Education
Language school, university or vocational school: which should I choose?
Choose a Japanese language school to develop your Japanese, a university for an academic degree, or a vocational college for practical training in a specific field.
Language schools usually have April and October intakes, and study is normally limited to two years. Universities offer undergraduate and graduate degrees; some programmes are taught in English. Vocational colleges, called senmon gakkō (専門学校), generally teach in Japanese and offer diploma courses lasting at least two years.
Study in Japan lists approximate first-year fees of ¥820,000 at national universities, ¥1.2–1.7 million at private universities and ¥1.3 million at vocational colleges. Language-school fees start at roughly ¥610,000 a year. Add living expenses to every option.
What may vary
Fees are the official Study in Japan first-year or annual averages (the private-university range excludes medicine and dentistry) and vary by school; living costs are separate. A language school must be on the Ministry of Justice's notified or accredited list, and Student status still depends on your nationality, funding and the school's screening. The A1 proof rule applies to Certificate of Eligibility applications for enrolment from October 2026 and to change or extension applications filed from 1 July 2026; immigration also expects roughly B2-level Japanese before you move from a language school to a Japanese-taught degree.
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