On July 6, the Immigration Services Agency announced the establishment of a new handling of status of residence, which will allow international students who have graduated from universities to stay within a certain period of time until they enter graduate school.
The new treatment is as follows
Outline
If an international student who has graduated from a university and will be entering a graduate school after the expiration of his/her current “College Student” status of residence, and if the graduate school he/she is entering pledges to keep in touch with the student at regular intervals and to contact the regional immigration office without delay if the student’s admission is cancelled, the student may be permitted to change his/her status of residence to “Designated Activities” and stay until he/she enters a graduate school (but only for a period not exceeding one year after graduation). If the student pledges to contact the Regional Immigration Services Bureau without delay in the event of cancellation of admission, the change of status of residence to “Designated Activities” will be permitted and the student will be allowed to stay until admission (but only for a period not exceeding one year after graduation from the university).
Eligible person
Foreigners (this does not include students in special course, auditing students, non-degree students, and research students) who have graduated (or completed a graduate course) from a Japanese university (including graduate schools) under the School Education Law of Japan, and who wish to stay in Japan for the purpose of waiting in Japan (within one year after graduation) until they enter a graduate school they have decided to enter after graduation.
Submitted materials
(1) Documents proving the applicant’s ability to pay all expenses during his/her stay in Japan
If a person other than the foreign student concerned is responsible for paying the expenses, a document that proves the person’s ability to pay the expenses and a document that clarifies how the person came to pay the expenses.
(2) Diploma or certificate of graduation (or completion) from the university you attended immediately before
(3) Documents issued by the graduate school in which you plan to enroll that confirm the fact that you plan to enroll and the date of enrollment (e.g., letter of admission)
(4) A written pledge (see note below) stating compliance with periodic communication, etc., by the graduate school to which the student will be admitted to wait for admission to the school.
