Scholarship

How many kinds of scholarships are available for application?

There are several scholarship programs available to international students. Upon the receipt of invitations for application to scholarships from relevant foundations/organizations, students will be informed via e-mail. Please click here for more details and contact the Health and Welfare Services Section of Student Affairs Division for the necessary procedures.

Apartments/Dormitories

Is there a dormitory at the University of Aizu?

In order to assist international students in starting their daily lives in Aizu after their arrival, there is a dormitory for short-stay. The rent is about 10,000-15,000 yen per month, with the understanding that the student must leave the dormitory within 6 months.

How to find an apartment

Information on apartments is available at the Student Affairs Division, but does not offer services regarding mediation with apartment owners. Students are required to contact the relevant rent estate agent directly. Please consult with foreign personnel advisors for help in renting an apartment.

In general, there are private and public apartments. When moving into an apartment, most apartments in Japan require a Japanese guarantor for the prospective resident. Private apartments usually require Shikikin (security deposit) and Reikin (non-refundable key money to the apartment owner) to be paid before moving into the apartment. Public apartments (organized by Fukushima Prefecture and Aizu-Wakamatsu City) only require Shikikin, but require that residents live with other immediate family members.

You are strongly recommended to join the Comprehensive Renters Insurance for Internaional Students Studying in Japan.

The comprehensive renters insurance for internaional students studying in Japan was established in March, 1999 with the following two aims. The first aim is to help internaional students find a guarantor when entering an apartment. The second aim is to reduce financial and other responsibilities of the guarantor. Therefore this insurance covers not only the compensation of accidental fires, etc. but also compensation when the guarantor must take responsibility for the students' unpaid rent. This wide coverage can appease hesitancy that university staff might have in becoming a guarantor of international students.

Premiums for this coverage is 7,500 yen for one year (course A) and 14,000 yen for two years (course B). Application forms are available at the Student Affairs Section. You are requested to fill out the form and pay for premiums at a post office.

Important notice on renting an apartment in Japan

It is normally prohibited for any person other than the contracted resident to stay at the apartment. Therefore it may cause trouble if you stay at a friend's apartment or you let someone stay at your apartment without the permission of the owner. Please be sure to consult with the owner well in advance in this case.

Health insurance plan

Are there any health insurance plans for international students?

All people holding a visa status of "college student" are eligible to join the National Health Insurance Plan. By joining this plan, medical expenses will be reduced to 30% of actual expenses.

How to join the National Health Insurance Plan

Application for the national health insurance plan can be completed at the counter of the National Health Insurance and Pension Division at City Hall. Your seal, and your passport or alien registration card are necessary when applying. Premiums are approximately 15,000 yen per year for those students who have no income.

Procedures of alien registration, etc.

How to apply for alien registration

All foreign nationals residing in Japan for a period of more than 90 days are required to register in person at the municipal office of the city, town or village in which they are living. Within 14 days after landing Japan, please submit an application for alien registration (available at the municipal office) together with 2 photographs (4.5cm x 3.5cm in size, of the front upper half of your body, with no hat, and taken within the past 6 months). You will also be requested to show your passport. An alien registration certificate will be issued to you in about 20 days. You are required to carry your alien registration card at all times.

Whenever there is any change in address, period of stay, passport number, status, etc., you must report it to the municipal office within 14 days.

How to extend the period of stay

The approved period of stay in Japan for an international student is 2 years at the longest. The period of stay can be extended through designated procedures. Please make an arrangement for permission of extension of period of stay at the nearest regional immigration office not later than one day before the expiration date. (You can apply two months before the expiration date.)

