Hello!
I’m from Poland, 24yo. About to get my bachelor’s degree (English Linguistics – teaching).
For a while now I’ve been planning on moving to Japan, even if just temporarily, I’ve also already been to Japan for 3 weeks to see the country before moving.
My initial plan was to make use of a Work Holiday Visa that Poland has with Japan, but I’ve been told that it would be difficult to get a job with that visa. Instead, I’ve been recommended to go to a Japanese Language School with a student visa, which I am very interested in.
The only issue is the financial requirement, from what I hear it is recommended to have 2 000 000 yen in the bank account for a year or 1 000 000 yen for 6 months, as it’s being checked by the officials before being accepted. Sadly even my guarantor – my father – does not have that much money laying around, and originally I was simply planning on getting by with whatever I save up by then (like 3k USD) + what I make online while there (freelancing, $500+ monthly) + a part-time job also while already there (making use of all the 28h/week).
My guarantor makes what would be 4 000 000 yen annually, and there’s no issue proving that, however there’s never much money left in the account so I’m slightly worried about that. I could easily save up about 3000 USD or so + payment for 6 months of language school and a plane, however having that 1 000 000 yen, which would be like 70000 USD, already poses a challenge.
Do they always require \~1 000 000 yen for 6 months student visa? Did anyone have experience with this? And most importantly: if I choose to extend my visa and continuing japanese language school (from 6 months to whole 2 years course, which I will most likely do), will they check my guarantor’s finances again? Since then I’d need even more on my account, which would make it even more difficult.
if I really need that amount of money to get a visa and go study at a Japanese language school, then I’d have to probably go later than my planned period (April 2024), and while I don’t mind waiting, I would rather not have to wait until I’m like 26/27 or even later \^\^
Thank You for any comments in advance!
4 comments
This is a copy of your post for archive/search purposes.
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**Student Visa questions – required finances.**
Hello!
I’m from Poland, 24yo. About to get my bachelor’s degree (English Linguistics – teaching).
For a while now I’ve been planning on moving to Japan, even if just temporarily, I’ve also already been to Japan for 3 weeks to see the country before moving.
My initial plan was to make use of a Work Holiday Visa that Poland has with Japan, but I’ve been told that it would be difficult to get a job with that visa. Instead, I’ve been recommended to go to a Japanese Language School with a student visa, which I am very interested in.
The only issue is the financial requirement, from what I hear it is recommended to have 2 000 000 yen in the bank account for a year or 1 000 000 yen for 6 months, as it’s being checked by the officials before being accepted. Sadly even my guarantor – my father – does not have that much money laying around, and originally I was simply planning on getting by with whatever I save up by then (like 3k USD) + what I make online while there (freelancing, $500+ monthly) + a part-time job also while already there (making use of all the 28h/week).
My guarantor makes what would be 4 000 000 yen annually, and there’s no issue proving that, however there’s never much money left in the account so I’m slightly worried about that. I could easily save up about 3000 USD or so + payment for 6 months of language school and a plane, however having that 1 000 000 yen, which would be like 70000 USD, already poses a challenge.
Do they always require ~1 000 000 yen for 6 months student visa? Did anyone have experience with this? And most importantly: if I choose to extend my visa and continuing japanese language school (from 6 months to whole 2 years course, which I will most likely do), will they check my guarantor’s finances again? Since then I’d need even more on my account, which would make it even more difficult.
if I really need that amount of money to get a visa and go study at a Japanese language school, then I’d have to probably go later than my planned period (April 2024), and while I don’t mind waiting, I would rather not have to wait until I’m like 26/27 or even later ^^
Thank You for any comments in advance!
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The money is to show you can support yourself. From what you describe, I think it will be difficult for you.
While it’s legally possible to work 28 hours on top of full time school, it will be miserable. You won’t be able to actually experience Japan.
Also, $500 USD is barely possible to live in Japan. It might cover a cheap place not in Tokyo with only enough left for a bag of rice to survive on. No eating out, no meat, no vegetables, nothing. The money you saved will only go as far as the airplane and the tuition for language school.
The best plan for you is neither a WHV nor a student visa. It’s to get a job that will sponsor your work visa.
>however having that 1 000 000 yen, which would be like 70000 USD
You are ***way*** off in your calculations. 1 million yen is approximately ***ten*** thousand USD, not seventy. Or 30,000 Zloty.
Unfortunately for a language school student there aren’t a lot of options. For university students immigration will accept proof of *income* if your sponsor is a parent, but I don’t believe that’s an option for language school.
You need the proof of savings/support. “I have a bit saved and I’ll make a more in Japan” won’t work.
Also:
>what I make online while there (freelancing, $500+ monthly) + a part-time job also while already there (making use of all the 28h/week)
Be aware that the 28 hours a week covers ***all*** of your work, not just your part-time job in Japan. Both your freelance work and any other job would need to be 28 hours or less. *Total*, not each.
Also, since I missed this bit the first time:
>if I choose to extend my visa and continuing japanese language school (from 6 months to whole 2 years course, which I will most likely do), will they check my guarantor’s finances again?
Absolutely yes. That’s why we don’t recommend people come on student visas when they can just barely scrape together the money.
Every time you renew your status of residence (aka: every year) you will need to show the exact same level of savings or income. And you *cannot* make enough on a part-time job to equal the amount you’ll be spending. If you’re planning on spending multiple years in Japan you need to save multiple years worth of expenses first.