Study Abroad in Japan: Insurance, Visa, Costs 2026

Study abroad in Japan: no EHIC cover, student visa rules, living costs and travel advice with official sources. Updated October 2026. See sources.

Study abroad in Japan: the European Health Insurance Card is not valid there, and the social security agreement does not cover health insurance. For study you need a visa before entry, and the host university applies for the Certificate of Eligibility. According to Study in Japan, living costs average 105,000 yen per month nationwide.

Study abroad in Japan at a glance

Item	Details (as of October 2026)	Source
Health insurance	The EHIC is not valid, no agreement on health insurance	European Commission, DVKA
Visa	Required for study, before entry at the Japanese mission	German Federal Foreign Office, Keio University
Travel warning	Partial warning for evacuated areas around Fukushima Daiichi	German Federal Foreign Office
Living costs	National average 105,000 yen per month, rent 41,000 yen, Tokyo 57,000 yen	Study in Japan (JASSO survey 2023)
Auslands-BAföG (German study abroad grant)	Possible, responsible office: Studierendenwerk Tübingen-Hohenheim	German Student Services (DSW)

All details are general information, not individual advice. The linked official pages are authoritative.

How are you insured in Japan?

EHIC and social security agreement

Japan is not part of the EU or the EEA. The European Health Insurance Card is not valid there, as the European Commission limits it to the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. According to the German liaison body for health insurance abroad (DVKA), the German-Japanese social security agreement (in force since 1 February 2000) covers pension insurance but not health insurance. It therefore creates no entitlement to benefits in kind in Japan.

For statutorily insured students this means you pay treatment costs in the host country yourself at first, or through insurance taken out locally or abroad. According to the Federal Government Commissioner for Patients, German cover does not apply outside the EU, and a private travel health policy is advised for full cover in case of illness. Whether your German insurance continues during the semester depends on your enrolment and your insurer, so get it confirmed in writing. If you have private insurance, see Health insurance during a semester abroad (in German) and, for countries outside the EU, Private health insurance for students outside the EU (in German).

Healthcare in Japan

The German Federal Foreign Office describes medical care as comparable to Europe and notes that communication with doctors can be difficult. Many hospitals treat foreign patients only against advance payment. No vaccinations are required for entry, and the Office suggests checking measles protection and, for longer stays, paying attention to Japanese encephalitis.

Private travel health insurance and repatriation

The German Federal Foreign Office advises travel health and repatriation insurance. Because many hospitals demand advance payment, check how your policy advances or reimburses costs. The federal portal names higher co-payments abroad and repatriation costs as a residual risk that private travel health insurance can cover. What you need depends on your contract, your university and the length of your stay. For background, see Travel health insurance for Erasmus, the USA and Work and Travel (in German).

Do you need a visa for Japan?

Yes, for study. According to the German Federal Foreign Office, German citizens can enter visa-free for short stays of up to 90 days. Anyone who wants to study, work or stay in Japan for more than 180 days needs a visa before entry, to be applied for at the Japanese mission. Your passport must be valid for the entire stay, and an ID card is not accepted as a travel document.

Keio University describes the usual procedure for exchange students: for the student visa you need a Certificate of Eligibility issued by the Japanese Ministry of Justice. The host university applies for it on your behalf and sends you the PDF. With the document and a valid passport, you apply for the visa at the Japanese embassy or consulate. The Certificate of Eligibility does not replace the visa. The university advises booking your flight only after the visa is granted. The procedure may differ at your host university, so ask there and at the mission about the documents.

Passport valid for the entire stay
Certificate of Eligibility, applied for by the host university
Visa application at the Japanese embassy or consulate
Further documents as specified by the mission

The German Federal Foreign Office issues a partial travel warning for Japan covering the evacuated areas around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant designated by the Japanese government, and there is no general travel warning (page as of 24 October 2026). It points to earthquakes, volcanoes and typhoons. Read the current travel and safety advice before you leave.

What does a semester in Japan cost?

Tuition fees

Which fees apply at the Japanese host university depends on your university’s exchange agreement. We name no general amount because no official body sets one. Ask your university and the host university before you accept a place.

Living costs

Study in Japan, the official Japanese portal for international students, cites total expenses of 105,000 yen per month for international students on a national average, based on the 2023 JASSO survey. Rent averages 41,000 yen nationwide and 57,000 yen in Tokyo. The page carries no date. Convert the amounts into euros at the current exchange rate.

Funding: Erasmus+ and Auslands-BAföG

Japan is not on the European Commission’s list of Erasmus+ programme countries. Whether your university offers funding for Japan depends on the partner institution and your university’s programmes, so ask your international office. For more on the programme, see Planning Erasmus and a semester abroad (in German).

Auslands-BAföG, the German study abroad grant, is available for part of a degree abroad. According to the German Student Services, the Studierendenwerk Tübingen-Hohenheim (Office for Educational Funding Abroad) is responsible for Japan. According to the leaflet (as of January 2026), you need a permanent residence in Germany, funding starts at the earliest in the month of application, and you should apply online about six months before you start. It includes a one-off travel allowance, a health insurance supplement and tuition fees of up to 5,600 euros for a maximum of one year, and for study outside the EU and Switzerland possibly a monthly foreign-country supplement. Details are in Auslands-BAföG: requirements, amount and supplements (in German).

Worked example: For a five-month semester at 105,000 yen per month, living costs come to 525,000 yen on the national average, and rent is higher in Tokyo. Flights, travel health insurance and your home university semester fee are not included. The total is a guide, not a commitment.

Steps before you leave

Ask the host university when it applies for the Certificate of Eligibility and ask the Japanese mission about the documents.
Apply for the visa and book your flight only once it is granted.
Check that your passport is valid for the entire stay.
Check how your travel health insurance settles treatment when hospitals demand advance payment.
Ask your insurer to confirm in writing how you are insured during your semester abroad before you sign the learning agreement.
Take out travel health and repatriation insurance if your cover does not include repatriation and treatment that can wait.
If you receive funding, submit your Auslands-BAföG application to the responsible office (the Studierendenwerk Tübingen-Hohenheim (Office for Educational Funding Abroad)) about six months before you start.
Ask your international office about funding and the host university fees.

Frequently asked questions

Does my EHIC work in Japan?

No. The card is valid only in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. The social security agreement with Japan covers pension insurance, not health insurance.

Do I need a visa for Japan?

For study, yes. According to the German Federal Foreign Office, only short stays of up to 90 days are visa-free, and paid research stays and internships are excluded.

Is an ID card enough for Japan?

No. According to the German Federal Foreign Office, the ID card is not accepted as a travel document. You need a passport.

How much does it cost to live in Japan per month?

Study in Japan cites a national average of 105,000 yen in total expenses per month (JASSO survey 2023), with rent at 41,000 yen and 57,000 yen in Tokyo.

Is there a travel warning for Japan?

The German Federal Foreign Office warns only against stays in the evacuated areas around Fukushima Daiichi (as of 24 October 2026). Check the current page before you leave.

Who handles Auslands-BAföG for Japan?

The Studierendenwerk Tübingen-Hohenheim (Office for Educational Funding Abroad).

Sources

Sources accessed on 25 October 2026 unless stated otherwise.

Related guides

You can find the online check at check.academycon.de.

Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.