International students in Japan need to focus not only on their studies but also on the rules relating to their status of residence, registered address, part-time work and daily life.
Many problems do not begin with a serious offence. They can result from seemingly minor mistakes, such as frequent absence from school, failing to report a change of address, ignoring messages from the school, working more hours than permitted or allowing important documents to expire.
For students who have recently arrived in Japan, understanding these common mistakes and taking steps to avoid them can help make studying, living and dealing with administrative procedures much smoother.
Here are 10 mistakes that international students should pay particular attention to.
1. FAILING TO REPORT A CHANGE OF ADDRESS
Moving house is relatively common among international students. However, moving to a new address is not simply a matter of transferring your belongings from one room to another.
Foreign residents who are required to register their address must complete the necessary notification procedures in accordance with Japanese regulations. The Immigration Services Agency of Japan states that medium- to long-term residents who have newly established a place of residence must notify the relevant municipal office of their address within 14 days of deciding where they will live.
In addition to the administrative procedure, students should inform their school of their new address if the school requires this information to be updated.
Things to do:
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Confirm what procedures are required when moving.
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Update your registered address within the required period.
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Inform your school of your new address.
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Check letters and documents sent to your registered address.
Do not move to a new address and wait until you need an official document before checking whether your residence information has been updated correctly.
2. FREQUENTLY MISSING CLASSES OR FAILING TO ATTEND REGULARLY
Attendance is an important matter for international students in Japan.
When studying in Japan under the “Student” status of residence (留学), the primary purpose of the stay is education. The Immigration Services Agency of Japan also has systems under which Japanese-language educational institutions report information concerning students' attendance and educational circumstances.
Therefore, frequent absence, repeated lateness or missing lessons without an appropriate reason may result in the school contacting the student and monitoring their attendance more closely.
International students should:
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Attend classes regularly and arrive on time.
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Inform the school if they are ill or have another legitimate reason for being absent.
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Provide supporting documents if requested by the school.
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Avoid taking extended periods of absence without permission.
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Speak to their teachers if they are experiencing difficulties with their studies.
Do not assume that missing a few classes is insignificant if the same pattern continues repeatedly.
3. WORKING MORE HOURS THAN PERMITTED
Part-time work is common among international students in Japan. However, having a “Student” status of residence does not automatically mean that you are free to work.
According to the Immigration Services Agency of Japan, international students who wish to work part-time generally need permission to engage in activities outside their permitted status of residence (資格外活動許可).
Under the standard comprehensive permission, part-time work is generally limited to a maximum of 28 hours per week. Different working-hour conditions may apply during long school holidays, subject to the relevant rules.
One common mistake is to work for several employers but calculate the hours separately for each job rather than considering the total number of hours worked.
For example, if you have two part-time jobs, the permitted working hours apply to the combined total rather than providing a separate limit for each employer.
Students should also check whether the type of work they are doing is permitted. Certain occupations are excluded from the scope of permitted activities outside the status of residence.
Working outside the permitted conditions may create problems, including when applying for an extension of the period of stay.
4. FAILING TO CHECK THE VALIDITY AND INFORMATION ON IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS
Passports, Residence Cards and documents relating to your status of residence are extremely important.
Some students only check their documents when the school asks them to or when an extension of stay is approaching. This is not a good habit.
Regularly check:
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The expiry date of your period of stay.
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The validity of your Residence Card.
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Your personal information.
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Your registered address.
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Any conditions or restrictions relating to employment.
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The documents you may need for upcoming procedures.
The Immigration Services Agency of Japan also provides information concerning Residence Card details and related verification procedures.
Do not wait until just before your period of stay expires before starting to prepare for the next procedure.
5. IGNORING NOTICES FROM YOUR SCHOOL OR LOCAL AUTHORITIES
After arriving in Japan, international students may receive information by post, email, school applications or other communication channels.
Some students see a long Japanese-language document and simply ignore it because they cannot understand it.
This can result in missed deadlines for submitting documents, paying tuition fees or completing administrative procedures.
If you do not understand a notice:
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Use a translation tool to understand the basic content.
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Ask your teacher or school staff.
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Ask someone with suitable Japanese-language skills for help.
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Record important deadlines in your personal calendar.
A simple rule is: if you do not understand something, ask. Do not simply ignore it.
6. PAYING TUITION FEES, ACCOMMODATION COSTS OR OTHER PAYMENTS LATE
Students should plan their education and living expenses from the beginning of their stay in Japan.
Common expenses include:
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Tuition fees.
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Dormitory or rent payments.
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Electricity, water and gas.
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Mobile phone and internet costs.
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Health insurance.
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Transport.
