Students planning to enter Japan and resume studies at the university in the Spring Semester of Academic Year 2026 must apply for a Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) for their visa.
Students included are:
①Students who were on a leave of absence during the Fall Semester of the 2025 academic year and will return to school in the Spring Semester of 2026.
②Students who have been outside Japan for more than three months due to study abroad while enrolled or for other personal reasons.
③Students whose period of stay expired (or will expire) while they were outside Japan.
※For those students who will NOT return to the school in the Spring Semester of 2026, please disregard this note.
※If you are taking a leave of absence for the Fall Semester of 2025, you will be automatically re-enrolled for the Spring Semester of 2026 unless you take the necessary procedure.
The Certificate of Eligibility and the student visa are valid for three months from the date of issuance. Please ensure that you complete the application process and enter Japan within this period.
Starting from AY 2023, the Certificate of Eligibility is issued electronically. Once issued, it will be uploaded to your IRIS account. Please download the electronic file and use it to apply for your visa.
(Update on 2024/10/31) For application documents that include foreign-language materials such as military service certificates, medical certificates, or financial support documents (including those in English), submission of a Japanese translation is mandatory. Immigration screening will be conducted based on the Japanese translations, so please be careful, as any mistranslations may affect the outcome of your application.
①Students who were on a leave of absence during the Fall Semester of the 2025 academic year and will return to school in the Spring Semester of 2026.
Please follow the instructions below and complete all required procedures by Wednesday, November 12.
(STEP1) Fill out the Certificate of Eligibility Application Form
Please complete the Certificate of Eligibility Application Form (here).
(STEP2) Prepare required documents and upload them to IRIS
(1) Log in to IRIS (https://iris.rikkyo.ac.jp/sp/login) and enter all information for items 1 through 10 under “Applicant Information” on the top page. (Items marked with a red circle (●))
(2) After uploading all required documents to IRIS, click the “Registration Complete” button.
※ Please note that if you do not click the “Registration Complete” button, the International Center will not be notified that the applicant has finished entering information.
We will review the information and documents. If any deficiencies are found, we will contact you via email or the IRIS inquiry function.
Based on the information you entered, the International Center will prepare the “Application for Certificate of Eligibility”.
The documents required for upload to IRIS are listed below as ① through ⑥
(for military service leave and medical leave, see ① through ⑦).
① Statement of reasons for CoE application (in Japanese, A4 one page in Word format) *1
② Documents regarding your financial situation and a certificate of residence (proof of relationship of your financial supporter)
１）Documents that show the student’s ability to support himself or herself (or be supported) financially
２）Document(s) proving the relationship between the applicant and the person who is supporting you financially
③ Passport copy (main page)
④ One ID photo (ID photo data in JPEG or PNG format)
⑤Official transcript written in Japanese *2
⑥Certificate of the period of leave of absence written in Japanese *3
⑦ Documents to Prove Reason for Leave of Absence:
If you are taking a leave of absence due to military service, please upload a military service certificate.
If it is due to illness, please upload a medical certificate under “Submitted Documents / Others.”
※ If the documents are in a foreign language, a Japanese translation must be attached.
※ Regarding the Financial Supporter:
It is preferable to designate one financial supporter, as income certificates, bank balance statements, and other proofs are required. However, if a single supporter cannot meet the immigration guideline of at least 1.2 million yen per year, multiple supporters may be designated. In such cases, please prepare and submit the required documents (as stated in item ②) for each supporter.
※ If your upload exceeds 5MB, please compress the file (ZIP format) before uploading.
*1 The statement
The statement should include the following points:
・The background of your situation (what brought you to Japan, why you chose to study at Rikkyo, how you are doing at Rikkyo, etc. )
・Reflections based on background and reasons leading to the present situation, and reasons for applying (e.g., expired residence card, leave of absence, etc.)
・Future plans (study/research plan until graduation/completion, clear statement of intent)
※Typed in Microsoft Word format
※Your statement should start with the title “Statement of Reasons” and you must indicate your student ID number/ College・Graduate College・Graduate School/ Department・Major/ Full name.
