Begin with orientation
Ask your host international office about orientation, peer support and student activities for incoming students. Check the registration process and which sessions match your arrival date.
Erasmus country guide
Erasmus in Japan: plan your exchange
Start with the exchange route your university can offer, then compare courses, campus travel and your own budget. Use the city guides for Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Fukuoka to explore the local context.
Can you do Erasmus in Japan? Start with your university
Japan is a third country not associated to Erasmus+, so participation depends on the action and its conditions, as explained in the official programme guide. Ask your home university whether it offers a funded mobility to Japan, a separate bilateral exchange or another study-abroad route. They are not automatically the same arrangement.
The official Study in Japan guide to short-term study explains exchange programmes linked to university agreements. Before choosing a city, confirm the host programme, nomination process, course recognition, teaching language and fees with your institution. Admission and funding need their own confirmation.
Compare Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Fukuoka using the campus and housing options available to you. The Erasmus countries hub and Erasmus cities can help you shortlist alternatives. Sources checked 8 November 2026. Survey figures below retain their original reference year.
Choose your exchange route before choosing a city
Compare the available routes
Ask your home institution which Japan destinations it can nominate you for, and whether the offer is Erasmus+ funded or a separate agreement. Get the selection process, deadlines and funding position for your own application round.
Check the academic offer
Confirm the courses you can actually take, the language requirements and how credits will be recognised. An English-language university website does not establish that your intended courses are taught in English.
Confirm the practical details
Request the host calendar, orientation dates, housing process and fee arrangements before booking travel. Keep a record of who handles each question at your home and host institutions.
Student life in Japan
Ask how to join an activity
Look for a club, language exchange or shared interest you would like to return to. Ask whether visiting students can join, which language is used and whether there are fees or trial sessions.
Choose a repeatable routine
Fit a small social plan around your classes and commute, such as lunch after a seminar. Treat repeated plans as an option to try, not a deadline for having a friendship group.
Cost of living in Japan for students
Read the survey date and scope
Study in Japan/JASSO reports average monthly living expenditure of ¥105,000 for privately financed international students, excluding study and research costs. The source is the 2023 survey. This is a historical national average, not a 2026 quote or a guaranteed budget for your city.
Housing is part of the total
The same survey reports average monthly housing of ¥41,000 nationally and ¥57,000 in Tokyo. Housing is already one component of living expenditure: do not add a full rent figure on top of the national total or treat a Tokyo rent substitution as a complete Tokyo budget.
Replace averages with your own plan
Build your own monthly total from a confirmed housing offer, included utilities, food, campus travel, phone, insurance and personal spending. Keep tuition, flights, housing deposits and arrival purchases separate. Count a grant or fee waiver only after its terms have been confirmed.
Compare the city through your host campus
Open the city guides for local context, then check the host programme and teaching address. These four routes are starting points for comparison, not a ranking or a confirmation of exchange availability.
Erasmus in Tokyo
Check the teaching sites and housing journey for your specific Tokyo programme. University of Tokyo USTEP Type U, for example, uses Hongo and Komaba; another institution or exchange track may have a different campus pattern. Consider it for: Students comparing the actual course location, housing offer and daily travel in Tokyo.
Erasmus in Kyoto
Check the exchange track as well as the city. Kyoto University's KUINEP offers an English-taught route for undergraduates from partner institutions, while its General Exchange arrangements have different course and language conditions. Consider it for: Students matching an available Kyoto programme and its teaching language to their degree.
Erasmus in Osaka
Use the Osaka guide to explore the city, then ask your host for the precise teaching campus, academic dates and housing options. Choose a room against that address rather than a general city-centre label. Consider it for: Students comparing an actual Osaka-area host offer, campus journey and housing contract.
Erasmus in Fukuoka
Check the campus before choosing accommodation in Fukuoka. If your host is Kyushu University, use its official campus information, including the Ito Campus access map, to test the journey from a possible room. Consider it for: Students assessing a Fukuoka host campus and its accommodation route, without assuming central housing is nearby.
Use the host programme, not only a university name
Check nomination and course conditions on the host programme page. University of Tokyo USTEP Type U describes its undergraduate exchange route and campus arrangements; it is an example, not an offer available to every applicant.
Kyoto University's exchange guidance distinguishes KUINEP, which offers English-taught undergraduate study to partner-university students, from General Exchange routes. Apply through the route and office specified for your agreement.
Use the host's exact campus map when comparing housing. Kyushu University's Ito Campus page is one concrete example. The university names below are reference points; confirm an active agreement and suitable courses with your own institution.
University of Tokyo
Waseda University
Keio University
Sophia University
Kyoto University
Doshisha University
Ritsumeikan University
Osaka University
Kansai University
Osaka Metropolitan University
Kyushu University
Fukuoka University
Find current student activities through your host
Start with the host calendar
Check your international office and student association calendars for orientation, welcome activities and club introductions. Ask who can attend and how to register rather than assuming a public listing includes exchange students.
Check the event details
Before joining, confirm the date, meeting point, language, price and return journey. A recurring activity can be a useful place to meet someone again, but choose one that fits your interests and schedule.
Explore the city guide next
Use the guides to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Fukuoka for local context. This country page is a planning guide, not a live calendar of events.
