Visa Changes

Changing your status of residence to College Student

If you need to change your status of residence from something other than College Student to College Student, you can apply via the Student Office. The documents you need will depend on your current status of residence, your personal history and other factors. Please contact the Student Office for more information.
Be aware that once you change your status of residence to College Student, you will not be able to change it back to your previous status again.

Changing from a college student to another status of residence

Please note that changing from a student visa to another visa status will make you ineligible to receive the tuition reduction scholarship and other scholarships for international students.
You will have to apply in person at the Immigration Bureau, but please notify the Student Office beforehand. After you have changed your status of residence and received a new residence card, please bring it to the Student Office.
Please note that once you change your status of residence to Short-term Stay, you will not be able to change it back to College Student again.

Changing your status of residence so you can work in Japan after graduation

「Students on a College Visa who have received confirmation of employment after graduation will need to carry out the necessary procedures to convert their current visa to a Work Visa.
Application documents differ by when you graduate/begin work or the type of company or organization.
For details, please check the Student Office homepage.

*If you do not receive an unofficial job offer from a company or organization at least two months before graduation, you may not be able to stay in Japan for work.
*You must apply in person at the Immigration Bureau to change your status of residence.

Changing your status of residence so you can look for work in Japan after graduation

If you want to stay in Japan after graduation to continue looking for work, you will need to apply at the Immigration Bureau to change your status of residence.
You will need to attach a letter of recommendation from the university to this application. (As a rule, each student is entitled to only one letter.)
For details, please check the Student Office homepage.

*You must apply in person at the Immigration Bureau to change your status of residence.
*Even if you have a letter of recommendation from the university, it does not guarantee that your application for Designated Activities status will be granted.

Change your status of residence