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Food and everyday living expenses.
Some students experience financial difficulties but do not discuss them with their school or the relevant person. They only seek help after a payment has already become overdue.
If you are experiencing financial difficulties, speak to the school or relevant person as early as possible and ask what options may be available. Do not remain silent until you receive repeated payment reminders.
It is also useful to keep a monthly payment schedule and set reminders on your mobile phone.
7. LOSING YOUR RESIDENCE CARD OR PASSPORT AND FAILING TO DEAL WITH IT PROMPTLY
A Residence Card and passport are important documents for foreign nationals living in Japan.
If you lose either document, do not simply wait and hope that it will turn up. Find out what procedures are required and take action as soon as possible.
International students should:
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Check the places they have recently visited.
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Inform their school or relevant person.
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Contact the appropriate authority for guidance.
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Complete the required procedures for replacement.
Do not assume that a photograph or digital copy can always be used instead of the original document when an official organisation requires the original.
It is useful to keep secure copies or photographs of important documents so that you have supporting information if an original document is lost.
8. CHANGING YOUR ACCOMMODATION, JOB OR STUDY SITUATION WITHOUT CHECKING WHETHER NOTIFICATION IS REQUIRED
During their studies in Japan, students may experience changes in their circumstances, such as moving house, changing part-time jobs, changing schools or experiencing difficulties that affect their studies.
Do not assume that you can make all changes without checking whether you have any notification obligations.
In particular, when a change concerns your school or status of residence, check whether you are required to notify the relevant authorities.
The Immigration Services Agency of Japan provides separate guidance concerning certain changes involving educational institutions and related procedures.
If you are unsure, ask your school or the relevant authority before making the change.
9. BREAKING THE RULES OF YOUR DORMITORY OR ACCOMMODATION
In addition to Japanese law and school regulations, international students must follow the rules of their dormitory or rented accommodation.
Possible problems include:
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Making excessive noise, particularly late at night.
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Allowing other people to stay in the accommodation without permission.
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Failing to separate rubbish correctly.
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Using communal areas improperly.
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Damaging equipment without reporting it to the manager.
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Moving rooms or terminating an accommodation arrangement without following the required procedure.
When you move in, read the accommodation rules carefully and ask the manager if anything is unclear.
Keeping your living environment clean and quiet and respecting other residents can help prevent unnecessary problems and make it easier to adapt to life in Japan.
10. HAVING A PROBLEM BUT NOT INFORMING YOUR SCHOOL OR THE RELEVANT PERSON
This is a mistake that can allow a relatively small problem to become more complicated.
For example:
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You become ill but do not inform the school.
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You are involved in an accident.
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You lose your Residence Card.
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You experience a problem with your accommodation.
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You have a dispute at your part-time workplace.
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You do not understand an administrative notice.
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You are unable to make a payment by the required deadline.
In these situations, do not remain silent or simply leave without informing anyone.
Contact your school or the relevant person as soon as possible so that you can establish what action should be taken. If the matter concerns immigration status or legal obligations, seek guidance from the appropriate authority.
HABITS THAT CAN HELP INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AVOID PROBLEMS
To reduce the risk of unnecessary difficulties, international students should develop the following habits from the beginning of their stay in Japan.
1. Check messages regularly
Spend a few minutes each day checking emails, messages and notices from your school.
2. Keep track of important dates
Record tuition fees, rent, insurance payments and document deadlines in your mobile calendar.
3. Save important contact details
Keep the contact details of your school, teachers, dormitory manager and other relevant support contacts somewhere easy to access.
4. Keep copies of important documents
Store copies or photographs of important documents securely.
5. Do not take action if you do not understand the rules
This is particularly important when dealing with part-time work, changes of address, schools and status of residence.
6. Ask for help early
It is usually much easier to deal with a problem when you ask for help at an early stage rather than waiting until the situation becomes more serious.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT CHECKLIST
□ I have registered my current address correctly.
□ I inform my school when important circumstances change.
□ I attend classes regularly and arrive on time.
□ I understand the conditions that apply to my part-time work.
□ I keep track of my total weekly working hours.
□ I know the validity periods of my important documents.
□ I regularly check notices from my school.
□ I pay tuition fees, accommodation costs and other necessary expenses on time.
□ I know what to do if I lose my Residence Card or passport.
□ I follow the rules of my dormitory and accommodation.
□ I know who to contact if I encounter a problem.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Songda Tohoku Joint Stock Company
Address: L02-L01, Khu A, KĐT Dương Nội, Phường Dương Nội, Hà Nội
Hotline: 0989 044 852 / 0989044852
Email: tohokusongda2014@gmail.com
Website: https://tohoku.vn