What Is A Ryugaku Visa?

Foreign students who are looking for technical expertise find their way through the various study abroad programs to Japan. They then apply for a Ryugaku visa in making their dreams come true someday. If you are an international student considering to study in Japan, you have to know by now whether a Ryugaku visa is right for you or not.

What exactly is this visa for, by the way? Is this the only type of visa available for all international students? How can foreign students obtain this visa?

Ryugaku Visa Unleashed

This is a Japanese visa intended for international students. If you are planning for a study abroad program to Japan for higher educational purposes like an undergraduate, graduate or even a doctorate degree, you will need to apply for a Ryugaku visa. This student visa lets you study in Japan for four academic years.

However, not all international students may apply for this type of Japanese visa. If you want to study for an intensive Japanese language course to an accredited institution of the Association for the Promotion of the Japanese Language Education or APJLE, you can apply for a Shugaku visa instead. This is as a pre-college visa ranging from 6-24 months of study that allows you to master the Japanese language and prepares you for a competitive college education in Japan.

Visa Application Process

Shugaku and Ryugaku visas both require foreign students to apply through their desired Japanese university for a course of study they want to pursue in Japan. This actually means that you don’t have to apply directly to the Bureau of Immigration.

Application requirements usually include financial statements, medical examination, official transcripts of records, EJU, letters of recommendation and such specific documents that may be required by your university or program as the application form and fee and other related documents.

Your university may approve or deny your university admission application. If they approve the application, they will then direct you for immigration assistance to get you notified of your visa application. You can either accept or decline your student visa. Once accepted, your visa will be stamped to your passport and you can now prepare for traveling to Japan.

Make sure that everything is well-prepared including your accommodation plans upon arriving to Japan. Follow your visa restrictions very carefully and make friends with native folks and students to help you adjust quickly and excel academically.