Student Visa Japan for Filipinos: COE, Money Proof, A1 Rule

Key Takeaways

• A Filipino studies at a Japanese language school on the "Student" status of residence. The school must be either listed by a Ministry of Justice notice or accredited by MEXT (Japan's education ministry); other schools cannot sponsor this status.
• The order is: school admission in Japan, then the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) filed by the school at a regional immigration office in Japan (no fee, standard processing 1 to 3 months), then the visa at the Japan Visa Center in the Philippines, then arrival.
• Immigration checks that someone can pay all tuition and living costs. The sponsor signs a Statement of Financial Support (経費支弁書) and proves the money with a bank balance certificate plus documents showing how the money was built up. A big deposit made just before applying can hurt the application.
• From the October 2026 intake, every language-school applicant must show Japanese ability of CEFR A1 or above, proven by a test (JFT-Basic A1 or higher, JLPT N5 or higher, among others) or by an interview run by the school. Filipinos are not exempt.
• The student work permit (資格外活動許可) allows at most 28 hours a week, or 8 hours a day during the school's long breaks. It can be received at the airport on arrival. Part-time work can never pay for the whole stay.
• Since June 23, 2025, Filipinos applying for a COE or long-stay visa need a TB Clearance Certificate from a JPETS Panel Clinic.
• As of October 2026, JASSO lists first-year language-school fees at roughly 610,000 to 1,900,000 yen, and the Embassy's single-entry visa fee (July 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027) is 5,750 pesos.

What the "Student" status of residence is

A status of residence (在留資格) is the permission that says what a foreigner may do while living in Japan. The "Student" status (留学) is for people receiving education at Japanese universities, colleges of technology, high schools, specialized training colleges (専修学校), miscellaneous schools (各種学校) and institutions equivalent to these. Japanese language schools fall under this status through a separate category in the Immigration Services Agency (ISA) document lists: "notice-listed and accredited Japanese language institutions."

The period of stay for a Student is set individually by the Minister of Justice and cannot exceed 4 years and 3 months.

Two kinds of language schools can accept you on the Student status:

Notice-listed schools must obtain MEXT accreditation by March 31, 2029. MEXT publishes accredited schools on its Japanese Language Education Institution Accreditation Act Portal, which has a path for people who want to study Japanese in Japan as international students. In the accreditation round announced on April 30, 2026, 100 institutions applied and 32 were accredited, all in the "study abroad" (留学) course category.

Step 1: Choosing a language school

Hanapon does not recommend any school or agent, so here is only what the official sources say to check. JASSO's Study in Japan site counts over 600 Japanese language schools with approximately 49,000 students. Entry is in April and October, and some schools also start in January or July. JASSO tells applicants to confirm that the school is authorized by the Minister of Justice; with the 2024 law, that means a notice-listed or MEXT-accredited school, which you can check on the MEXT portal. JASSO's timeline is to select a school about 12 months before you want to study in Japan and apply about 6 to 9 months before, sending documents to the school and paying its examination fee. The basic application documents are the school's application form and resume, a certificate of graduation (or expected graduation) from your last school, your transcript, documents proving ability to pay expenses, and whatever else the school asks for. After screening or an interview, you receive a Letter of Admission and pay tuition; the COE application follows.

Step 2: The Certificate of Eligibility (COE)

The Certificate of Eligibility (COE, 在留資格認定証明書) is a document from Japan Immigration confirming that you meet the conditions for the Student status. It is applied for in Japan, not in the Philippines, at the regional immigration office that covers your planned residence or the school's location. Mail applications are not accepted. The applicant can file it, but in most cases the school files it as your proxy. There is no fee for the COE application, and the standard processing time is 1 to 3 months.

Our separate guide covers the COE in more depth: COE requirements and timeline.

Documents for the COE application

Below is ISA's list for a COE application to enter a Japanese language school that Immigration has notified as a properly managed school (適正校, Class I). ISA ranks schools by how well they manage their students' residence, and the document list differs by class, so your school will tell you which list applies.

Applicants from the 12 countries and regions on ISA's annexed table (別表) who graduated from a foreign higher-education institution and submit the diploma do not need the confirmation form. The Philippines is not on that table, so a Filipino applicant always needs the confirmation form and the Japanese-ability proof behind it.

