Study In Japan

1. What to do upon arrival?

Upon arrival at the airport, please show your passport with student visa to the officer in charge in Immigration. You might be asked to go a special lane designated for residents. Immigration officer will ask you on the duration of your study as this will also be the validity date indicated in your residence permit.

The residence permit card will be printed at the immigration so please make sure to get it. If you plan to do part-time work, please inform the officer and they will stamp on the back of your residence card about permitting to engage in work for 28 hours a week. You can download the Work Permit Application for work permit here.

If you were not able to get your work stamp in the airport, please check with your school if they can apply on your behalf. Applying through school, might take 2- 4weeks. It’s a must that you carry the residence card at all times when you are in Japan.

2. Register in your local city hall

Within 14 days upon arrival, you need to register in your local city hall. Do not forget to bring your residence card, passport and even school ID. Some city hall may have English speaking staff and some may not. Please ask your school if they provide assistance if needed. After registration, you will be given a health insurance card. Just like the residence card, please make sure to always carry it. Present the health card before obtaining any medical treatment. After a month from registration, you will receive your insurance bill from your local ward. The bills are either separated each month or semiannually. It’s up to you if you want to pay the bill for each month or all at once. You can pay in any convenience store.

3. Getting a mobile sim in Japan

Big carriers like Softbank and Docomo requires student to have a Japan bank account and sufficient Japanese Language ability. If this is not a possible, you can just get a sim card online like Sakura Mobile. They have affordable rates for students and website is available in English. You can also buy a prepaid sim card upon arrival at the airport and just later decide which cellphone carrier you want to avail. Prices of prepaid sim depends on the length of validity you prefer. Make sure your phone is not locked to your home country’s network.

4. Opening a bank account in Japan

Japan Post Bank (ゆうちょ銀行) is the best option for students as they do not require any deposit amount. Make sure you have a Hanko/Inkan (personal seal) prior to opening your bank account as this is required. All you have to do is go to any postal office, and inform the clerk that you will be opening an account. They may have English guide available. In case there are none, you may seek assistance from school or Akiko. 

5. What to bring on your first day in school?

On your first day, please bring your residence card, passport and if you have already registered to the city hall, bring your health card too.

School will need a copy of these documents. School may conduct a short exam for you to determine your level. After that you are ready to start.

Accommodation

Dormitory system is deferent school to school. For example, below you can see about TCC Japanese School’s dormitory system.

We provide dormitories near TCC for students.

This housing is available to all students at a reasonable fee by request.

Capacity- about 100 students. (6 places)

Each room is for two persons.　(There are a few rooms for one person or three persons according to circumstance.)

Location– Within walking distance from the school.

Rental Fees– 28,000yen ~ 38,000yen per month

plus 500yen(Service charge per month) Water, lighting & heating and gas expenses are excluded.

Furnishing– A refrigerator, a table, a small shelf, air-conditioner, kitchen, toilet, and bath and Wi-Fi

*No bedding, Students can have one set of FUTON on their own expenses if they want. (One set costs approximately 10,000yen)

Initial Expenditure– For enrollment 20,000yen

Deposit one month rental fee

First month rental fee

（e.g. in case of 35,000 yen room, student needs 90,000 yen and 500 yen(one month service charge) in the initial expenditure, and pays 35,000 yen and water, lighting & heating and gas expenses a month from the next month）

STUDYING IN JAPAN

Congratulations if you make it this far. You are one step closer in achieving your Japanese fluency. However there are rules to follow if you are a student in Japan. As a student, you are expected to follow these rules and any violation may result to residence card termination and return to your home country.

DO’s

1. Always attend your class. Your attendance is being reported to the Japanese Immigration monthly. If your attendance rate falls below 80% (total), this is a red flag for Immigration. They might check your working hours with your part time job and this can lead to bigger problem if they found out you are over working.
2. Limit your work hours to 28 hours per week.

(As mentioned above, if you are in Japan on a student visa you need permission from the Immigration Bureau to “engage in activities other than those permitted” under a student visa. This means that student-visa holders can work a maximum of 28- hours a week at a part-time job.

The government will inform employers of students who have received special permission to work and if they fail to attend at least 50 percent of their classes in a one-month period, the government will report the employer to the Regional Immigration Bureau. –

Source : Nikkei https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGKKZO45724040V00C19A6EA2000/)

iii.  Always pay your health insurance on time.

1. Set your goal clearly on what you want to achieve by the end of your study. This will give you a clear picture of whether you are in track or not with your studies.
2. Speak Japanese at all times even if you think you’re grammar is wrong.

 DON’T’s

1. Do not work more than the approved limit. As a student you are allowed to work 28 hours per week and 40 hours on long holidays. Government do not track the work hours of each student however if in the long run you plan to change your visa from student to work visa, Immigration will have to check your income and what you have been doing in Japan. Your employer reports the income they paid you to the government and they will see why you received such high income.

