on the JR Yamanote Line
12-minute walk from Okubo Station on the JR Chuo and Sobu Lines

*This article is a general explanation based on published materials. Requirements and necessary documents may differ for individual cases. Please be sure to check with public institutions and experts for the latest operations and details.