ISA's notes on applying add these practical rules:

• Documents must be single-sided A4.
• Original documents must have been issued within 3 months.
• If you cannot submit a listed document, explain why and submit a substitute.
• Submitted documents are not returned.
• Even when a document is left off the list, the school must check at admission (a) proof that all expenses during the stay can be paid, and if someone other than you pays, that person's ability to pay and how they came to pay, and (b) proof that you have enough language ability to receive the education.

Proof of money: what Immigration wants to see

ISA says it places importance on confirming the ability to pay expenses, to prevent cases where a student falls into hardship after entering Japan. The key document is the Statement of Financial Support (経費支弁書), the written promise of the sponsor (経費支弁者), the person who will pay your tuition and living costs, often a family member.

The ISA reference form is addressed to the Minister of Justice and contains:

That last line matters: the promise is checked later. At extension time, the Student status requires a declaration on payment of living expenses (滞在費支弁に関する申告書) and, for sponsors who paid, the proof that the money really arrived.

Documents that prove the money

Two warnings from ISA deserve plain words. First, forging certificates or temporarily depositing a large sum into an account may cause you to be regarded as doubtful in all future residence applications, not just this one. Second, a student may not cover all tuition and living costs by part-time work. The Student status in principle does not allow income-earning activities; part-time work is only an exception allowed by permission within a range that does not hinder studies. Anyone who tells you that a student visa lets you earn your way through school is contradicting ISA. For checking offers like that, use the Hanapon scam checklist.

For the amount of living costs to plan for, ISA points applicants to JASSO's Lifestyle Survey of Privately Financed International Students; the figures from that survey appear in the cost section below.

The new Japanese-ability (A1) requirement

From 2026, students entering a Japanese language school, a preparatory education institution or a university's Japanese-language course must have Japanese ability of A1 or above under the Japanese framework aligned to CEFR (the Common European Framework of Reference for languages, where A1 is the lowest of six levels). The Japan Foundation describes A1 as being able to understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases, introduce yourself and others, ask and answer simple questions about where you live and people you know, and interact simply if the other person speaks slowly and clearly.

How it is proven

Until this change, 150 hours or more of Japanese study history was accepted as proof. ISA notified language schools on April 10, 2026 that from now on the basis is a Japanese test certificate or an interview by the accepting school (online allowed).

The school's confirmation form has a section for the method of checking language ability with boxes for test (name, level or score, date, place, examinee number), interview (online allowed), check of documents (a certificate of study history with organization, period and total hours) and other. For entry to a language school, either the test box or the interview box must be filled, so a study-history certificate on its own no longer does the job.

When it applies

The only exemption is for applicants from the annexed-table countries who graduated from a foreign higher-education institution and submit the diploma. The Philippines is not on that table, so a Filipino applicant needs a test or a school interview regardless of education.

JFT-Basic and JLPT for Filipinos

The JFT-Basic is a computer-based test held in principle every month in 13 countries including the Philippines, taking 60 minutes with about 50 questions, with results known right after the test. Booking is through the Prometric reservation page. From August 2026 it judges three levels, A1 (145 to 174 points), A2.1 (175 to 199 points) and A2.2 (200 to 250 points), and from the same month it can be used for the Student status application to enter a language school. The fee outside Japan differs by country. The JLPT N5 also counts, and the JLPT is held on fixed dates, so check the schedule early. Dates for both tests are on the Hanapon test calendar, and the official free practice material is explained in our JFT-Basic reviewer. For where and how to register for the JLPT in the Philippines, see JLPT Philippines: where, when, fees, how to register.

Step 3: The visa at the Embassy of Japan (Japan Visa Center)

Once the COE is issued, you apply for the visa in the Philippines. Since April 7, 2025 the Embassy of Japan receives visa applications through a Visa Center (JVAC) run by VFS Services Philippines, with offices in Parañaque (Aseana City), Makati (Circuit Makati), Quezon City (Gateway Tower Mall, Araneta City), Cebu City and Davao City. Appointments are booked on the VFS website, and the visa type to choose is "Student, Worker, Dependent and Other Status for Long Term Stay," then "Student, Worker and Dependent."

Documents at the Visa Center

The Embassy's checklist for Student, Worker and Dependent visas (the version available on the VFS site is dated March 2023; confirm the current list at the Visa Center) asks for:

The Embassy's note on document submission (April 7, 2025) adds that documents issued in the Philippines must be originals, while photocopies of documents prepared in Japan are acceptable; all documents must be issued within 3 months of the application date; A4 size; never stapled; documents in a language other than English or Japanese need an English or Japanese translation with the translation date and the translator's name and signature; submitted documents cannot be returned; and if additional documents requested through the JVAC are not submitted within 1 month, the application is terminated.

