Contents
- 1. Who this article is for
- 2. The education requirement: “university graduate” or “equivalent or higher education”
- 3. Is your school “higher education” in its own country?
- 4. Why the burden of proof is on you
- 5. Documents that help prove your education
- 6. Linking your studies to the job
- 7. If your education does not qualify: other routes
- 8. Our Education Requirement Assessment
Key points
- For the “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” status, the education route requires a university degree or “equivalent or higher education”. A junior college (associate-level) degree also counts as a university degree.
- A diploma from a non-university higher education institution abroad may qualify, if that institution is treated as higher education in its home country’s school system.
- Courses that are classified as vocational training in their home country are generally hard to accept as higher education.
- When the position of your school is unclear, you (the applicant) need to prove it in writing. Weak proof can lead to delays or refusal.
- Your subjects must also be linked to the job, and the employer’s documents are examined too. Education alone does not decide the case.
Please read first
This article explains the general rules. Whether a specific school or course meets the requirement is decided by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA) in each case. No one outside the ISA can guarantee the result.
1. Who this article is for
Many people who want to work in Japan do not have a bachelor’s degree but have completed a shorter higher education or technical program abroad. Depending on the country, these qualifications have different names, for example:
- an associate degree from a community college in the United States
- a “Técnico Superior” or similar title from an Instituto Superior in Latin America
- a diploma or higher diploma from a polytechnic or college in Europe or Asia
This article is for you if you hold a qualification like this and have a job offer in Japan, or expect one soon, including people who are already in Japan on a working holiday. It is also for HR staff at Japanese companies who want to hire such candidates.
For the general requirements of this status, see our page on the Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services visa.
2. The education requirement: “university graduate” or “equivalent or higher education”
For technical or humanities work (for example, IT, engineering, accounting or marketing), the Ministerial Ordinance on landing permission standards requires the applicant to meet one of the following:
- (a) having graduated from a university, or received education equivalent to or higher than that, after majoring in subjects related to the job;
- (b) having completed a specialized course at a vocational school (senmon gakko) in Japan, with the required title, after majoring in related subjects; or
- (c) having at least 10 years of practical experience in related work (time spent studying related subjects can be included).
Route (b) applies only to schools in Japan, so a qualification from abroad is assessed under route (a). Route (a) has two parts:
- “Graduated from a university”: In the ISA’s practice, this means a person who holds a bachelor’s degree or a junior college (associate-level) degree or higher. A four-year degree is not always necessary.
- “Equivalent or higher education”: This covers certain other institutions. For schools abroad, a graduate of an institution that is positioned as a higher education institution in “Education in Foreign Countries” (a series edited by Japan’s Ministry of Education, MEXT) is treated as meeting the requirement.
So the key question for a non-university qualification is not its name but this: is the school treated as higher education in its own country’s system?
Note for international services jobs
For international services work (such as translation, interpreting, language teaching, PR or overseas trade), you can also qualify through the same education route, if your studies are related to the job. Without such studies, at least 3 years of related work experience is generally required. There is one special rule: a person who has graduated from a university can do translation, interpreting or language teaching work regardless of their major. This rule is written for university graduates, so it is unlikely to cover non-degree qualifications, unless the ISA treats the qualification as equivalent to a university degree. In practice, the ISA does so for certain colleges in some countries. How such cases are handled is not uniform. If the job mainly uses language skills with people, such as translation or interpreting, the ISA also expects language ability at around CEFR B2 level, and some employers must submit proof with the application.
3. Is your school “higher education” in its own country?
The ISA checks the education system of each country mainly through MEXT’s “Education in Foreign Countries”. Many countries have both universities and non-university higher education institutions (for example, colleges, polytechnics or higher technical institutes). Where such institutions appear at the higher education stage in that country’s school system, their graduates can fall within “equivalent or higher education”.
In general, the following points work in your favor:
- The law of the country places the institution or program in higher (tertiary) education.
- Completion of secondary education (high school) is required for admission.
- The program is approved or accredited by the national education authority.
- The certificate itself states that it is a higher education qualification.
- Graduates can transfer to, or continue at, a university.
On the other hand, courses that the country itself classifies as vocational or technical training (outside the higher education system), short certificate courses, and courses that do not require a high school diploma are generally difficult to accept. A course name such as “diploma” does not decide the matter either way: the same word is used for very different levels in different countries. The name of the school is not decisive either: in some countries, the same institute offers both higher-level technical programs and shorter courses, so what matters is the level of the specific program you completed.
The total length of schooling is also a useful reference. Under Japanese education rules, completing 14 years of school education in a foreign country is treated as comparable to graduating from a junior college for certain purposes, and this rule is also used as a reference in immigration practice. If your primary and secondary education was shorter than in Japan (12 years), please keep this point in mind.
4. Why the burden of proof is on you
In practice, when it is unclear whether an applicant “graduated from a university or received equivalent education”, the ISA examines the country’s education system and, if necessary, makes inquiries through diplomatic channels. This can make the examination much longer.
A leading Japanese practitioners’ handbook on immigration law also points out that, where the school’s position is hard to judge, the applicant should explain in writing the length of study, whether a degree is awarded, the completion requirements and similar points, and prove by themselves that the school has the substance of a higher education institution.
