Japanese Language Courses in Japan (6-24 months with a Student Visa)
6 - 24 months
None
Fixed starting dates
18 - 55 years
2760 EUR
Language Lessons
Partner Language School in Tokyo (Kudanshita)
Our partner language school in Tokyo (Kudanshita) is only 30 minutes away from our Shiohama share house.
There are four different levels simultaneously from Beginner to Higher Advanced (JLPT N1), as well as courses with different focuses. Class sizes range from 12 to 20 students.
20 lessons are provided per week from Monday to Friday. Each lesson is 50 minutes.
Courses Offered:
Conversation Course
Available from Beginner to Higher Advanced Level. This course focuses on speaking, understanding, and correct use of grammar. Hiragana/Katakana reading and writing are also taught (1 lesson per day). At higher levels, Kanji is included. Classes are held Monday to Friday from 9:10 to 12:40 (4 units of 50 minutes with a 10-minute break). Beginners are divided into Beginner 0 (cannot read/write Hiragana & Katakana) and Beginner 1 (can already read/write Hiragana & Katakana).
Intensive Course
Available from Beginner to Higher Advanced Level. You should be familiar with writing Hiragana/Katakana. To join, you need to fill out a placement test that we will email you. The intensive course includes speaking, understanding, grammar, and Kanji twice a week for 1.5 hours each. The highest level of the intensive course, reached after 2 years, prepares students for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) and the Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU). Classes are held Monday to Friday from 13:30 to 17:00 (4 lessons of 50 minutes with a 10-minute break).
You can start via a student visa on the following dates:
July 7, 2025 (Japanese Conversation Course)
October 6, 2025 (Japanese Conversation Course)
*The availability of any language courses must be checked by us.
Partner Language Schools in Tokyo (Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Takadanobaba, Shibuya), Kyoto, Osaka, Nagano
The provider of these lessons is the largest language school chain in Japan, offering a "General Japanese" course, whereby you can decide from Intermediate II level whether you want to focus on academic or business Japanese. Classes are held Monday to Friday, with 2 lessons x 90 minutes each day, either in the morning (8:50-12:00) or in the afternoon (13:00-16:10). Students are assigned to a morning or afternoon session and cannot choose. Class sizes are 20 students.
At all locations, the initial focus is on general Japanese to achieve good communication skills in Japanese (understanding, speaking, reading, writing; vocabulary, and grammar) and familiarize with Japanese culture.
From Intermediate II level (if you started as a beginner, it would be from month 7), various focuses can be set based on interest: Graduate School Preparation, EJU Exam Preparation (University/Vocational School Preparation), JLPT Exam Preparation, Conversation, and Job Hunting. Academic focuses are offered in Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ikebukuro, Kyoto, Osaka, and Nagano, while career/business focuses is offered in Takadanobaba only.
Beginners can start on the following dates at these locations:
July 7, 2025: Takadanobaba, Shibuya, Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, Kyoto, Osaka
October 7, 2025: Takadanobaba, Shibuya, Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, Kyoto, Nagano, Osaka
January 8, 2026: Takadanobaba, Shibuya, Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, Kyoto
*The availability of any language courses must be checked by us.
You can choose the location, with slight price differences between locations. Unfortunately, it is not possible to switch locations or book multiple locations.
If you participate in Tokyo, you can book our share house accommodation in Tokyo. If you participate in Kyoto, you can book accommodation in our share house in Kyoto. We can arrange homestay accommodation at all locations.
A class teacher is available as a personal contact for confidential discussions regarding any difficulties related to learning and school life.
Job Support for Participants with a Student Visa
We can apply for a work permit for you simultaneously with the student visa application. This permit allows you to work up to 28 hours per week in Japan with regular pay. If you book language classes with us for at least one year with a student visa, you get our job support at no additional cost. If you book for only 6 months, you can add job support for a small fee.
The service is available in Tokyo and Kyoto.