Fee and TB screening

The TB rule is the Japan Pre-Entry Tuberculosis Screening (JPETS). It applies to Philippine nationals who will stay in Japan as mid- to long-term residents, meaning a status with a period of stay over three months, which includes students. The screening is a chest X-ray and other examinations at a Panel Clinic; Panel Clinics in the Philippines started taking appointments on March 24, 2025. Some groups are temporarily exempt (for example MEXT scholarship students with an Embassy recommendation and Specified Skilled Workers), but language-school students are not on the exemption list.

Step 4: Arrival in Japan

At major airports, a Landing Permission stamp goes in your passport and you receive a residence card (在留カード, zairyu card), the ID card issued to foreign nationals residing in Japan for more than three months; other airports may issue it later. After deciding where you will live, bring the card to the municipal office within 14 days to register as a resident.

Foreign residents staying three months or more must also join National Health Insurance (国民健康保険, "Kokuho") at the municipal office after resident registration. It covers 70% of medical costs, and the patient pays 30%. The premium is calculated from the previous year's income, including part-time earnings; a reduction is possible if prior-year income was below a threshold, but you must declare your income even if it was zero. Most schools also offer Gakkensai, the Personal Accident Insurance for Students Pursuing Education and Research.

Part-time work: the 28-hour rule

A student may work only after receiving permission to engage in activities other than those permitted under the status (資格外活動許可). The standard form is the blanket permission (包括許可), which is not tied to one employer and requires only the application form.

New entrants granted the Student status can apply for the permission right after landing and receive it at the port of entry, except when a 3-month period of stay was granted. Study in Japan puts it the same way: students whose stay exceeds three months can apply at the airport or port of entry on first arrival.

Individual permission (個別許可) is needed for work outside the blanket scope, such as internships for students near graduation, language teaching, interpreting or tutoring, business start-up preparation, or work whose hours cannot be objectively verified. Forming a company, hiring staff or opening business premises requires changing to the "Business Manager" status. Online application for the permission is possible only when filed together with a change-of-status, extension or acquisition application.

Study in Japan is clear about the purpose: work must not affect studies, and earnings should supplement school and living costs, not be saved or sent overseas. Violations may lead to punishment and even deportation. Its figures (from JASSO's 2023 survey) say about 65% of privately financed international students work part-time, earning on average about 81,000 yen a month at an average hourly wage of about 1,300 yen; half (50.2%) earn 1,000 to 1,200 yen an hour.

From April 2026, ISA also requires language schools to check every 3 months whether each student has the permission, where they work, what they do and how many hours. If a violation is found, the school gives immediate guidance, and suspected illegal work, including a student reporting that an employer forces more than 28 hours a week, is reported to the nearest immigration office and reflected in residence examinations. If an employer pushes you past the limit, the risk falls on your status, so tell the school rather than staying quiet.

What it costs

For comparison, JASSO lists specialized training colleges at about 1,300,000 yen and national university undergraduate programs at about 820,000 yen for the first year. Put the tuition and the monthly living figure into your sponsor's Statement of Financial Support with real numbers, and remember that part-time earnings cannot be counted as the way the whole stay is paid. For remittance and cost tools, see the Hanapon money page.

FAQ

Q: Can I pay for Japanese language school by working part-time once I am in Japan?

No. ISA states that covering all tuition and living costs by part-time work is not permitted. Work is limited to 28 hours a week (8 hours a day in long school breaks) and is treated as a supplement to money the sponsor has already shown. Study in Japan adds that earnings should not be saved or sent overseas.

Q: I studied Japanese for 150 hours. Is that enough for the student visa now?

Not by itself. For students entering from October 2026, ISA requires A1 or above proven by a test certificate (such as JFT-Basic A1 or JLPT N5) or by an interview conducted by the school. The 150-hour study history was the old standard. If the school interviews you (online is allowed), it must record concretely in the confirmation form how it judged your level.

Q: After language school, can I move on to a university or a vocational college in Japan?