※Events should be indicated with when. (Ex. I entered Rikkyo University in April, 2022.) If your academic performance shows poor results, you have to write the causes, the matters you had, how you overcome the matters on leave of absence, how you settle your matters, and how you make effort not to repeat the same problems, etc. You need to describe these points in details.
※You also need to describe your specific course plans to complete your degree, advance your study/research, plans after you complete your degree at Rikkyo. You have to explain why you should deserve a student visa again.
※Please refer to the following sample properly.
Please use this solely as a reference. Plagiarism or unauthorized use of the text is strictly prohibited.
*2 Ordering transcript online
After reviewing the Academic Affairs Office's certificate issuance service guide, please submit your request through the online application system (using your V-Campus ID and password).
※ To ensure documents are sent directly from the Academic Affairs Office to the International Office, please specify the International Office (Ikebukuro) as the【Mailing Address/Submission Destination】.
*3 You can order your certificate online as well as transcript.
You can request issuance through the online application system, just like with academic transcripts.
While there is no certificate specifically titled “Certificate of Leave of Absence Period,” the leave period can be indicated on your Certificate of Enrollment.
Please follow the steps below to apply and obtain a Certificate of Enrollment that includes your leave period.
① In the “Certificate List” section of the online application system, check the box for “Enrollment/Attendance Certificate”.
② In the system's “Remarks” field, be sure to specify the following three points:
・Please include the date of enrollment and the period of leave of absence on the attendance certificate.
・Please clearly state the entire period of the leave of absence.
・Please clearly state that the leave of absence period is from ●●●● year ●● month to ●●●● year ●● month.
Details Regarding Certificate Issuance https://portal.rikkyo.ac.jp/academic_affairs/paperwork/current_students/convenience
●【Mailing Address / Submission Address】Please enter the infomation the International Center (Ikebukuro)
※Students affiliated with the Niiza Campus should also use the Ikebukuro International Center address.
<International Center Information>
Country: Japan
Postal Code: 171-8501
Address: Rikkyo University, 3-34-1 Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo
Attn: International Center (International Student)
Phone: 03-3985-4803Mailing Address
●Need for Express Post: No
●Do you need “sealed and signed envelopes?”: No
●Notes: “Already consulted International Office.”
(STEP3) As the organization you belong, the International Office will apply for a CoE to the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau on your behalf.
For regular applicants resuming studies, it typically takes about 2 to 3 months for the Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) to be issued. During the immigration review process, additional documents may be requested. Even after you have completed your application with the International Office, please make sure that you can respond promptly to emails or phone calls from the International Office.
You will be contacted as soon as the Certificate of Eligibility is issued, so please wait for further notice.
※ Please note: Due to an increase in the number of applications submitted to the Immigration Bureau, the review process may take longer than originally expected.
②Students who have been outside Japan for more than three months due to study abroad while enrolled or for other personal reasons.
③Students whose period of stay expired (or will expire) while they were outside Japan.
Please follow the instructions below and complete all required procedures by Wednesday, November 12.
(STEP1) Fill out the Certificate of Eligibility Application Form
Please complete the Certificate of Eligibility Application Form (here).
(STEP2) Prepare required documents and upload them to IRIS
(1) Log in to IRIS (https://iris.rikkyo.ac.jp/sp/login) and enter all information for items 1 through 10 under “Applicant Information” on the top page. (Items marked with a red circle (●))
(2) After uploading all required documents to IRIS, click the “Registration Complete” button.
※ Please note that if you do not click the “Registration Complete” button, the International Center will not be notified that the applicant has finished entering information.
We will review the information and documents. If any deficiencies are found, we will contact you via email or the IRIS inquiry function.
Based on the information you entered, the International Center will prepare the “Application for Certificate of Eligibility”.
