After Acceptance -Student Exchange- 交換留学 受入までの手続き

To study in Japan, prospective exchange students need to go through the two-step process of obtaining a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) and a student visa.

Kyoto Seika University must first apply to the Japanese Immigration Services Agency for a Certificate of Eligibility for you to study abroad. Students do not directly apply for a COE; the university applies on your behalf. The COE is a digital document that will be emailed directly to you once it has been sent to our office by the Japanese Immigration Services Agency. Applications take around four to six weeks to process.

The following documents and materials are required for Kyoto Seika University to apply for a COE on your behalf. 
 

Without a Certificate of Eligibility (COE), you will not be able to obtain a visa. After receiving the certificate from the university, you must apply for a student visa at your nearest Japanese embassy or consulate. Processing takes about one week, provided there are no problems with the application. 

Shuko-kan, an international student dormitory owned and operated by Kyoto Seika University, is available for exchange students to use during their semester here. All Shuko-kan rooms are shared. In general, international students will share a room with a Japanese student. If you wish to apply to live in the dormitory, please fill out the application form, which will be attached to your acceptance email, and submit it by the designated date.

・J-STAY

As an exchange student, you are required by law to enroll in Japan's national health insurance program, even if you have travel insurance or other insurance coverage back home. We will help you with this process during your exchange student orientation. Once you have been enrolled, you are only liable for a 30% copay for medical expenses in case of illness, injury, or hospitalization. The monthly premium is less than 2,000 yen per month.

Your student visa will be issued for the purpose of studying at Kyoto Seika University. For this reason, you should not plan to arrive in Japan more than one week before the exchange student orientation or dormitory check-in date. Kansai International Airport (KIX) is the closest international airport to Kyoto. We will provide further information on how to get to the university from KIX at a later date.

All classes at Kyoto Seika University are taught in Japanese. Faculty members will do their best to provide guidance in English where appropriate, but ultimately it is each student’s responsibility to communicate with their classmates and teachers if any questions arise. Exchange students often rely on voice-to-text translation apps and support from classmates to fill in any gaps in communication. We strongly recommended that you make an effort to learn basic Japanese both before and during your exchange semester, as this will greatly enhance your experience on campus.