Faculty/Graduate School of Economics, UTokyo For Current Students

Visa

1.Visa application

Those who are to enter Japan to take entrance exams must obtain visa by themselves. The Graduate School of Economics, the University of Tokyo (hereafter, Graduate School) does not assist them in applying for visa.

At our Graduate School, the status of residence for international students should be "Student" in principal. On the enrollment to the Graduate School, you first need to apply for a "Certificate of Eligibility"(CoE) through the Graduate School before the application for a Student visa in your country. For those with MEXT scholarship should consult the Japanese Embassy/Consulate General in your country where your visa application will be handled.

2. Application for VISA (For new students)

International students should have an appropriate status of residence that will allow admission to our graduate school, as stipulated in the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (Cabinet Order No. 319 of 1951) to enroll any of our programs. If you do not have a status of residence at the time of enrollment procedures, you will not be admitted to UTokyo. In priciple, to study and research at UTokyo, Student visa "Student (ryugaku)" is needed.

There are two types of visa status in Japan; one is issued based on the activity in which you engage and the other is issued based on your status or position. If your visa status is issued based on the activity, you should have Student visa in priciple. "Long Term Resident," "Spouse or Child of Japanese National," "Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident" and "Permanent Resident" are issued based on your status or position. If your visa status is issued based on the status or position, please consult us immediately after obtaining an admission.

To obtain a Student visa at your local Japanese Embassy or Consulate, you need a "Certificate of Eligibility (CoE)". A CoE is issued before a visa application by the immigration authority as evidence that the foreign national meets the conditions for landing in Japan.

The Graduate School of Economics will apply for the CoE at the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau on behalf of the international students, who are 1) expected to enroll at the Graduate School; 2) not living in Japan, nor are your relatives to apply; 3) able to submit a certificate of bank statement (equivalent to 2,000,000 JPY) with other relevant documents. The Graduate School will NOT apply for the CoE unless all requirements are met.

    Please make sure to submit the following necessary documents via registered post to apply.
  1. Application Form for Certificate of Eligibility (Purpose of entry: Study)
    (See the sampleEXCEL)
    Fill out the form (For applicant, Part1-3) electrically. Fill out #31 as the sample, but do not sign. Single-sided copy and black-white print ONLY.
  2. One ID photo (size: 4.0 cm×3.0 cm) Must be clear and well defined without background and be taken in the past 3 months.
    *Write your name on the backside.
  3. Copy of passport
    A page with photograph, passport number and name
  4. Questionnaires for Student Visa PDF
  5. Documents to certify financial ability (Must be original/official and the latest documents in English or Japanese. Copies of originals are NOT accepted! )
    • If you will support yourself, submit a Certificate of your Bank Statement.
    • If you will receive remittance from your relative, submit a Certificate of his/her Bank Statement, Affidavit of Financial Support PDF, AND a Certificate of relationship between you and your supporter.
    • If you will receive a scholarship, submit a Certificate of its scholarship.
    *Please submit within the specified period via registered mail (i.e. EMS, DHL, or FEDEX).

Mail to：
GAIA (Group for Administering International Affairs)
Graduate School of Economics, The University of Tokyo
Economics Research Bldg. 5F Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo 113-0033 Tokyo

3. Extension of Period of Stay

For inquiries, email us at gaia.e at gs.mail.u-tokyo.ac.jp (Replace "at" with @ mark.)

During the period of the registeration as a student at UTokyo, you should keep "Student" visa, except for the period admitted as taking a leave of absence.

Application may be accepted at an immigration bureau office starting from 3 months before the expiration date. Immigration Bureau guides you through the process.

Those who wish to extend their visa should prepare the necessary documents well in advance. Among the documents, you are requested to submit an official document issued by UTokyo. It usually takes 7 to 10 days to complete as the form must be officially sealed under the name of Dean of Faculty/Graduate School.

    To apply, please bring the following items to the GAIA office:

  • Application Form for applicant (3 pages-download from the site) Single-sided copy ONLY. Do not whiteout. Erase with double lines for any corrections. Attach ID photo taken within three months.
  • Copy of your passport where your passport number, picture and visa information are sited
  • Copy of your Alien Registration card or Residence card (both side)
  • A document showing the financial ability to live in Japan; such as copy of scholarship certificate, copy of front cover and transaction pages (for last three months) of bankbook, copy of pay slips for last three months from a work place, a remittance certificate, etc.
  • Submit above mentioned documents well in advance since there may be needed to prepare other documents in some cases.

Upon receipt of the official document issued by UTokyo, you are expected to visit the local immigration office by yourselves at your earliest with all the documents required by the Ministry of Justice. Refer to Website for International Students, UTokyo .

Permission for Activities not Permitted by Status of Residence

Your permission for Part-time work granted previously expires upon expiration of your visa. You need to re-apply for the permission at the Immigration Bureau accordingly. Refer to this this web site .

Those who are to apply for the first time after entering to Japan should follow the procedure guided in the above website as well.

International students are limited to 28 hours of part-time work per week, and 8 hours a day during summer or winter break. You can apply to an Immigration Bureau office in person. Also it is possible to make the application at the port of entry.

Scholarship granted students

Those with MEXT and other scholarship granted students should individually arrange a certificate of the scholarship for the proof of financial status as appropriate.

UTokyo students who advance to the Master program/Doctoral program

Either current undergraduate students who are to advance to the Master's program or current graduates who are to advance to the Doctoral program in UTokyo are not given a university sealed document before the enrollment of the advanced program at Todai is completed. In either case, please bring the material 1. to 4. mentioned above by the end of February so that you can pick up the university sealed document soon after the completion of your registration in March. We recommend you to register on the first day of the registration period (at the beginning of March) and go to the immigration office immediate after as March/September are the busiest periods in the Immigration office.

Leave of Absence

If you are to take a leave of absence, you are not eligible to extend your status of residence as a student. The status should be assigned to a student to study in the university and not for the one to take a leave.

4. Graduation/Withdrawal

When you have graduated/withdrawn from your academic program, you must notify within 14 days either through the Immigration Bureau's e-Notification system, in person at the 2nd floor C4 Counter or by mail. If submitting by mail, please also include a copy of your Residence Card.

Please visit this immigration office's web site.

Important

Student visa is valid only while you are registered as a student at the UTokyo. If you graduate or withdraw from the UTokyo, you will be required to leave Japan even if there is still time on your status as a "Student." If you wish to continue to stay in Japan, you must immediately change your status from "Student" to an appropriate status of residency. Continuing to stay as a "Student" will be illegal. You must apply for changing visa status according to your activity in Japan before graduation/withdrawal. Moreover, your work permit becomes also invalid.

If you wish to invite your parents/relatives from abroad for the graduation ceremony and on any other occasions, please check the immigration office website for the details. Some students need to find a guarantor living in Japan for their visa application. Please note that, in principle, faculty members of the Faculty/Graduate School of Economics may not be a guarantor for the visa application.