Have you been dreaming of living and studying in Japan?
Applications are now open for our April 2027 intake at GenkiJACS Fukuoka! This long-term Japanese course is a great opportunity for students looking for an immersive Japanese language experience with small classes and communication-focused lessons.
Course Overview
Course Start: April 2027
Course Length: 1 year
Location: Fukuoka, Japan
Our long-term course is designed for students who want to make real progress in Japanese while experiencing everyday life in Japan. We also provide support throughout the student visa application process for eligible applicants.
Application deadline: August 21, 2026
**April 2027 Intake Guidelines
Planning to apply? Please read the full April 2027 Intake Guidelines for important details about the course, application process, and visa requirements before submitting your application: https://canva.link/bvfi8bk49t3w6z7
Important Updates for April 2027 Applicants
There are several important changes that will affect students applying for Fukuoka’s long-term Japanese language courses from April 2027 onward. Please read the information below carefully before applying:
1. Long-Term Course Duration
As part of the restructuring of our courses, GenkiJACS Fukuoka plans to offer the following long-term courses from April 2027 onward:
- 1-year course (starting in April or October)
- 18-month course (starting in October)
Please note that the 1-year course cannot later be extended to 18 months. If you would like to study for 18 months, please consider applying for the October 2027 intake.
2. New Student Visa Requirements
The Japanese Immigration Bureau has introduced new requirements for Certificate of Eligibility (COE) applications.
Applicants must now meet one of the following conditions:
- Be confirmed by the school as having A1-level Japanese ability, or
- Hold an Associate’s Degree or higher (for U.S. applicants), or a Bachelor’s degree or higher (for applicants from other countries).
This means that applicants who do not have the required academic degree will now need to demonstrate A1-level Japanese ability, even if they already hold JLPT N5 or a 150-hour Japanese study certificate.
3. How will we confirm N5/A1-level ability?
To comply with the new immigration requirements, eligible applicants will complete:
- An online reading and writing level test
- An online speaking interview
The screening process includes the following:
- The level test must be completed within approximately two weeks after applying.
- nterviews are expected to take place in August.
- The test and interview will only take place after registration has been confirmed and the ¥50,000 screening fee has been paid.
- The screening fee is non-refundable.
- If the required A1 level is not demonstrated during the screening process, we unfortunately cannot continue with the long-term course application.
Examples of A1-level speaking ability include:
- Introducing yourself (name, nationality, occupation, hobbies, etc.)
- Talking about weekend plans or a simple travel experience
- Explaining when, where, with whom, what you did, and how it was
- Communicating about familiar everyday topics using simple Japanese
Applicants who already hold the required Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree (or higher) do not need to demonstrate A1-level Japanese ability for the COE application.
4. Preparing for Your COE Application
We plan to begin collecting CoE application documents in late August.
There is no need to submit any documents just yet. We will contact all applicants once the document submission period begins.
*However, applicants who hold an Associate’s Degree, Bachelor’s Degree, or higher should prepare copies of their graduation certificates in advance, as these documents will need to be checked during the application process.
Please also remember that the required savings for the COE application must be available when documents are prepared (around late August 2026), not immediately before the course begins.
Unfortunately, if the required financial amount is not available at that time, we will not be able to proceed with the CoE application in accordance with immigration requirements.
Ready to Study Japanese in Japan?
If you’re interested in joining our April 2027 intake, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit an application form or contact us at [email protected], and our team will be happy to guide you through the application process and answer any questions you may have.
We look forward to helping you begin your Japanese language journey in Fukuoka!
