🇯🇵 How to apply to university in Japan

There is no central application system: you apply to each institution directly. Programmes usually start: April (main); some universities also admit in September or October.

Checked on 20 October 2026 against the official sources listed below.

The essentials

Application system: None — apply to each institution on its own website.
When programmes start: April (main); some universities also admit in September or October.
International applicants: International students apply directly to each university, often through a separate international-student admission that uses the EJU in place of the exams Japanese students sit.
Language: Japanese-taught programmes usually ask for the EJU's Japanese section or the JLPT; English-taught programmes ask for TOEFL, IELTS or similar.

Key dates

Each university sets its own application dates. Many ask for the EJU (Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students), held in June and November: in 2026 registration ran 16 February–12 March for the June session and 6–30 July for the 8 November session. JASSO usually posts the next year's schedule around November.

The dates for the next intake haven't been published yet. We add them once the official source does.

Your checklist

The usual steps for an international student applying to a bachelor's in Japan, in order. Tick them off as you go — your ticks stay in this browser, with no account.

1.About a year ahead, shortlist universities and check whether each programme is taught in Japanese or English.
2.Check each university's entry requirements and whether it uses the EJU, the JLPT or an English test.
3.Register for the EJU (and any other test) in time — registration closes months before the exam.
4.Send your application and documents, usually six to eight months before the course starts.
5.Sit the EJU and the university's own exam or interview, if it has one.
6.Receive your acceptance letter and pay the admission and tuition fees.
7.Obtain a Certificate of Eligibility (the university usually applies for it on your behalf), then use it to apply for a student visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate.
8.Arrange housing and travel, then enrol when you arrive.

0 of 8 done · ticks are saved in this browser only

Next steps

Sources

Written by CollegeMatcher in our own words from these official pages, checked on 20 October 2026. Dates change every year.

Study in Japan (JASSO) — timeline for studying in Japan