Top-performing OECD country in reading literacy, math, and sciences, Japan is also a popular destination that offers a wide range of benefits for international students. With an excellent education system, the country is all about the complex and exciting culture, affordable tuition fees, generous scholarships, friendly and hardworking people, exciting modernization, an ultimate adventure, job opportunities for English speakers, a safe country, and excellent quality of life.

Tuition Fees in Japan

Types of Degree	Estimated Tuition Fee (USD)
Bachelor’s degree	$20, 000 to $23, 000
Master’s Degree	$12, 000
Doctorate Degree	$500 per academic year

Please remember that each application is accompanied by an application fee, and the fee differs from one to another based on the program.

	National	Local Public	Private (excludes medical, dental, and pharmaceutical degrees)	Private (medical, dental, and pharmaceutical programs)
Graduate School	Approx. 82, 000 yen	Approx. 930, 000 yen	Approx. 1, 000, 000 yen	Approx. 800, 000 yen
University (Undergraduate)	Approx. 820, 000 yen	Approx. 930, 000 yen	Approx. 1, 100, 000 yen	Approx. 3, 200, 000 yen
Junior College		Approx. 610, 000 yen	Approx. 960, 000 yen

 

The number of higher education institutions in Japan are:

	National	Local public	Private	Total
Graduate Schools	86	84	473	643
Universities (undergraduate degree)	86	94	615	795
Junior colleges	–	17	306	323
Colleges of technology	51	3	3	57
Professional training colleges	9	184	2, 586	2,779

Note: The data was collected from the 2020 School Basic Survey done by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology.

Higher Education System in Japan

Bachelor’s Degree: The study duration for Bachelor’s degree is four years in Japan. However, the degree in medical, veterinary, dentistry and pharmacy programs lasts up to six years of studies. To graduate, you need to complete at least 124-course credits.

Master’s Degree: Postgraduate degree in a Japanese university combines lectures, research, projects, and writing of students’ dissertations. It takes two years to complete a master’s degree. To study master’s degree in Japanese universities, you need to complete a four years Bachelor’s degree.

Doctorate Studies: The doctorate degree is the highest level of academic achievement in the Japanese education system. The study duration to receive a doctoral degree is a minimum of three years for most disciplines, except medical PhD degrees.

Visa Requirements

To apply for a Japanese student visa, you need the following documents:

• A valid passport
• Photocopies of the passport
• The Student Visa Application Form
• The Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
• Letter of admission
• Letter of invitation or letter of guarantee from your Japanese university
• Previous academic qualifications, such as transcripts
• A motivational letter
• Professional qualifications (work experience letter)
• Meet the financial requirements for your study period, including income statement, proof of scholarship, sponsorship letter, bank statements, and others.

Please note that all your documents must be printed on A4 paper. Also, consult with your Embassy if more detailed documents are required for your visa application. In case of submitting original documents, consult them.

Once you arrive in Japan with a student visa, you will receive a Landing Permit and a Residence Card.