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Student visa for Japan, for students from India
As a citizen of India you will normally need a student visa or residence permit for Japan before your course starts. Some nationalities may enter Japan without a visa and apply for the residence permit there instead; check the official page below for the rule that applies to your passport.
The numbers
- Money you must show
- No fixed national figure
- Visa fee
- About JPY 15,000 single entry
- Work while you study
- 28 hours a week, up to 8 hours a day in long school holidays
- Stay after you graduate
- 6 months, renewable once, for up to 1 year of job hunting
Immigration asks for evidence you can pay tuition and living costs (savings and income certificates of you or your sponsor). In practice your school sets the amount it wants to see: ask it.
Study in Japan (JASSO / Government of Japan), checked 2026-09-24
New fee for applications accepted from 1 July 2026. The amount can differ, or be waived, depending on nationality.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, checked 2026-09-24
Only after you obtain permission to engage in activity other than that permitted by your status of residence.
Study in Japan, checked 2026-09-24
Designated Activities (job hunting). Graduates of eligible top-ranked universities may use J-Find for up to 2 years.
University of Tokyo, Graduation guidance, checked 2026-09-24
The visa
You need the Student status of residence. The process has two stages, and the first happens in Japan:
1. Certificate of Eligibility (COE). Your school, acting as your proxy, applies to the regional immigration bureau. You supply documents through the school, including proof of funds. 2. The visa. With the COE, you apply at the Japanese embassy or consulate in your country with your passport, form, photo and COE.
On arrival you receive a residence card at the airport, and you must register your address at your city office within 14 days of settling.
The fee: about JPY 15,000 for a single-entry visa, for applications accepted from 1 July 2026, when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs raised its visa fees. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that fees may be waived or differ depending on nationality and purpose, and that you pay in local currency, so confirm the exact amount with your embassy. No fee is charged if the visa is not issued.
The money. Japan does not publish a single proof-of-funds figure. The Study in Japan portal says only that you may be asked for your sponsor's savings balance certificate, an income certificate for the past year, and documents showing where the money came from. In practice, the school handling your COE tells you what balance it will submit, and it is usually sized to cover a year of tuition and living costs. Ask for the figure in writing before you move money, and make sure the source of the funds is traceable: unexplained deposits are a common reason COE applications stall.
Where to apply
At the embassy or consulate of Japan that covers India, or through the visa application centre it names. Book early: in the busiest months appointments can be weeks away. Apply only through the official website; nobody can sell you a faster place in the queue.
Official pages: studyinjapan.go.jp · mofa.go.jp · studyinjapan.go.jp · u-tokyo.ac.jp · global.support.ritsumei.ac.jp · studyinjapan.go.jp. Checked 2026-09-24. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you apply.
Scholarships open to students from India in Japan
Questions students ask
Do students from India need a visa to study in Japan?
As a citizen of India you will normally need a student visa or residence permit for Japan before your course starts. Some nationalities may enter Japan without a visa and apply for the residence permit there instead; check the official page below for the rule that applies to your passport.
How much money do I need to show for a Japan student visa?
No fixed national figure. Immigration asks for evidence you can pay tuition and living costs (savings and income certificates of you or your sponsor). In practice your school sets the amount it wants to see: ask it. (source: Study in Japan (JASSO / Government of Japan), checked 2026-09-24).
Can I work while I study in Japan?
28 hours a week, up to 8 hours a day in long school holidays.
This page is general information from official sources, not immigration advice. For a decision about your own case, the official source or a regulated adviser is where that belongs.