Japan

At a glance

Who it suitsStudents willing to learn Japanese, and students aiming at the few universities that still teach a whole degree in English.适合愿意学日语的学生，以及瞄准少数仍提供全英语学位的大学的学生。

Tuition, national universities

535,800 yen a year plus a 282,000 yen admission fee at Kyoto; about 820,000 yen in the first year京都大学每年 535,800 日元，另加 282,000 日元入学金；第一年约 820,000 日元 [1]

Tuition, private universities

About 1,300,000 yen in the first year, and about 3,800,000 yen for medicine or dentistry第一年约 1,300,000 日元；医学或牙医约 3,800,000 日元 [12]

Living costs

105,000 yen a month on average; rent averages 41,000 yen, or 57,000 yen in Tokyo平均每月 105,000 日元；房租平均 41,000 日元，东京为 57,000 日元 [3]

Work during study

28 hours a week once you hold the permission; 8 hours a day in long holidays取得许可后每周 28 小时；长假期间每天 8 小时 [8]

Stay and work after

A job-hunting stay of 6 months, extendable once, to a maximum of 1 year求职居留 6 个月，可延长一次，最长 1 年 [9]

Money you must show

No fixed sum: Japan asks for bank balances, income certificates and the source of the funds没有固定金额：日本要求提供存款证明、收入证明和资金来源说明 [13]

Which qualification leads where

• A-LevelGood route

  Named in the national admission rule alongside the IB, and accepted by name at Waseda.与 IB 一同列入国家入学规定，早稻田也明确接受。 [4]

• IB DiplomaGood route

  Also named in the national rule as satisfying the twelve-year education requirement.同样被国家规定列为满足十二年教育要求的资格。 [4]

• AP and a US high-school diplomaPossible

  Twelve years of schooling satisfies the national rule, but no Japanese page read here names AP as an accepted qualification. Ask the university before you assume it counts.十二年学制满足国家规定，但本页查阅的日本页面均未将 AP 列为认可资格。不要想当然，先向大学确认。 [4]

• GaokaoPossible

  Waseda accepts it by name among its standardised tests. Elsewhere, expect the EJU to be the test that matters.早稻田在其认可的标准化考试中明确列出高考。其他学校通常以 EJU 为准。 [10]

• Chinese high-school diploma onlyPossible

  Twelve years of formal schooling satisfies the national requirement — but you will still sit the EJU and the university's own entrance examination.十二年正规学制满足国家要求——但仍需参加 EJU 和大学自己的入学考试。 [4]

English you need

IELTS

6.5 [4] Prepare for IELTS →

TOEFL iBT

4.5 [4] Prepare for TOEFL →

For an English-taught programme. For a Japanese-taught one you need JLPT N1 or N2 AND at least 250 on the Japanese section of the EJU — passing N1 does not excuse you from the EJU.这是英语授课专业的要求。日语授课专业需要 JLPT N1 或 N2，并且日本留学试验（EJU）日语科目至少 250 分——通过 N1 并不能免考 EJU。

Universities to look at

• Waseda University Tokyo

  Accepts Six schools teach a whole degree in English and state that Japanese is not required to apply. It accepts SAT, ACT, IB, A-Level and the Gaokao by name.六个学部提供全英语学位，并明确说明申请无需日语。明确接受 SAT、ACT、IB、A-Level 与高考。

  Admissions page → [10]

• Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) Beppu, Oita

  Accepts Its tuition-reduction scholarship runs in bands of 30%, 50%, 65%, 80% and 100%.其学费减免奖学金分为 30%、50%、65%、80% 和 100% 几档。

  Tuition a year 1,455,000 yen in the first year and 1,655,000 yen after, plus a 200,000 yen admission fee (2027 entry)第一年 1,455,000 日元，之后每年 1,655,000 日元，另加 200,000 日元入学金（2027 年入学）

  Admissions page → [2]

• Kyoto University Kyoto

  Accepts ⚠️ One undergraduate degree is taught in English, Civil Engineering. Its iUP programme says the final two years are mainly or exclusively in Japanese.⚠️ 仅土木工程一个本科学位用英语授课。其 iUP 项目说明最后两年主要或完全用日语。

  Tuition a year 535,800 yen a year plus a 282,000 yen admission fee — the national standard每年 535,800 日元，另加 282,000 日元入学金——国立标准

  Admissions page → [7]

• University of Tokyo Tokyo

  Accepts ⚠️ PEAK, its English-taught undergraduate route, takes its final intake for September 2026.⚠️ 其英语授课本科项目 PEAK 于 2026 年 9 月最后一次招生。

  Tuition a year 642,960 yen a year plus a 282,000 yen admission fee — above the national standard每年 642,960 日元，另加 282,000 日元入学金——高于国立标准

  Admissions page → [14]

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Decide the language question first