The documents required for upload to IRIS are listed below as ① through ⑥
① Statement of reasons for CoE application (in Japanese, A4 one page in Word format) *1
② Documents regarding your financial situation and a certificate of residence (proof of relationship of your financial supporter)
１）Documents that show the student’s ability to support himself or herself (or be supported) financially
２）Document(s) proving the relationship between the applicant and the person who is supporting you financially
③ Passport copy (main page)
④ One ID photo (ID photo data in JPEG or PNG format)
⑤Official transcript written in Japanese *2
⑥Certificate of the period of leave of absence written in Japanese *3
※ Regarding the Financial Supporter:
It is preferable to designate one financial supporter, as income certificates, bank balance statements, and other proofs are required. However, if a single supporter cannot meet the immigration guideline of at least 1.2 million yen per year, multiple supporters may be designated. In such cases, please prepare and submit the required documents (as stated in item ②) for each supporter.
※ If your upload exceeds 5MB, please compress the file (ZIP format) before uploading.
*1 The statement
The statement should include the following points:
・The background of your situation (what brought you to Japan, why you chose to study at Rikkyo, how you are doing at Rikkyo, etc. )
・Reflections based on background and reasons leading to the present situation, and reasons for applying (e.g., expired residence card, leave of absence, etc.)
・Future plans (study/research plan until graduation/completion, clear statement of intent)
In addition to the above, students who are currently studying abroad must include the following information in their statement of reasons:
・The fact that you returned your resident card at the airport in order to study abroad.
・To apply for a COE to return to Japan with the completion of study abroad in order to resume studies in Japan from X month after the completion of study abroad in X month in which country.
※Typed in Microsoft Word format
※Your statement should start with the title “Statement of Reasons” and you must indicate your student ID number/ College・Graduate College・Graduate School/ Department・Major/ Full name.
※You also need to describe your specific course plans to complete your degree, advance your study/research, plans after you complete your degree at Rikkyo. You have to explain why you should deserve a student visa again.
※Please refer to the following sample properly.
Please use this solely as a reference. Plagiarism or unauthorized use of the text is strictly prohibited.
※Students who could not return their resident card when they left Japan (students who left Japan with “deemed re-entry permission”), please explain in the statement of reasons that you should have returned your resident card and left Japan, but you left Japan with “deemed re-entry permission”. Please return the old resident card and have a new one issued when you enter Japan after the COE is issued.
*2 Ordering transcript online
After reviewing the Academic Affairs Office's certificate issuance service guide, please submit your request through the online application system (using your V-Campus ID and password).
※ To ensure documents are sent directly from the Academic Affairs Office to the International Office, please specify the International Office (Ikebukuro) as the【Mailing Address/Submission Destination】.
*3 You can order your certificate online as well as transcript.
You can request issuance through the online application system, just like with academic transcripts.
In the “Certificate List” section of the online application system, check the box for “Enrollment/Attendance Certificate”.
Details Regarding Certificate Issuance https://portal.rikkyo.ac.jp/academic_affairs/paperwork/current_students/convenience
●【Mailing Address / Submission Address】Please enter the infomation the International Center (Ikebukuro)
※Students affiliated with the Niiza Campus should also use the Ikebukuro International Center address.
<International Center Information>
Country: Japan
Postal Code: 171-8501
Address: Rikkyo University, 3-34-1 Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo
Attn: International Center (International Student)
Phone: 03-3985-4803Mailing Address
●Need for Express Post: No
●Do you need “sealed and signed envelopes?”: No
●Notes: “Already consulted International Office.”
(STEP3) As the organization you belong, the International Office will apply for a CoE to the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau on your behalf.
For regular applicants resuming studies, it typically takes about 2 to 3 months for the Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) to be issued. During the immigration review process, additional documents may be requested. Even after you have completed your application with the International Office, please make sure that you can respond promptly to emails or phone calls from the International Office.
You will be contacted as soon as the Certificate of Eligibility is issued, so please wait for further notice.
※ Please note: Due to an increase in the number of applications submitted to the Immigration Bureau, the review process may take longer than originally expected.