1. Do not engage in illegal activities or work prohibited to students. If you are caught doing something illegal, this can get your residence revoked.

iii. Do not limit your study in the classroom. Japan is a country where library is everywhere. Utilize these resources.

1. Do not rely on your earnings on your part time job to pay for your living expense and tuition fee. Some agencies try to convince students that the money you will earn in part time work is enough to cover your expenses in Japan, it is not true.

REMINDERS!!!

Leaving Japan for Long School Holidays

If you are planning to travel or going back to your home country on long school holidays, please make sure you inform your school and apply for a special re-entry permit.

http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/english/tetuduki/zairyuu/specialre-entrypermit.html

http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/re-ed/EDcard_leaf_en.pdf

Make sure to re-enter Japan before the expiration date on the residence card otherwise you will be refused entry and you will have to apply for a new visa.

We have Agreements with Japanese Language Schools in Japan.

Japanese language schools

Japanese language schools offer different type of programs to the students such as, Standard Japanese course; Conversation focused course, Preparation for Higher Education and Language plus Cultural Activity course.

With Japan Language School, students will learn the Japanese language and culture rapidly within months comparing to studying in their own country. Course length varies from few weeks (short term) to maximum of 2 years (long term). This is often called preparatory courses especially for students aiming to enter higher education.

Applying for Japan student visa

      Required Basic Qualifications

1. Below 30 years old.
2. C.E A/L Result [must be at least one subject passed ]
3. Must be passed N5 test[ We are conducting N5 course for students who wish to face the N5 exam]
4. Sponsor [Your sponsor must have a bank balance above 3 million LKR and must be a blood relation.]

You hand over us the necessary documents.

• Required documents to face to the interview which held by Japanese Language School in Japan.

1. passed N5 certificate
2. C.E A/L and O/L result sheet [must be certified by Foreign Ministry.]
3. Original School Leaving certificate
4. Original Birth Certificate[must be received from city office in 3 months]
5. National Identity card [photo copy]
6. English translations of above 3,4,5
7. Colored photo copy of Passport
8. Other educational certificate [degree, diploma etc.]
9. Service Letter [If you worked or working]
10. Ten color photos 3cm 4cm [must be taken in one month]
11. National Identity card of sponsor
12. Birth Certificate of sponsor
13. Bank balance conformation letter
14. Bank transactions [3 years]
15. Business registration or service letter
16. six month Salary sheet or Income Report

We review all documents above and send the scanned documents to the Japanese Language School in Japan by email. Then they review the documents and arrange an interview with applicant. The interview will be face to face or through Skype. After passing the interview, we translate all the documents to Japanese and correct when necessary. Once cleared you might need to send the originals and application fee to the school, though it varies school to school. After your application is sent to the Japanese school in japan, they will submit your documents to the Regional Immigration Bureau in Japan.

The final decision is taken by the Regional Immigration Bureau in Japan about your certificate of Eligibility and it will take about 3 months. If you will be lucky enough ,you will receive the Certificate of Eligibility from Immigration Bureau  (Permission from the Japanese Government to be granted a Student visa). The Japanese school will receive your Certificate of Eligibility and they will send us it’s scanned copy, school admission and invoice by e-mail. Then we will give you their print outs and you remit the invoiced fees to the school by a TT transfer. After confirmation of payment, Japanese school in japan will send us the original Certificate of Eligibility and Admission Certificate by DHL. After we receive the DHL we will give it to you and you should submit COE with all other supporting documents at the Japanese Embassy in Sri Lanka to apply for your visa. We will arrange an appointment for that and Japanese Embassy in Sri Lanka will get 7 days to stamp visa to your passport. Now you have your student visa, you are now ready to fly to Japan.

• Expenses for applying Student Visa

1. Japanese Translation fees – 30,000LKR
2. Document fees – 42,000LKR
3. DHL currier Service fees – 5000LKR

• Expenses after you get Visa

1. School fees [one year] – 750,000 to 850,000 JPY
2. Hostel fees [one month] – 30,000 to 40,000 JPY
3. Air Ticket [one way]
4. pocket money 200,000 JPY

JAPANESE HEALTH INSURANCE

If you plan to study in Japan for more than 3 months, you need to go to your local ward or city office Japanese health insurance card and get your Japanese Health Insurance there. In order to do this, simply show your Residence card and passport, and fill out the forms.

Medical expenses can be costly. Therefore, subscribing to the National Health Insurance is mandatory. The insurance premium has to be paid monthly or yearly once registration is completed. The premium varies depending on location and income. In most cases, the premium is about JPY 20,000 per year for foreign students in Japan. Once registered with the National Health Insurance, you will only need to pay 30% of your medical bills.