The job support includes:
- Assistance with formalities: Resident registration, obtaining a tax number, enrollment in the Japanese National Health System
- Opening a bank account and mobile phone contract
- Assistance in finding a job:
- Help with a Japanese resume (resume in Japanese and English)
- Extensive group preparation on all important topics related to working in Japan, including role-playing a job interview
- Registration with the employment office (if you have basic Japanese skills) or individual consultation in our office on job finding
- Provision of job offers from various sources
- Multilingual contact persons on site (English and Japanese) for any assistance
- Use of PC and printer in our office in Tokyo and Kyoto for job search and preparation of application documents
- Service is available for your entire stay in Japan
Booking Process (Student Visa)
You must book at least 5 months before your planned course start date, as there are fixed deadlines by the Japanese immigration authorities for when the language school must submit your complete and correct application documents. You will need to fill out relatively extensive forms and submit documents. We will guide you through the entire process.
The immigration authorities will issue the Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) after about 4 months. You then apply for the student visa at the Japanese embassy/consulate with this certificate. Issuance takes up to 2 weeks.
In the extremely unlikely event that the Certificate of Eligibility or the visa is not issued, we will refund the costs you paid, minus a processing fee of 300 EUR.
If you already have a Working Holiday visa or another visa in Japan, it is possible to change to a student visa within Japan, with a shorter lead time (3-4 months) if you already have at least N5 level Japanese.
About the Student Visa
With the student visa, you can stay in Japan as long as you are enrolled in the language school, actively participate in the classes, and pass the exams at the end of each quarter. There is a minimum attendance requirement. If you do not attend classes sufficiently, the language school must report this to the immigration authorities, and your visa will be invalidated. Likewise, you must pass an exam at the end of each quarter to continue with the next higher level.
You can initially book the language course for only 6 months and then extend it while in Japan by booking additional quarters.
Program details
FAQs
Rates
Who can join
Program start
Getting there
Visa
Accommodation Options
You can book accommodation through us, but you don't have to. Alternatively, you can organize accommodation yourself, for example, in a hotel. We offer the following accommodation options:
Sharehouses in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area
Shiohama Sharehouse, Tokyo
Exclusively for World Unite! participants, we operate our own sharehouse accommodation in Tokyo, located near the Kiba subway station. Spread over three floors, the sharehouse features nine dormitory rooms of various sizes, each accommodating 4-8 people, as well as five double rooms. We try to separate the rooms by gender; however, this is not always possible and cannot be guaranteed. There are two common areas with fully equipped kitchens, six showers, four toilets, and two bathrooms. We provide Wi-Fi on all floors at no extra cost. Modern air conditioning units ensure cooling and heating in all rooms. Additionally, for house residents, the City Hub premises of around 100 sqm on the ground floor are available as a communal area from the afternoon onwards, where you can use a foosball table, a big screen, and a music keyboard at no extra cost. The 140 sqm rooftop terrace, with an unobstructed view of Tokyo Skytree, features a covered seating area, hammocks, and greenery. House residents can also use a coin-operated washing machine, a dryer, and a free luggage storage room. Need a bicycle? You can rent one from us at affordable prices.
Warabi Sharehouse, Saitama
The Warabi sharehouse is situated in Saitama prefecture, within the Tokyo metropolitan area, and conveniently just a 15-minute walk from Warabi train station. This sharehouse offers 36 rooms, available for single, double, and 4-share occupancy, each equipped with air conditioning for cooling and heating, as well as a balcony. In the case of accommodation in twin or dorm rooms, we try to separate by gender; however, this is not always possible and cannot be guaranteed.
You'll find a common lounging area with a TV and comfortable sofa, along with a fully equipped communal kitchen for your convenience. Each floor is equipped with toilets and sinks. A shower area separated for males and females with 6 shower booths is available on the ground floor. Wifi is accessible throughout the building, and the sharehouse also offers bicycle parking, 4 coin-operated washing machines, 2 coin-operated dryers, and a small ornamental Japanese garden. For added convenience, a supermarket, several convenience stores, and shopping malls are just a few minutes' walk away. Renting a bike is also possible at a reasonable price.
Our dedicated team members visit the Warabi Sharehouse at least three times a week to provide comprehensive support to our program participants.
Urayasu Sharehouse, Chiba
The Urayasu Sharehouse is located in Chiba Prefecture, within the Tokyo metropolitan area, just a 3-minute walk from the Tokyogakka Mae bus stop (approximately 9 minutes by bus or 25 minutes on foot to Shin-Urayasu Station). It is situated in an attractive residential neighborhood with palm-lined streets. Tokyo Disneyland, scenic parks along the bay, and large shopping malls are within walking distance. The area is of a high standard, featuring hotels such as the Disney Resort Hotels and the Hyatt Regency.
