A foreign national wishing to enter Japan must have a valid passport, issued by the government of their own country, and a visa appropriate for the purpose of their visit issued by the nearest Japanese Embassy or Consulate.
*The visa indicates that it is appropriate for you to enter and stay in Japan.  Holding a visa is one of the requirements for entering Japan as a foreigner.

International students wishing to enter Hiroshima University are required to gain the necessary qualifications to stay in Japan as an international student, namely the visa status of “Student” as stipulated in the Japanese Immigration-Control and Refugee-Recognition Act.

When you come to Japan to submit an application or to take the entrance examination, you may come by visas other than a student visa. When coming for enrollment procedures at this University, only after you have passed the examination and completed registration is it necessary for you to obtain the status of “Student” (However, it is the possible that you may have to apply for the status of “Student” back in your country of residence).

The Certificate of Eligibility is a document issued by the Immigration Bureau of the Japanese Ministry of Justice as evidence that the foreign national meets the conditions for landing in Japan, including the requirement that the activity in which the foreign national wishes to engage in Japan is recognized by the Immigration Control Act.
 
A student of foreign nationality wishing to enter a Japanese university as an international student needs to apply for a visa with status of "Student" at the nearest Japanese Embassy or Consulate before entering Japan.
For the application, you may submit a Certificate of Eligibility to the Japanese Embassy or Consulate together with your passport and required documents, and then you can obtain your entry visa within a short period.
The Global Exchange Group will perform the necessary procedures to apply for your Certificate of Eligibility from the Immigration Bureau. It will take about 1-3 months to be issued. Therefore, we recommend that you prepare for the application as soon as you receive your Notification of Acceptance.

For the application procedure, please click here.

If a foreign national currently living in Japan under a different visa category wishes to enroll at Hiroshima University as an international student, it is necessary to change your current status of residence to a "Student" visa at the Immigration Bureau.
 
【Required Documents】
1. Application for Change of Status of Residence (prescribed form)
   (3 pages for applicant use, 2 pages for organization use)
   (Please ask the Student Support Office to prepare the forms in advance.)
2. Notification of Acceptance Letter (copy)
3. Documents verifying financial support during stay (ex. bankbook copy)
4. Passport
5. Residence Card
6. Revenue Stamp (shunyu-inshi) (4,000 yen)

*You are also required to submit a "Certificate of Enrollment" if you submit the documents after you have enrolled at university.
* Note: You may be required to provide additional documents, if necessary.
 
【Reference】
・Immigration Bureau
・Information Center, Immigration Bureau
・Hiroshima Regional Immigration Bureau： Office hours 9:00～16:00 (except Saturdays, Sundays and National Holidays)     
Address： Hiroshima Legal Affairs Government Complex     
    2-31 Kami-Hatchobori, Naka-ku, Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Japan 730-0012
   ・Student and Trainee Inspection Department  【1F】 (TEL) 082-221-4468

Inquiries：
Global Exchange Group, Hiroshima University
1-7-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima City, Hiroshima, Japan 739-8514
TEL：+81-82-424-7129
FAX：+81-82-424-4545
E-mail：huvisa(at)hiroshima-u.ac.jp (Please replace (at) with @.)