Do you really need 150 hours of Japanese or JLPT N5 to get into a language school in Japan?
by gladiator221303 on Apr 18, 2026
I’m a bit confused about the admission requirements for Japanese language schools and wanted to get some clarity from people who’ve already gone through the process.
Is it compulsory to have completed around 150 hours of Japanese study or at least pass JLPT N5 before applying? Or is it still possible to get admission without any formal Japanese learning background?
I’ve seen mixed information online—some say it’s mandatory for a student visa, while others say certain schools accept beginners and help you from scratch.
If anyone has applied recently (especially from India), could you share your experience? Did you already have N5/150 hours, or were you able to get in without it?
Also, does this requirement depend more on the school or on visa rules?
Would really appreciate any insights
Comments
by MarioModGuy on Apr 18, 2026
It is a visa requirement by japanese immigration. It was required when I applied last October, I completed a certified course online to complete that requirement
by MasterofCaveShadows on Apr 18, 2026
Yes but it's easier to accomplish than it seems as you can do courses both in person and online to fulfill it and you can also take an equivalent test since it's not possible to take the JLPT as a tourist since they revised how it works.
by BreakfastDue1256 on Apr 18, 2026
The JLPT is offered world wide. The expectation for this is that you have taken it in your own country before going to Japan.
by MasterofCaveShadows on Apr 18, 2026
Yes, but at a limited selection of time slots. For example, in the US, it can only be taken in December.
by gdore15 on Apr 18, 2026
This mean they have up to December to study to get far enough to pass N5.
by MasterofCaveShadows on Apr 18, 2026
Or take a program that gets them the same requirement and doesn't have to be applied for 4 months in advance.
by BreakfastDue1256 on Apr 18, 2026
It is a requirement to be issued a Atudent Visa for the purpose of Language School, by the government.
It is not a requirement for most schools.
Those do not contradict.
If you need a visa, you need 150 hours or N5. If you are already in Japan some other way, like Child of Japanese National or Dependant, you don't need it.
by BabymetalTheater on Apr 18, 2026
I did not have N5 certification and the only proof of 150 hours I provided was showing a certificate from Preply that I had done around 80 hours (at the time of submission), a letter of recommendation and explanation of my current level and my dedication from my two Japanese tutors on Preply, and then a list of the books I had been using to study (Genki, Tango N5). I had never been in a class and had only been self study. I had a video call with the school at one point and a sensei did a little test basically going over basic N5 stuff. And they were happy enough with all of that and I was able to get a Visa and am here now.
I did have over 150 hours of study but only had "proof" of around 80 hours at the time (the preply certificate).
The best thing you can do is reach out the school you want to go to and ask for help. They WANT to help you.
Also there is a girl in my class and I have no clue how she was able to get accepted. She's only been learning for a few months and I'm really worried about her being able to make it.
You don't want to be a beginner though. Know Hiragana and katakana at the least and I think if you can make it through the book Genki I then you can do it.
It will probably depend on the school because some schools are basically just designed to teach people Japanese to prepare them for university or high level jobs whereas others are there for anyone to come and learn the language and culture (like the one I'm attending).
by AnActualSadTaco on Apr 18, 2026
There was an extremely recent change (like several days ago recent) that certificates or self study would no longer be an acceptable thing and you'd have to instead do an interview with the school itself to verify you're roughly N5 level.
Though apparently schools have said it shouldn't be too difficult and they'd allow retakes. Though you can apparently also be exempt potentially if you have your bachelors degree.
Source: email I received from SNG Shinjuku the other day. Had enrolled in their 150 hour online course solely for the certificate the past month only to have that email make it technically useless, lmao.
by AnActualSadTaco on Apr 18, 2026
Email:
We would like to inform you that on April 15, 2026 14:42 Japan Time, the Tokyo Immigration Services Agency of Japan announced a revision to the operational rules for confirming Japanese language ability related to the “Student” residence status.
Until now, when applying for student status, a certificate showing 150 hours or more of Japanese language study could be submitted as one of the supporting documents to demonstrate Japanese ability at approximately the A1 level or higher.
However, going forward, either an official test certificate or an interview assessment conducted by the school will be mandatory, and a certificate of study hours alone will no longer be considered sufficient proof.
Therefore, the certificate issued after completing our 150-hour online course will serve only as proof that 150 hours of study have been completed, and will not serve as proof of Japanese language ability at approximately the A1 level or higher.
If you are planning to apply for a student visa for Japan, please make sure to prepare your documents in accordance with the latest guidance and instructions provided by the school to which you are applying.
Please also note that required documents and selection methods may vary depending on the school. For full details, please contact your intended school directly.
However, if you are a national from a country or region listed in the appendix published on the Immigration Services Agency of Japan website, and has graduated from a foreign higher education institution (such as a university) and submits a certificate of graduation or similar documentation, you might be exempted from having to submit document to proof your Japanese level. Please contact the school that you are applying to for more information.
Please understand that this is a choice made by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan, and not by our school. The Immigration Services Agency of Japan made this information available April 15, 2026 14:42 Japan Time, and our school had no prior knowledge of this information prior to that time.