Once you’ve How to get health insurance in Japan registered, you will receive an insurance card. It will be renewed every year and a new card will be sent to your address. You do not need to do anything unless you have moved and need to inform your local ward of your change of address.

As the insurance does not cover all medical expenses, for added peace of mind, you may subscribe to a private insurance. Most students, though, subscribe to the National Health Insurance only.

Part – Time Job

Japanese language schools have international student advisers. They will be able to help and guide you where to look and find a job. Also you will learn a lot about job search technique from your classmates or seniors who are studying at the same school.

Akiko may be able to help you find a job in Tokyo, Saitama, Chiba, Tsukuba cities. However, please keep in mind that we are an educational agency, not a job agency. We will help our students if we can but we offer no guarantee at all.

As a student, you are allowed to work up to 28 hours per week (and up to 40 hours during long holidays).

First you must get a permission from the immigration office “Shikakugai-katsudokyoka” (Engaging in Activities other than Status Qualification).

But do not forget: before you start looking for a job, you must apply for the permission. Once you get the permission, which again is almost always granted, it will be effective and valid even if you change jobs. When you extend your visa, the permission can also be extended.

To apply, you must submit the form “Application for Permission to Engage in Activity Other Than That Permitted Under the Status of Residence Previously Granted” and show your passport. The form is available at the Immigration Bureau and there is no fee to apply. Note that you may submit the form upon your entry in Japan (i.e. at the airport).

There are many ways to look for part-time jobs. Check bulletin boards, newspaper ads, “job magazines” (check the free publications in the konbinis – the most famous is Townwork, pick the one with the Yellow cover). You will also find a lot of resources on the internet, in forums etc. You may also want to visit your local “Hello Work” office (employment agency).

Some suggestions of online resources:

https://jobs.gaijinpot.com 

http://www.indeed.com/q-Online-jobs.html

http://townwork.net 

http://arubaito-ex.jp/

http://gtn-job.com/eng

http://baito.mynavi.jp/ (in Japanese)

https://baitalk.jp/ (in Japanese)

For Tokyo:

https://job.bfftokyo.com

http://www.tokyonoticeboard.co.jp/

http://tokyofreeads.com/

Important: Work in adult entertainment business is strictly prohibited. This includes bars and nightclubs that provide companions for customers, adult entertainment businesses, and gambling businesses such as pachinko parlors, mahjong parlors, etc.

Vocational schools

After completing your Japanese language school, student can enter different type of higher education schools.

Vocational Schools teach practical knowledge and techniques in different fields such as Education, Medicine, Agriculture, and Business etc.

Upon graduation (2 years), foreign students are able to seek a job position in Japan.

Universities

Universities provide advanced learning to students. Graduates (4 to 6 years) receive a Bachelor’s degree. It enables them to work in Japan. If the student still would like to pursue further education, they can do so by pursuing Graduates of Master’s course (2 additional years) and Doctoral courses (at least 4 additional years). Once completed, student can seek full time employment in Japan.

Fields of studies are diverse in Japan. Most universities offer Medical, Engineering, Law, Sociology, Education and Business Departments. Note that there is no public ranking of Universities in Japan.

To go to Higher Education in Japan, one must be proficient in Japanese (JLPT N2 or equivalent level). In addition, to go to University, one must take the EJU. Of course, this is what Japanese language schools prepare their students for.

For more information on Higher Education in Japan, you may visit the following websites:

To find universities in Japan those propose programs to foreign students: http://www.jasso.go.jp/study_j/schinfo_e.html

To look for a university, find programs and get information about admissions: http://www.jpss.jp/en/

Entering Higher University or Senmon Gakko

Once you have graduated from Language school, you can now either to go to full time employment (for those who are qualified) or enter higher education such as University or Senmon Gakko.

1. Entering University

A student needs to have at least 12 years of education if they want to enter a University in Japan. Language study is not included in the 12 years of education. Some universities will require you to have an N2 or higher level of Japanese. There will be series of interviews and entrance examination before a student can get accepted.

1. Enrolling in Senmon Gakko

Most of the students chose to enter Senmon Gakko instead of University once they are done with their language study. Senmon gakko is a professional training college. It is a specialized training based on the skillset you chose. Entering Senmon Gakko is less troublesome compared to universities that’s why a lot of students chose to study in Senmon Gakko. Examples of courses available are the following:

Manga

Fashion and arts

IT and computer

Electronics

Enrolling in Senmon Gakko is as expensive as entering a language school. Take note that Senmon Gakko is a 2 year study for you to get a diploma and 3 years for Advanced Diploma.

1. Student rights

Always know your rights. If you feel like your rights have been violated as a student, don’t hesitate to consult the Ministry of Justice. They support several languages either by phone or email.

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