• Decide early whether you are going in English or in Japanese: it changes the universities, the tests and the timetable.尽早决定是用英语还是日语入学：这会改变可选的大学、要考的试和整个时间表。
• If you are going in English, check the programme still exists: Tokyo's PEAK closes after September 2026 and Tohoku's FGL after 2026.若走英语路线，先确认项目仍在招生：东大 PEAK 2026 年 9 月后关闭，东北大 FGL 2026 年后关闭。 [5]
• Going in Japanese? Register for the EJU — it is held twice a year, in June and November, and most universities require it.走日语路线？报名 EJU——每年六月和十一月各一次，多数大学都要求。 [15]
• A Japanese-taught degree usually wants JLPT N1 or N2 as well as 250 on the EJU's Japanese section.日语授课学位通常要求 JLPT N1 或 N2，外加 EJU 日语科目 250 分。 [4]

Apply

• Apply about 6 to 8 months before the intake; Waseda's English-based window is 8 January to 10 February for a September start.在入学前约 6 至 8 个月递交申请；早稻田英语项目为 1 月 8 日至 2 月 10 日，九月入学。 [16]
• Apply for MEXT through the Japanese embassy if you can: it waives tuition and pays your return airfare.如有可能，通过日本使馆申请文部科学省（MEXT）奖学金：免学费并提供往返机票。 [17]

Visa

• Your university applies for the Certificate of Eligibility on your behalf; the visa follows at a Japanese consulate.大学代你申请在留资格认定证明书（COE），之后到日本领馆办签证。 [13]
• Prepare a bank balance certificate, a year of income certificates and documents showing where the money came from.准备存款证明、一年的收入证明，以及说明资金来源的材料。 [13]
• Apply for the permission to work after you arrive — the student status alone does not allow it.抵达后申请“资格外活动许可”——学生身份本身不允许打工。 [8]

Before you fly

• Arrange housing through the university if you can: rent in Tokyo averages 57,000 yen a month against 41,000 yen nationally.尽量通过学校安排住宿：东京房租平均每月 57,000 日元，全国平均为 41,000 日元。 [3]
• Remember the year starts in April, not September — though some programmes have an autumn intake.记住学年从四月开始，而不是九月——不过部分项目有秋季入学。 [18]

Oct 2026 Apr 2028

1. Oct 2026 18 months before

   Decide English or Japanese, and check the English-taught programmes are still open.决定走英语还是日语路线，并确认英语授课项目仍在招生。 [5]

2. Jul 2027 9 months before

   Sit the EJU if your route needs it.如路线需要，参加 EJU 考试。 [16]

3. Aug 2027 8 months before

   Send your applications — 6 to 8 months before the intake.递交申请——入学前 6 至 8 个月。 [16]

4. Jan 2028 3 months before

   Receive the admission letter, then the Certificate of Eligibility, then apply for the visa.收到录取通知，再拿到在留资格认定证明书，然后申请签证。 [16]

5. Mar 2028 1 month before

   Arrange housing and book flights for the April start.安排住宿并订好四月入学的机票。

6. Apr 2028 At the start

   Arrive, register your address, and apply for permission to work if you want a job.抵达、办理住址登记；若打算打工，申请资格外活动许可。 [8]

A year

¥76,000 – ¥130,000

Whole degree

¥300,000 – ¥530,000 over 4 years

Converted to RMB at two significant figures — the rate moves and the ranges are wide. Rate: European Central Bank: euro foreign exchange reference rates, 18 September 2026, checked 2026-09-19.

Tuition, national

535,800 yen a year plus 282,000 yen admission (Kyoto); Tokyo charges 642,960 yen京都大学每年 535,800 日元，另加 282,000 日元入学金；东京大学为 642,960 日元 [1]

Tuition, private

About 1,300,000 yen in the first year; APU is 1,455,000 yen rising to 1,655,000 yen第一年约 1,300,000 日元；APU 为 1,455,000 日元，之后升至 1,655,000 日元 [12]

Living costs

105,000 yen a month on average, excluding study and research expenses平均每月 105,000 日元，不含学习与研究开支 [3]

The same fee for everyone

Japanese universities do not charge international students a higher rate — unlike most destinations here日本大学不对国际学生收取更高学费——与本栏目多数目的地不同 [12]

Scholarships and funding

• MEXT scholarship, undergraduate [17]

  Tuition exempted, return airfare provided, and a monthly allowance. It runs 5 years including the Japanese-language year, or 7 for medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and veterinary science.免学费、提供往返机票，并发放月额奖学金。含日语预备教育共 5 年；医学、牙医、药学与兽医为 7 年。