How to meet students in Japan
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01
Ask about campus entry points
Ask about peer-support schemes, student associations and introductions during orientation. Check eligibility for your programme, then choose one activity you would genuinely like to try.
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02
Make one manageable next plan
Suggest a shared lunch, a study break or another short plan after a conversation. Keep the invitation specific and easy to accept or decline, and allow space for the other person to respond.
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03
Use the follow-up guides
Use how to meet Erasmus students for first conversations and how to make friends during Erasmus for follow-up. The Unera Erasmus student app guide explains the app's role in discovery and chat.
Plan social time around your interests and journey
Choose an activity you actually enjoy
A daytime walk, a meal, a club activity or a cultural visit can all be a possible next plan. Check participation conditions and choose something the people involved actually want to do.
Check the journey home
Check the return route and cost for your actual accommodation address before an evening out. Decide on a meeting point and travel plan without assuming every neighbourhood has the same transport options.
Keep trips in their own budget
Keep weekend travel and paid outings separate from essential monthly costs. Agree on the likely cost before inviting someone, and make room for lower-cost alternatives.
Practical tips for studying abroad in Japan
Housing and arrival date
Ask the host about dormitory applications and approved housing channels. Confirm the move-in date, initial payments, included bills and route to your teaching site; arrange somewhere to stay if your flight arrives before the room is available.
Student visa and COE
For the Student visa route, check the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs requirements and your consulate. The COE is normally handled with support from the host institution; Study in Japan's immigration guide explains the usual sequence. Documents depend on your case, and a COE does not guarantee a visa.
Permission before any job
Student residence status does not itself authorise work. JASSO's part-time work guidance requires permission and describes a limit of 28 hours a week during term, with different limits in long school holidays and other restrictions. Confirm the conditions applying to you before accepting work; keep unconfirmed earnings out of your base budget.
Your arrival checklist
Before departure, ask the host for the arrival steps that apply to you: immigration documents, any residence/address procedures, insurance, orientation and course registration. Save the relevant office contacts and confirm which tasks have to happen before travel and which after arrival.
Japan vs other Erasmus destinations
Japan vs Italy
Compare actual host offers in Japan and Italy: nomination route, teaching language, credits, fees and housing. Use the same stay length and expense categories, and record the exchange rate and date when comparing yen with euro amounts.
Japan vs France
For Japan and France, compare academic calendars, the dates housing is available and the documents required for your own route. Include travel and initial payments separately from recurring costs rather than choosing from a national lifestyle label.
Japan vs Germany
For Japan and Germany, compare courses, teaching sites, accommodation journeys and confirmed funding conditions. Ask each host for the details that matter to your degree and dates; the country name alone does not establish the better academic or social fit.
Use Unera for people, plans and follow-up
Unera supports nearby student discovery, available events and chat. Use it alongside the host university information you need for study arrangements and arrival.
Activity and availability vary by place and date. Explore what is actually available around you and confirm the details of a plan before joining; the app does not confirm an exchange place, housing or funding.
1
Find nearby students
Use profiles and shared interests as a starting point for a conversation, without assuming everyone wants the same kind of plan.
2
Explore available plans
Explore the events available to you and check the organiser, date, location and any price before deciding to join.
3
Continue the conversation
Use chat to agree on a practical next step after an introduction. Keep invitations clear and respect the other person's response.
FAQ
Useful questions about Erasmus in Japan
Is Japan good for Erasmus or study abroad students?
Compare the actual programme, courses, housing and campus journey available to you. Japan can be an option through eligible Erasmus+ mobility or another university agreement, but the academic and practical fit depends on your own offer.
Can you do Erasmus in Japan?
Japan is a third country not associated to Erasmus+. Participation is possible in certain actions under their criteria. Ask your home university about an eligible funded opportunity or a separate bilateral exchange; admission and funding are not automatic.
What are the best cities for international students in Japan?
Is studying abroad in Japan expensive?
The JASSO 2023 survey reports average national living expenditure of ¥105,000 per month excluding study and research costs. It is a historical reference, not a current quote. Build a budget from your own housing, travel and other costs, with tuition and arrival payments separate.
How do students meet people in Japan?
Start by asking your host about orientation, peer support and student activities open to exchange students. Choose a shared interest, check how to join and suggest a small follow-up plan after a conversation. Availability depends on your institution and dates.
Do international students need a visa for Japan?
Check the requirements for your nationality, activities and length of stay with the host and Japanese embassy or consulate. For the Student visa route, follow the official document and COE instructions. A COE is not a guarantee that a visa will be issued.
Can I study in Japan in English on an exchange?
Some programmes offer English-taught study, such as Kyoto University KUINEP for eligible partner-university undergraduates. Other routes have different language requirements. Confirm the courses open to your programme, the entry requirements and credit recognition before applying.
What should I confirm before booking my travel?
Confirm admission and funding separately, then check course arrangements, visa instructions, the housing move-in date and orientation. Ask your host which arrival tasks apply to you and keep travel and initial payments separate from your monthly budget.
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Explore student life with Unera during your stay in Japan
Discover nearby students and available plans, then use chat to arrange a practical next step. Check local activity and event details for your own dates.
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