🇯🇵 Study in Japan: The 2026 Journey, Step by Step
The full 2026 student journey to Japan: a Certificate of Eligibility, a residence card, work permission and 28 hours a week. What visa officers check, what to pack to cut first-month costs, and how much part-time work really covers.
At a glance: the 2026 numbers
| What | Japan |
|---|---|
| Document you need from the school | Certificate of Eligibility (CoE), applied for by your school |
| Living costs to show | enough for tuition and living costs, proved to your school for the CoE (no single national figure) |
| Work in term | 28 h/week |
| Minimum wage | ¥1,280 an hour |
| Plugs and voltage | Type A/B plugs, 100 V |
| Cash to declare | more than ¥1,000,000 |
Step 1–8: the journey in order
Timings count back from your course start date. Start earlier if you need a scholarship or an education loan: both add months.
What the visa officer is looking for
✅ A valid CoE
Issued after immigration checks your school file.
✅ A sponsor who can pay
Bank statements and income proof for tuition and living costs.
✅ A study plan
Why this programme and why Japan.
✅ Language readiness
JLPT for Japanese-taught courses.
✅ Honest history
Past refusals disclosed.
Before you leave: pack to cut your first-month costs
The first month abroad is the most expensive: deposits, bedding, a phone plan, transport cards and kitchen basics all land at once. Packing the right things from home, and leaving the wrong ones behind, saves real money and trouble at the border. Japan runs on 100 V. Dual-voltage chargers work with an adapter; Indian 230 V appliances do not.
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| ✅ Bring: Prescription medicines (up to 1 month) | more needs an import certificate; pseudoephedrine cold medicines and amphetamine-type ADHD drugs such as Adderall are banned |
| ✅ Bring: Pressure cooker and one heavy pan | stovetop cookware works on Japanese gas hobs |
| ✅ Bring: Ground, sealed spices | declare food items |
| ✅ Bring: Type A plug adapters | for dual-voltage chargers |
| ✅ Bring: Passport photos | for the residence card and forms |
| ✅ Bring: Spare glasses | eye care is costly |
| 🛒 Buy there: 100 V appliances | rice cooker, kettle |
| 🛒 Buy there: Futon and bedding | second-hand shops and student sales |
| 🛒 Buy there: Winter clothing | good value in Japan |
| ⛔ Never pack: Meat products, including jerky and sausages | banned without certificates |
| ⛔ Never pack: Pseudoephedrine cold medicine or Adderall | prohibited even with a prescription |
| ⛔ Never pack: Undeclared cash of more than ¥1,000,000 | penalties |
💵 Declare cash of more than ¥1,000,000 (or the equivalent) on arrival. Use a forex card or a low-fee multi-currency account for most of your money, and carry only enough cash for the first few days. Full Japan customs rules →
Paying your fees by working, within the rules
| Rule | Japan in 2026 |
|---|---|
| During term | Up to 28 hours a week |
| Breaks | Up to 8 hours a day during long school vacations |
| Minimum wage | ¥1,280 an hour (Tokyo minimum wage from 1 October 2026; other prefectures are lower) |
| Legal maximum in term | ¥1,075,200 a year (28 h × 30 weeks) |
Worked example. A realistic plan is fewer hours than the legal maximum, because shifts are not always available and grades matter. Here is what 15 hours a week in term and 35 in breaks earns:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Term: 15 h/week × 30 weeks × ¥1,280 | ¥576,000 |
| Breaks: 35 h/week × 12 weeks × ¥1,280 | ¥537,600 |
| Gross earnings a year | ¥1,113,600 |
| Tuition (standard national-university fee) | ¥535,800 |
| Living costs (example living budget of ¥120,000 a month in Tokyo) | ¥1,440,000 |
| Share of living costs covered | 77% |
| Share of tuition + living covered | 56% |
The pattern is the same everywhere: part-time work can cover much of your living costs, but rarely tuition. Plan to pay tuition from savings, a loan or a scholarship, and use wages for rent, food and the second year's buffer. Never go over your hour limit: breaching visa conditions can lead to cancellation and refusals later.
Other ways to bring the bill down
- MEXT scholarships covering tuition and a monthly stipend
- Tuition waivers at national universities
- JASSO scholarships for privately financed students
- Long vacations: up to 8 hours a day
Try your own numbers below. The legal-maximum button fills the most you are allowed to work.
Your first two weeks after landing
| Task | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Residence card | issued at major airports |
| Work permission | apply at the airport or immigration office |
| Address registration | within 14 days |
| National Health Insurance | covers 70% of medical costs |
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the steps to study in Japan?
1) Choose a programme. 2) Language tests. 3) Apply and get admitted. 4) School applies for your CoE. 5) Apply for the student visa. 6) Residence card and work permission. 7) Register your address. 8) Work up to 28 hours a week.
What do visa officers look for in a Japan student visa application?
A valid CoE: Issued after immigration checks your school file. A sponsor who can pay: Bank statements and income proof for tuition and living costs. A study plan: Why this programme and why Japan.
Can I pay my tuition by working part-time in Japan?
Only partly. Working 15 hours a week in term and 35 in breaks at ¥1,280 an hour earns about ¥1,113,600 a year before tax, roughly 77% of the ¥1,440,000 living-cost figure. You must show the first year's funds before the visa is granted, so wages are for later years and living costs, not for getting the visa.
How many hours can international students work in Japan?
Up to 28 hours a week during term. Up to 8 hours a day during long school vacations.
What should I pack to save money when moving to Japan?
Bring: prescription medicines (up to 1 month); pressure cooker and one heavy pan; ground, sealed spices; type A plug adapters; passport photos. Buy there: 100 V appliances; futon and bedding; winter clothing.
Can I bring my medicines to Japan as a student?
Up to a 1-month supply of prescription medicine and 2 months of over-the-counter medicine, without an import certificate. Amphetamine-type ADHD drugs such as Adderall and cold medicines with pseudoephedrine are banned; check other controlled drugs with the Narcotics Control Department.
Sources
Figures on this page were checked against these sources on 31 October 2026. Rules change: confirm on the official site before you apply.