In practice, this means you should not simply submit your diploma and hope for the best. If your qualification is not a bachelor’s or associate degree, prepare to show clearly what kind of education it is.
5. Documents that help prove your education
The following documents are commonly useful. Not all of them are legally required, but the more clearly they show the points in section 3, the stronger your application.
- Diploma or certificate of completion of the program
- Academic transcript showing the subjects you actually took and, if possible, the hours or credits
- High school diploma (to show that the program was taken after secondary education)
- Curriculum or syllabus of the program, including total hours
- A letter from the school (recommended) on official letterhead, signed by a responsible officer, explaining:
- the type of institution and its legal position in the country’s education system
- admission requirements (e.g., completion of secondary education)
- length of the program and total hours
- the basis of government approval or accreditation
- completion requirements (e.g., internship, final project)
- whether graduates can continue to university
- your enrollment period and date of completion
- A certificate from the education authority of your country, if one can be obtained
Some practical points:
- Japanese translations: Documents in a foreign language submitted to the ISA must be accompanied by a Japanese translation.
- Originals: Copies are usually accepted, but the ISA may ask to see the originals. If you are in Japan and can bring your originals, it is safer to have them at hand.
- Apostille: An apostille is generally not required for this purpose.
6. Linking your studies to the job
Meeting the education level is not enough. The rule requires that you majored in subjects related to the job. The subjects do not have to be identical to the job, but they must be related, and the ISA looks at the subjects you actually took.
The ISA’s published clarification on this status explains how strictly the link is judged:
| Where you studied | How the link is judged |
|---|---|
| University (including universities abroad) and colleges of technology in Japan | Flexibly |
| Vocational schools in Japan (senmon gakko) | As a rule, a considerable degree of relevance is required (more flexibly for certain MEXT-certified courses) |
| Non-university higher education institutions abroad | Not stated in the ISA’s published materials |
Because the standard for non-university institutions abroad is not clearly published, we recommend assuming that a clear link is needed. In practice, compare the subjects on your transcript with the duties in your job description, and make the connection easy to see. For example, a graduate of an IT program who will work as a software developer has a clear link; the same graduate hired mainly for sales may not.
Education is not the only requirement
The job must mainly consist of professional work, and the employer’s business and documents are also examined. Even with qualifying education, an application can be refused for these reasons.
7. If your education does not qualify: other routes
If your education does not meet the requirement, the following routes may still be available for technical or humanities work:
- IT exams (for IT jobs only): If you will work in information technology and have passed one of the IT exams listed in a Ministry of Justice public notice, the education requirement does not apply. The list includes Japanese exams such as the Fundamental Information Technology Engineer Examination and several exams in other Asian countries. The entry-level “IT Passport” exam is not on the list.
- 10 years of experience: At least 10 years of practical experience in related work. Time spent studying related subjects at university, college, high school or vocational school can be counted. Each period must be proven with documents, such as employment certificates.
Depending on the job, another status of residence may also be worth considering.
8. Our Education Requirement Assessment
If you are not sure whether your qualification meets the requirement, we offer a paid Education Requirement Assessment.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| What we do | We review your diploma, transcript and related documents and give you a written opinion in English on whether you are likely to meet the education requirement. One follow-up question by email is included. |
| Not included | The COE application itself, review of the employer’s documents, and preparing a written explanation of your education for the ISA (available separately) |
| Documents | Diploma, transcript, high school diploma and passport. If available: curriculum, CV and job description. Documents in the original language are fine; no translation is needed. |
| Timeline | 5 to 7 business days after we receive all documents |
| Fee | Quoted when you contact us. Payment in advance by bank transfer or credit card. |
How it works: Inquiry → we send you the fee and document list → payment → you send the documents → we send the written opinion. If you wish, we can then support the COE application together with your future employer (separate quote).
To get started, please send us an inquiry with (1) the type and length of the program you completed and (2) the job you plan to do in Japan.
Please do not attach your documents yet
Please do not send your diploma or other documents with your first inquiry. We will tell you how to send them after payment.
Sources
- e-Gov Laws and Regulations, “Ministerial Ordinance to Provide for Criteria Pursuant to Article 7, Paragraph 1, Item 2 of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act” (Japanese)
- Immigration Services Agency, “Clarification of the status of residence ‘Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services'” (Japanese; partly revised April 15, 2026)
- Immigration Services Agency, “Clarification of the status of residence ‘Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services'” (consolidated version with appendices, April 2026, PDF) (Japanese)
- Immigration Services Agency, “Public notice on information processing technology exams and qualifications (Ministry of Justice Public Notice No. 437 of 2013)” (Japanese)
- Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), “Education in Foreign Countries” (regional volumes) (Japanese)
Disclaimer: This article is provided for general information only and is not legal advice on any individual case. The information is based on sources available as of October 14, 2026. Laws, guidelines and their application may change without notice. Whether a particular school or qualification meets the requirement is decided by the Immigration Services Agency in each case. TKG Immigration Consulting Office accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising from the use of this information. In case of any difference between our English descriptions and the original Japanese texts, the Japanese texts prevail.