Necessary documents are as follows

• Application for extension of period of stay, Part 1 & 2 I (available at Student Affairs Division or Immigration Office)
• Certificate for payment of fee (with 4,000-yen revenue stamp)
• Certificate of enrollment
• Transcript of academic performance
• Certificate of the scholarship granted and/or bankbook of your account
• Passport
• Alien registration card

About temporary leave from Japan and re-entry

When you leave Japan temporarily for a long vacation or other reasons, you need to notify your research advisor and the Student Affairs Division. Make sure to obtain a re-entry permit prior to your departure from the nearest regional immigration office. Even if you get a re-entry permit, you need to re-enter Japan within the valid term of permission. Please do not forget to carry your alien registration card with you when you leave Japan and re-enter Japan.

Necessary documents are

• Application for Re-entry Permit (available at the Student Affairs Division or the regional immigration office)
• Student ID
• Passport
• Alien Registration Card
• Certificate for Payment of Fee (3,000 yen/single, 6,000 yen/multiple)

Is it possible to work under student visa?

International students are here in Japan basically for the purpose of study and research activities. Therefore they are not allowed to have any kind of part-time jobs, in principle. When international students need to work due to unavoidable circumstances, they have to obtain permission to engage in activities other than that permitted under the status of residence previously granted at the nearest regional immigration office. If you will be assigned work as a TA (Teaching Assistant) or RA (Research Assistant) at the University of Aizu, you need to obtain permission. If you get permission to engage in activities other than that permitted under the status of residence previously granted, you can work up to 28 hours per week (degree students) or 14 hours per week (non-degree students).

Necessary documents for application are

• Application for permission to engage in activities other than that permitted under the status of residence previously granted (available at the SAD or the regional immigration office)
• Statement from the University (which is helpful in obtaining the permission)
• Passport

No fee is required to apply for this permission to work.

I got a new passport.

When you have acquired a new passport, you should go to the nearest regional immigration office and have the endorsement of your status of residence and period of stay transferred from the old passport to the new one.

The required documents are

• Old and new passport
• Alien registration card
• Petition for transfer of endorsement.

There is no fee for this procedure. It is possible to get the permission stamp affixed on the day of application. (Though not guaranteed)

Opening an account at a bank/post office

How to open a bank account

When you open an account at a bank, you need to submit (1) your passport, (2) certificate of direction on alien registration ("Gaikokujin toroku genpyo kisai jiko shomeisho") issued at City Hall, and (3) your name seal. You can apply for an account at the counter of a bank by filling out an application. A cash card/bank card can also be applied for at the same time. (Office hours are 9:00 am to 3:00 pm on normal working weekdays.)

How to open a postal savings account at a post office

When you open a postal savings account at a post office, you need to submit (1) your passport, (2) alien registration card, and (3) your name seal. You can apply for an account at the counter of a post office by filling out an application. A cash card/bank card can also be applied for at the same time. (Office hours for postal savings services are 9:00 am to 4:00 pm on normal working weekdays.)

Daily life

How to classify garbage

Classification of garbage differs by municipality. Aizu-Wakamatsu City classifies garbage into four categories of (1) burnable, (2) non-burnable, (3) recyclable, and (4) bulky waste. Garbage is collected on designated days. For garbage in classifications (1) to (3), please take out to the garbage station by 8:30 am on the morning of the designated day. A specific garbage bag designated by the city must be used for disposal of garbage (bags given at the supermarkets are also applicable). For more details, please click here (the web site of Aizu-Wakamatsu City).

How to dispose of bulky garbage

When you would like to dispose bulky garbage such as furniture, etc., please contact the Recycle Section of the City Hall at 27-3961 at least one day before the designated collection day. The bulky garbage should be left in front of your house by 8:00 am on the designated collection day. The number of bulky garbage items is limited to 3 at one time.

An explanation of tax reports

For those who earn any income, please submit a tax report to the municipal tax office between February 16 and March 15 every year. If you have overpaid income tax, the difference will be refunded. Even if you do not have an income, submission of a simplified tax report to City Hall is strongly recommended. Simplified tax reports are accepted by post. This report may reduce the amount of the premiums you pay to the national health insurance plan.