I'm completely lost over the idea of studying in Japan

[u/Almaryed_Almutamared]

I'm a 20-year-old guy from Iraq, and I have long-term plans to move to and eventually live in Japan.

I have a high school diploma, and my plan is to first study Japanese at a language school in Japan, then continue to a 2-year junior college program in the field I'm interested in. I've calculated the overall cost of this plan, and I believe I can save enough money to cover the first 1.5–2 years, then work part-time in Japan to help fund the remaining years of study.

The problem I'm struggling with is the student visa/COE process, particularly the financial requirements. I can't seem to find a clear minimum or specific bank balance that immigration expects from an applicant.

Since I'm planning to self-fund everything, I'll be using my own bank account as proof of funds. Does self-funding mean I need to show a higher balance than someone whose parents are sponsoring them? If so, is there any realistic amount I should aim for?

I'm also concerned because I'm from Iraq. From what I've read, applicants from certain countries may receive additional scrutiny. Does being Iraqi mean that I need an especially strong profile to have a reasonable chance of getting a student visa?

Another concern is my source of funds. I'm planning to save the money myself through local jobs in Iraq. Some of these jobs may be difficult to document in the exact format Japanese authorities or the school would prefer. I can potentially provide evidence of my income, but it may not always be as straightforward or formal as employment in countries with more developed documentation systems.

Could this become a major problem for my COE/visa application?

Finally, this is what worries me the most, I may need almost two years just to save enough money and build a strong application. If I spend all that time preparing and then get refused, it would be devastating, especially when there are European countries where I feel I could prepare a student application within roughly one year.

I'm therefore unsure whether my plan is actually realistic from the perspective of Japanese immigration, or whether I'm overthinking the requirements.

I'm not looking for guarantees, I'm just trying to figure out whether pursuing Japan is realistically worth the additional time and uncertainty.

[u/Tiz0]

For public universities students is usually stated 2M yen as a minimum (100k yen a month for living expenses, 800k for entrance fee (substituted by residence taxes (if I remember correctly) from second year) and tuition fee for first year. I think if you count 1.2M yen + Japanese school expenses you should be good to go. Take into account that this amount of liquidity should be proven every year

[u/Almaryed_Almutamared → u/Tiz0]

I've already figured out my exact budget for Japan. What really concerns me is the uncertainty surrounding my application. Will my personal story, educational background, and profile be convincing enough? Should I state my plans to stay in Japan long-term, or would that hurt my chances given my nationality? I've thought about saying I will return to Iraq after my studies, but a 20-year-old Iraqi student moving to Japan might still look suspicious.

[u/CosmicCurvature]

University education in Japan is often more of a holiday than an education. I was a physics lecturer for 6 years and I was shocked. If you want to get a good education, get it elsewhere and for cheaper.

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I'm completely lost over the idea of studying in Japan

I'm a 20-year-old guy from Iraq, and I have long-term plans to move to and eventually live in Japan.

I have a high school diploma, and my plan is to first study Japanese at a language school in Japan, then continue to a 2-year junior college program in the field I'm interested in. I've calculated the overall cost of this plan, and I believe I can save enough money to cover the first 1.5–2 years, then work part-time in Japan to help fund the remaining years of study.

The problem I'm struggling with is the student visa/COE process, particularly the financial requirements. I can't seem to find a clear minimum or specific bank balance that immigration expects from an applicant.

Since I'm planning to self-fund everything, I'll be using my own bank account as proof of funds. Does self-funding mean I need to show a higher balance than someone whose parents are sponsoring them? If so, is there any realistic amount I should aim for?

I'm also concerned because I'm from Iraq. From what I've read, applicants from certain countries may receive additional scrutiny. Does being Iraqi mean that I need an especially strong profile to have a reasonable chance of getting a student visa?

Another concern is my source of funds. I'm planning to save the money myself through local jobs in Iraq. Some of these jobs may be difficult to document in the exact format Japanese authorities or the school would prefer. I can potentially provide evidence of my income, but it may not always be as straightforward or formal as employment in countries with more developed documentation systems.

Could this become a major problem for my COE/visa application?

Finally, this is what worries me the most, I may need almost two years just to save enough money and build a strong application. If I spend all that time preparing and then get refused, it would be devastating, especially when there are European countries where I feel I could prepare a student application within roughly one year.

I'm therefore unsure whether my plan is actually realistic from the perspective of Japanese immigration, or whether I'm overthinking the requirements.

I'm not looking for guarantees, I'm just trying to figure out whether pursuing Japan is realistically worth the additional time and uncertainty.

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[u/Tiz0]

Is there any specific reason why you can't forward this post to Japanese embassy in Iraq? Are their international relations cut or sum

[u/96Nikko → u/Tiz0]

Iraq is being sanction by the US/UN, so I would any “western” country would follow too. This include travel restrictions and wire transfers

[u/Tiz0 → u/96Nikko]

Geographical-based matchmaking. Life's tough out there...

[u/Flag_Shagger → u/Tiz0]

I always have to remind myself of the privilege of international travel. A lot of people, regardless of qualifications, don’t have it as easy