To enter Japan, foreign nationality students whose residence is outside of Japan must apply for a “Certificate of Eligibility” (COE) issued by the Japanese Immigration Bureau.
Visa Application Process
- Submit the required documents by the visa application deadline
- TUJ submits the visa application on your behalf to the Immigration Bureau
- TUJ issues you the Advance Payment invoice
- Settle the invoice
- The COE is issued (expect 6-8 weeks)
- TUJ receives the COE, confirms your payment and emails you the digital copy of the COE
- Go to a Japanese Embassy/Consulate with your COE, a seal of landing verification will be stamped in your passport
- A residence card will be issued on arrival at the airport
Notes :
- Your visa application will be submitted near the visa application deadline
- You may enter Japan up to 14 days before the first day of New Students Welcome Week
- You cannot change your COE into a student visa while in Japan. The COE must be processed through the Japanese Embassy or Consulate in your home country. You will be asked to leave Japan to process your student visa if you enter with only your COE and you are not able to obtain your residence card upon arrival.
Visa Application Deadline
| Visa related dates / Deadline | Semester of Admission | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| — | Fall | Spring | Summer |
| Visa COE Application Form opening date | March 1 | August 1 | December 15 |
| Visa COE Application Form deadline | May 1 | October 1 | February 15 |
| Housing Waiver/Homestay Application deadline | June 10 | October 25 | March 10 |
| Advance Payment Invoice dispatch date | June 15 | November 1 | March 15 |
| Payment deadline for Advance Payment Invoice | July 15 | December 1 | April 15 |
*Should the deadline fall on a weekend or Japanese holiday, the visa related dates/deadline will be the next business day
*Dates are subject to change
*All dates are Japan Standard Time (JST) by 17:00
Required Documents
Prepare the following items and upload them to the visa application portal by the deadline.
1. COE Application Form
COE Application Form will be displayed on your TUJ Application Portal once your admission application is completed
2. Passport
Photo/ID and signature pages of your passport
3. Headshot photo (4 cm high x 3 cm wide)
Submit an official headshot photo that is:
- Taken within the last 3 months
- It must show a clear, full front view of the student's face from the bottom of the chin to the top of the hair
- With a white or off-white background
- 2 inch x 2 inch photo is acceptable
- File extensions allowed for uploads are: doc, docx, gif, jpg, mpg, pdf, png
4. Proof of Financial Viability
The Japanese Immigration Bureau requires all students to show the ability to support themselves when applying for a student visa. You must prove that sufficient funds are or will be available from a reliable financial source.
The proof of financial viability needs to:
- show where the money is actually coming from
- be dated within the last three months
- total 3,000,000 yen (or equivalent in foreign currency) or more
- be in either Japanese or English
Financial viability can be proven by submitting copies of any combination of the following documents:
- Bank statements
- U.S. Financial Aid award letter
(work with TUJ’s Financial Aid Coordinator after your acceptance regarding your Financial Aid award if U.S. citizen) - Scholarship award letters
- Retirement account statements
(must have documentation regarding cash/loan availability) - Loan approvals
(work with TUJ's Financial Aid Coordinator after your acceptance regarding loan certification) - GI Bill Certificate of Eligibility
(Submit a PDF copy of the GI Bill COE issued by the VA. You do not need to submit a Letter of Sponsorship.)
If the document is not under your name or you do not have the full amount, a financial guarantor, such as a parent or relative can submit documents on your behalf to meet the requirement. Your guarantor should provide documents in his or her name and also complete the Letter of Sponsorship below.
5. Academic Record and Record of Completion of Previous Institution (if previously studied at a school in Japan on a student visa)
If you have studied in Japan before (ie: at a language school, credit-bearing program, university, etc.), Japanese Immigration requires documents of your school transcript, attendance record, and a letter of activity completion/letter of withdrawal.
- All documents must be in either English or Japanese
If you have any questions, contact [click-for-email].