Yes, with further Japanese requirements. Students entering a university (excluding Japanese-language courses) or a college of technology from the 2027 academic year need B2 or above; as a transitional measure for those entering by the end of the 2029 academic year (March 2030), JLPT N2 or higher, EJU Japanese 200 points or more, BJT 400 or more or JPT 525 or more are deemed sufficient, and 600 hours or more of class time is accepted as an N2-equivalent guide. Entry to a specialized training college or miscellaneous school requires one of: 1 year or more in a study-abroad course at a notice-listed or accredited language school, a test proving enough Japanese, or 1 year or more at a school under Article 1 of the School Education Act.

Summary

A Filipino reaches a Japanese language school on the Student status by getting admitted to a notice-listed or MEXT-accredited school, letting the school file the COE in Japan, and then applying at the Japan Visa Center with the passport, the application form, a copy of the COE and the TB Clearance Certificate. Immigration's two hard checks are money and language: a sponsor who can prove, with a bank balance certificate and a paper trail, that tuition and living costs are covered, and Japanese ability of A1 or above shown by a test or a school interview from the October 2026 intake. Once in Japan, the work permit allows 28 hours a week and nothing more, and schools now check this every three months. The costs and dates above carry their time points, so recheck the official pages before you apply. To compare this route with the work-based routes to Japan, see the Hanapon route comparison, and for test dates see the test calendar.

Sources

• ISA, Status of residence "Student" Q&A (activities and period of stay): https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/qaq5.html
• ISA, Document lists for the "Student" status: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/student.html
• ISA, Studying at a Japanese language institution (notice-listed or accredited schools): https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/resources/nyuukokukanri07_00159.html
• ISA, Accreditation law and the March 31, 2029 deadline: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/resources/nyuukokukanri10_00187.html
• MEXT, Japanese Language Education Institution Accreditation Act Portal: https://www.nihongokyouiku.mext.go.jp/top
• MEXT, Accreditation results of April 30, 2026: https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/nihongo_kyoiku/1420729_00022.htm
• Study in Japan (JASSO), Japanese language schools: https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/planning/learn-about-schools/japanese-language-schools/
• Study in Japan (JASSO), Flow chart for studying in Japan: https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/planning/flow-chart/
• Study in Japan (JASSO), Immigration procedures (COE, visa, residence card): https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/planning/immigration-procedures/
• ISA, Application for Certificate of Eligibility: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/16-1.html
• ISA, Document list for Japanese language institutions (Class I) and the confirmation form: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/content/001463590.pdf
• ISA, Q&A for Japanese language institutions (as of May 19, 2026): https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/content/001462458.pdf
• ISA, Notes on applying (financial proof, A1 requirement, later study requirements): https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/content/001461504.pdf
• ISA, Annexed table of countries and regions: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/content/001461166.pdf
• ISA, Statement of Financial Support reference form: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/content/001366747.pdf
• ISA, Notice to Japanese language schools of April 10, 2026 (A1 proof, part-time work checks): https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/content/001461177.pdf
• ISA, Start dates of the Japanese-ability requirement: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/10_00258.html
• Japan Foundation, Press release No. 2026-016 on JFT-Basic levels: https://www.jpf.go.jp/j/about/press/2026/dl/2026-016.pdf
• Japan Foundation, About JFT-Basic: https://www.jpf.go.jp/jft-basic/e/about/index.html
• ISA, Permission to engage in activities other than those permitted (overview, 28 hours): https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/nyuukokukanri07_00003.html
• ISA, Application for the permission (fee, exclusions): https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/16-8.html
• ISA, Permission at the port of entry for new entrants: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/shikakugai_00001.html
• Study in Japan (JASSO), Part-time jobs: https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/work-in-japan/part-time-jobs/
• Study in Japan (JASSO), Academic fees: https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/planning/academic-fees/
• Study in Japan (JASSO), Cost of living: https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/life/cost-of-living/
• Study in Japan (JASSO), Insurance: https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/life/insurance/
• Embassy of Japan in the Philippines, Visa Center (JVAC): https://www.ph.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/00_000035.html
• Embassy of Japan in the Philippines, Checklist for Student, Worker and Dependent (VFS): https://www.vfsglobal.com/one-pager/japan/philippines/japanese/pdf/100479463.pdf
• Embassy of Japan in the Philippines, Important note on document submission: https://www.ph.emb-japan.go.jp/itprtop_en/11_000001_00896.html
• Embassy of Japan in the Philippines, Consular fees July 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027: https://www.ph.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_ja/00_000284.html
• Embassy of Japan in the Philippines, Japan Pre-Entry Tuberculosis Screening (JPETS): https://www.ph.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/11_000001_01844.html