We occupy two floors of the sharehouse building, which includes one 6-person dormitory, two triple rooms, and five twin rooms. The twin rooms can also be booked for single occupancy. Most rooms are furnished in a Western style with beds; however, one twin room is Japanese-style, with futons. Some rooms have balconies. In shared rooms, we try to separate occupants by gender, although this cannot be guaranteed.
Residents also have access to a lounge, a dining area with a shared kitchen, 3 showers, 2 toilets, 2 coin-operated washing machines, an elevator, and a small outdoor area on the ground floor.
Host Families
Staying with a Japanese host family provides you with the ultimate opportunity to fully immerse yourself in everyday Japanese culture. Typically located in the outskirts of Tokyo and neighboring prefectures like Saitama, Chiba, and Kanagawa, host families choose these areas as central Tokyo apartments seldom offer sufficient space to accommodate foreign guests alongside their own family. Commuting by train to internship placements, jobs, or language schools usually takes no more than an hour, with a monthly commuter ticket costing around 15,000-20,000 yen.
Your host family will serve you two meals (breakfast and dinner) on weekdays and three meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) on weekends. You will have the option to sleep on a western-style bed or experience the traditional Japanese futon. Typically, there will be someone in the host family who speaks basic English, and they are well-acquainted with welcoming foreign guests.
Sharehouse in Kyoto
Our sharehouse in Kyoto is located in the Fushimi district in the south of Kyoto. From there, also destinations in Osaka, which forms a metropolitan region with Kyoto, are easily accessible by metro.
The house is a former residence with a shop in a traditional residential area. It features three dormitory rooms for eight people each (with a visual partition in the rooms, making each room more like two four-person rooms, further we try to separate by gender; however, this is not always possible and cannot be guaranteed), three twin rooms, two kitchens, a living room, three showers, two toilets, a small "powder room," and a covered outdoor seating area. Luggage can be stored at no extra cost. You can rent a bicycle at a low cost, and a coin-operated washing machine is available. Wi-Fi is accessible throughout the house.
In the same building, on the ground floor in the former shop space, you will find our support office, where you can easily meet our team members on weekdays. A small supermarket is just a minute's walk away, and a convenience store with an ATM is three minutes away. Nearby, along the Uji River, there is a large park.
The Fushimi district is known for its sake breweries and various temples and shrines, which are popular tourist attractions.
Extras
Read more
Book or Send an Inquiry
What is included?
- Language lessons as booked
- Enrollment fees and teaching materials
- Support with the visa application
- Translations of official documents for the visa application
- Student insurance
- Complete job support services included for course bookings of 1 year or longer
- Access to our mobile-friendly Knowledge Base, including videos and texts about your life in Japan
- Bilingual local contact person (English and Japanese) for any assistance
- Support at our office and remotely (via Line, WhatsApp, phone, email) during your time in Japan
- Discounts for bookings with other sharehouse chains in Japan
- Participation in World Unite! Language Exchange Events, Cultural Events, and Social Meetup Events in Tokyo at no extra cost!
- For CO2 compensation of your long-haul flights: We cover the cost for 10 seedlings of native trees that we plant at Kilimanjaro
Not included?
- Accommodation (can be added)
- Meals (except in the case of added host family accommodation)
- Airport pickup (can be added; arrival Fridays 8:00-20:00, via public transport)
- Travel to and from Japan (book yourself)
- Insurance (travel health insurance, liability insurance, travel cancellation insurance)
- Personal expenses
- Vaccinations
- Local transportation
INSIGHT
this program
Our full job support is available!
Affordable sharehouses bookable in Tokyo and Kyoto
Many locations
Various course options available
Participation in World Unite! events included
Questions?
your consultant for this program is
Zoe Steinmeyer
(she/her)
- PHONE numBerView our international phone numbers
- Email
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - Whatsapp+81-90-4702-1361
- INQUIRYSend an inquiry
- Video callBook a video call
Did you know that you can earn academic credits by joining any of our volunteering abroad programs? Read more.
Sign up. Be inspired. Travel.
Hand-picked deals, inspiration, and opportunities for personal and professional growth. Straight to your inbox.
Subscribe now to our Newsletter.
