Student Visa
Those who wish to enter Japan as international students to study at a Japanese institution of higher education must obtain a "study abroad" visa when they enter the country.
In order to stay in Japan, you will need to apply for an extension of your period of stay, a change of residence status, re-entry permission, etc., as necessary.
The maximum period of stay permitted in Japan as a student (visa status "Student") is 4 years and 3 months. If you are studying beyond the period of stay, you will need to apply for renewal of your period. The renewal procedure must be completed by the expiration date of your visa, but it takes about 2 weeks to 1 month, so please apply well in advance
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Living Expenses
Average living expenses except tuition in Tokushima are estimated per student as follows:
| Item | Yen(per month) |
|---|---|
| Food Expenses | 35,000 ～ 45,000 |
| Housing Expenses | 25,000 ～ 35,000 |
| Books | 7,000 ～ 10,000 |
| Medical Expenses | 3,000 ～ 5,000 |
| Clothing | 3,000 ～ 5,000 |
| Social Expenses | 8,000 ～ 10,000 |
| Miscellaneous expenses | 4,000 ～ 5,000 |
| Total | 85,000 ～ 115,000 |
Part-time Job
Foreigners residing in Japan with a "Student" visa are not permitted to work, so they must obtain permission to engage in activities other than those permitted in advance in order to work part-time. Please also note that there are some part-time job types that are not permitted and restrictions on working hours, as shown below.
Conditions for part-time job permitted for international students
- Up to 28 hours per week
- Up to 8 hours per day only during long holidays
- Adult entertainment businesses are not permitted.
If a student works without obtaining permission to engage in activities other than those permitted under the visa status, or works beyond the scope of the permission, he/she will be subject to deportation and punishment.
Banks
Please open an account at a bank so that scholarships etc. from the university can be transferred to it. Please use your name written in katakana. The transfer destination for scholarships from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (for government-sponsored students, learning incentives, etc.) is Japan Post Bank.
Medical Care and Insurance
Foreigners who have been issued a residence card are required to enroll in the National Health Insurance. Please bring your passport and residence card to the National Health Insurance and Pension Division of your city or town hall to enroll. Once you pay the insurance premiums and enroll, if you get sick or injured, the National Health Insurance will cover 70% of the medical expenses, and the remaining 30% will be paid by the insured person.
We also recommend that you enroll in the Student Education and Research Accident Insurance that Japanese students enroll in when they enroll at the university.
Tokushima’s Climate
Tokushima Prefecture has different climate zones in the north and south. The north, where Tokushima City is located, has a Seto Inland Sea climate, and tends to have little rain and lots of sunshine. The southern part of the prefecture has a Pacific climate, and is one of the rainiest areas in the country. The average annual temperature in Tokushima City is higher than the national average, and warmer than Tokyo. In particular, the average minimum temperature in winter is the highest among the prefectural capitals of the four Shikoku prefectures, making it a comfortable area to live in even in winter. Tokushima City is warm throughout the year, making it a great place to visit throughout the year.
Characteristics of Tokushima City's Climate
- Average annual temperature 16.6 degrees (12th in the nation)
- Annual precipitation 1453.8 mm (29th in the nation)
- Annual sunshine hours 2092.9 hours (6th in the nation)
Earthquakes and Disasters
You probably have the image of Japan as a country that is prone to natural disasters.
In order to protect our lives and livelihoods, universities, local governments, and other organizations create manuals and conduct drills on a daily basis on how to prepare before a disaster occurs and what actions to take if a disaster occurs.
