Before Arrival

Residents from Overseas

1. Obtain your passport at a government office in your country.
2. Apply for and received a Certificate of Eligibility from the immigration bureau in Japan.
(See Certificate of Eligibility)
3. Obtain a "Student" visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate in your country.
(See Obtaining a Visa)

Resident in Japan

If you are already living in Japan, you may need to change your visa status from your current visa status.

1. Receive the Certificate of Permission for Granting Entrance Formalities or the Notice of Successful Results
2. Bring both documents to an immigration bureau
3. Apply for changing your status in person
This has to be done 2 months before the expiration date of your current visa.

Please note that if at that point in time you have not completed your entrance procedures because you have not paid admission and tuition fees, the immigration bureau may accept your application, but it will be deemed "in process". When you complete the entrance procedures, please obtain a Certificate of Admission from the university staff, and submit it to the immigration bureau. After doing this step, you can finally complete the procedures for changing your visa status. For more detailed information, please contact the nearest regional immigration bureau.

Certifcate of Eligibility

You can obtain a visa faster if you submit a Certificate of Eligibility to the Japanese embassy or consulate. Since this document is issued by the Japanese immigration bureau (in Japan), in order to obtain it you must apply by proxy and have the certificate sent to you in your home country. (You can not apply for the Certificate of Eligibility from overseas, and they do not accept an application by post.)

• An employee of the institution which provides you with a scholarship or which covers your school and accommodation expenses.
• A person who covers your school and accommodation expenses.
• A relative living in Japan (A "friend" is not acceptable.)
• Other person recognized by the Ministry of Justice (public notary, etc.)

In the case that you have no relatives, etc. in Japan and you wish to request our university to act as your proxy in respect to the Certificate of Eligibility, you should consult with the Division of Student Exchange if you are applying for a research student. If you are applying as a regular degree student, please, consult with the program you wish to enter. (Please understand that there may be cases when we can not accept your request.) From application to issuance, assuming there are no problems, the application takes about one to two months. As the immigration bureau is responsible for inspecting and issuing this document, we are unable to tell you exactly when the Certificate of Eligibility will be issued.

Obtaining a Visa

After receiving the Certificate of Eligibility, please go to the nearest Japanese embassy or consulate in your country with the Certificate of Granting Permission for Admission Formalities as Research Student or the Notification of Successful Results to apply for a "Student" visa. Please note that there may be cases when you will be required to submit additional documents. Therefore, please confirm the required documents with the Japanese embassy or consulate by telephone, etc., before attending at their offices. Please note that the issuance of a visa is not guaranteed even if you apply with a Certificate of Eligibility. The final decision of issuance of a visa is made by the Japanese embassy or consulate. If there are no problems, it usually takes one to two weeks from application to issuance. However, this period may vary depending on each embassy of consulate. Please ask the embassy or consulate when you apply.

For information about Japanese embassies and consulates, please see the Embassies & Consulates, website of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

For information about Japanese visas, please see the VISA / Residing in Japan, website of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.