  You must be under 25 and have completed twelve years of schooling. Two routes: your embassy recruits and screens you, or a Japanese university with a MEXT quota recommends you. ⚠️ The monthly amount is published only in the official guidelines document, and two of the ministry's own pages disagree about it — read the guidelines before you budget on a figure.须未满 25 岁并完成十二年教育。两条路径：由使馆招募并选拔，或由有 MEXT 名额的日本大学推荐。⚠️ 月额仅在官方募集要项中公布，而文部科学省自己的两个页面数字不一致——做预算前请以募集要项为准。

• JASSO Monbukagakusho Honors Scholarship [19]

  48,000 yen a month for an undergraduate, for one year from April or six months from October.本科生每月 48,000 日元；自四月起一年，或自十月起六个月。

  You apply after you are enrolled. It wants a GPA of at least 2.30, JLPT N2 or better, and monthly support from home below 90,000 yen.入学后申请。要求 GPA 不低于 2.30、JLPT N2 或以上，且家庭每月汇款低于 90,000 日元。

• APU: tuition reduction [2]

  Bands of 30%, 50%, 65%, 80% and 100% off the tuition.学费减免分为 30%、50%、65%、80% 和 100% 几档。

Visa

• Your school normally acts as your proxy and applies for the Certificate of Eligibility at an immigration bureau in Japan.学校通常作为代理人，在日本的入国管理局申请在留资格认定证明书。 [13]
• Japan publishes no fixed sum you must show. It asks for a savings balance certificate, a year of income certificates and documents identifying where the money came from.日本没有公布固定的资金门槛。需要提交存款证明、一年的收入证明，以及说明资金来源的材料。 [13]
• The Student status of residence by itself does not permit work.“留学”在留资格本身不允许打工。 [20]

Work during and after studies

• With permission to engage in activity other than that permitted, you may work up to 28 hours a week.取得资格外活动许可后，每周最多可工作 28 小时。 [8]
• In long school holidays that rises to 8 hours a day.长假期间可增至每天 8 小时。 [8]
• Adult entertainment work is prohibited by law, whatever permission you hold.无论持有何种许可，法律禁止在风俗营业场所工作。 [8]
• After graduating you may switch to a designated-activities stay for job hunting: 6 months, extendable once, to a maximum of 1 year.毕业后可转为“特定活动”求职居留：6 个月，可延长一次，最长 1 年。 [9]

When you arrive

• Register your address at the local city office in the first fortnight.两周内到当地市役所办理住址登记。
• Apply for permission to work before you look for a job.找工作前先申请资格外活动许可。 [8]
• Join the national health insurance — it is compulsory and it is cheap.加入国民健康保险——这是强制的，而且费用不高。

Common mistakes

• Two of the three flagship English-taught undergraduate routes at national universities are closing: Tokyo's PEAK after September 2026 and Tohoku's FGL after 2026. A guide written from older sources will send you to a door that has already closed.国立大学三大英语授课本科项目中有两个正在关闭：东大 PEAK 2026 年 9 月后、东北大 FGL 2026 年后。依据旧资料写的指南会把你送到一扇已经关上的门前。 [5]
• Kyoto's iUP is widely described as English-taught. Its own page says the final two years are mainly or exclusively in Japanese.京都大学 iUP 常被说成英语授课。其官网写明最后两年主要或完全用日语。 [7]
• Passing JLPT N1 does not excuse you from the EJU. If your university asks for the EJU Japanese test, you sit it anyway.通过 JLPT N1 并不能免考 EJU。如果大学要求 EJU 日语科目，你仍然要考。 [11]
• The academic year starts in April. A September-intake programme is the exception, not the rule.学年从四月开始。九月入学是例外，不是常态。 [18]

Sources

1. Kyoto University: tuition and fees checked 2026-09-19
2. Ritsumeikan APU: tuition fees checked 2026-09-19
3. Study in Japan: cost of living checked 2026-09-19
4. Study in Japan: universities and admission requirements checked 2026-09-19
5. University of Tokyo PEAK: applying checked 2026-09-19
6. Tohoku University: courses in English checked 2026-09-19
7. Kyoto University: English-taught degree programmes checked 2026-09-19
8. Study in Japan: part-time jobs checked 2026-09-19
9. Study in Japan: immigration procedures for working checked 2026-09-19
10. Waseda University: English-based undergraduate programmes checked 2026-09-19
11. JASSO: does the JLPT replace the EJU? checked 2026-09-19
12. Study in Japan: academic fees checked 2026-09-19
13. Study in Japan: immigration procedures checked 2026-09-19
14. University of Tokyo: tuition and fees checked 2026-09-19
15. JASSO: about the EJU checked 2026-09-19
16. Study in Japan: application schedule checked 2026-09-19
17. Study in Japan: MEXT scholarships checked 2026-09-19
18. Study in Japan: the educational system checked 2026-09-19
19. Study in Japan: JASSO scholarships checked 2026-09-19
20. Study in Japan: residing in Japan checked 2026-09-19

Rules and fees change. Everything here was checked against the official pages on the date shown. Confirm on those pages before you apply or pay.