Student visa, first time in Japan
You need a recognized school, a realistic total cost, a start month, and housing help — not a list of cherry blossoms.
Language schools in Japan · matched to you
Find a Japanese language school that fits your visa, budget, and goals.
Answer a few questions. We rank schools by fit — intake, intensity, housing, and student-visa support — not by who paid to appear first.
Independent directory. Rankings are not sold. Always confirm fees and visa rules with the school.
Built for the decision, not the brochure
Most school sites sell a campus. This page helps you choose among them.
Working holiday or already in Japan
You want flexible start dates, part-time study, and a city you can actually live in — without a two-year lock-in.
University or career track
You care about EJU/JLPT prep, recommendation letters, and whether the school has a real placement record.
How matching works
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1
Answer
Level, goal, study length, city, and visa.
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2
Match
We score schools against your constraints and show why each one fits.
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3
Compare
Put two to four schools side by side, then shortlist or visit the official site.
What we actually compare
Same fields for every school, so “cheap” and “good for JLPT” mean something you can check.
- Student visa / COE support
- Tuition + typical extra fees
- Hours per week and class size
- Intake months (Jan / Apr / Jul / Oct)
- Dorm, homestay, or housing desk
- JLPT, university prep, or general Japanese
- Minimum enrollment for a visa
- City living-cost band
Ranked by fit, not by invoice
Match scores come from your answers and this catalog. Right now we cover Tokyo and Osaka (109 schools). Rankings are not sold.
Or browse first
Browse Tokyo and Osaka schools by prefecture or goal. Housing and tuition still need school-site checks.
Prefectures
Goals
Start here if you are still researching
Student visa, cost, and when to apply
A language-school student visa usually needs a Certificate of Eligibility, a recognized school, and enough funds. Intakes cluster around January, April, July, and October — applications often start six months earlier.
Read types of language schools and how to choose one, then the Tokyo and Osaka living-cost guides.
Japanese Language School is not immigration advice. Confirm rules with the school and official Immigration Services Agency of Japan sources.
Questions people ask before they trust a matcher
Are you a study-abroad agency?
No. We help you shortlist and compare. You apply through the school (or an agent you choose). We do not hide that distinction.
How complete is the school list?
This catalog is Tokyo and Osaka only for now — 109 schools, not every language school in Japan. Other cities come later.
Do I need a student visa?
Full-time programs over a few months usually do. Working-holiday and other statuses can use short or part-time courses. The quiz treats visa as a hard filter, not a suggestion.
Can I work while I study?
Student-visa holders typically need permission to work part-time, with hour limits. Schools differ in how much they help. We flag housing and schedule intensity because those affect whether work is realistic.