Clear, transparent advice regarding COE approvals, bank balance proofs, language tests, and life in Japan.
COE is issued by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan confirming that you meet the legal requirements to enter Japan. Once your selected school submits your documents, immigration takes approximately 2.5 to 3 months to inspect and grant the COE before visa stamping at the Embassy in Kathmandu.
Most language schools require at least a completed SEE (10 years of schooling), though a +2 or Bachelor's improves your intake options and scholarship eligibility. There's no strict upper age limit, but applicants are generally expected to be between 18 and 30 for the smoothest COE approval.
Yes. With a "Permission to Engage in Activity Other Than That Permitted" from immigration, student visa holders can work up to 28 hours per week during term time and full-time during long school holidays.
Part-time (baito) wages typically range from ¥1,000 to ¥1,300 per hour depending on the region and job type — enough to meaningfully offset living costs within the 28-hour weekly limit.
A minimum JLPT N5 or NAT-TEST 5Q level is required by most institutions for your COE application, and stronger Japanese ability significantly improves your embassy interview outcome, part-time job options, and daily life in Japan.
A Student Visa is for language schools, Senmon Gakko, or university study and doesn't permit full-time work. An SSW Visa is an up-to-5-year work visa for verified employment sectors like caregiving or food service, offering equal pay and benefits to Japanese nationals, and requires JFT-Basic/JLPT N4 plus a sector skill test.
