CEMS Inbound - Applying for Keio and Information on Visa and Housing
Applying for a CEMS Exchange at Keio
Application Procedures -updated March 6, 2025
1.Online Application
APRIL 25, 2025 for Term1
* You must be nominated as a CEMS exchange student by your home university by May 1.
1) Complete Online Application(For Term 2, 2025/2026 students, the application platform (2026 Spring Admission) will open in mid-August 2025).
Follow the instructions on this User Guide for the Keio CEMS Programme Online Application carefully when you fill out the Online Application form. NOTE: Due to the use of a common platform with the University-wide exchange program, some instructions on the Online Application form are not applicable to CEMS students.
2) List of Application Documents Required
** Every document must be issued within 3 months prior to your application.
- Must be taken within 3 months prior to submission
- This photo will be used for your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) and student ID card.
- Please read the Photo instructions carefully for specifications.
-Height: 4cm, Width: 3cm, International Standard
- Selfies and/or retouched photos are NOT acceptable.
- The photo should be clear and in full color (no black and white images).
- Please apply with a different photo than the one used for your passport (unless you just renewed one), since it would be too old.
- Selfies and retouched photos are NOT acceptable.
JPEG
(JPG)
PNG
- Please make sure to read the last page and sign the form.
Word- Your full academic record from your home institution including (追記) grades (追記ここまで) and(追記) grading scale (追記ここまで).
- If you have not started your graduate studies at a CEMS institution, please upload your transcripts from your previous institution (undergraduate or graduate).
- If issued in a language other than English or Japanese, please also upload an English translation.
- Any unofficial transcripts will NOT be accepted.
[for visa]
- Photocopy of the page with your personal information and photo.
- Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months counting from the application deadline.
- Please make sure that the details are fully visible upon copying.
- If your passport is due to expire during your exchange, it is your responsibility to renew your passport beforehand.
- Japanese nationals are also required to upload their Japanese passport. - If you are a Japanese national, make sure to fill out your name in Japanese on the online application.
- Must be completed and signed by a physician, NOT by the student.
- Please follow the SAMPLEPDF .
- Submit this form (PDFPDF ) to the physician. Do not use the sample.
In order to prevent the outbreaks of infectious diseases such as Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella (Chickenpox) , we strongly recommend all students get vaccinated before enrollment.
For the details, please refer to this pagePDF .
(The record of vaccinations is NOT required.)
Certificate of Financial Support
- The certificate is a bank statement or a bank letter with an official bank letterhead. A copy of your monthly bank statement or the screenshot of your bank statement will NOT be accepted. See [Sample]
- The certificate must show:
* current balance
The amount to cover the expected cost of your stay, at least JPY 130,000(or equivalent in local currency) per month.
Term 1: JPY 650,000 (JPY 130,000 ×ばつ 5 months)
Term 2: JPY 520,000 (JPY 130,000 ×ばつ 4 months)
* account holder's name(s)
* type of account
* type of currency
Select which financial resource(s) you will provide from a) -d) below and submit the required documents.
a) (追記) For Personal funds (Self) (追記ここまで): Your name must appear on the certificate.
b) (追記) For Supporters living abroad (追記ここまで): The name(s) of the supporter(s) must appear on the certificate. IN ADDITION, a letter of support in English or Japanese signed and dated by a family member who intends to provide for your expenses. The letter must indicate the amount of funds to be provided, the duration of the support, and the individual's relationship to you (Sample)
c) (追記) For Sponsoring organization funds (追記ここまで): A letter in English or Japanese from the sponsoring organization that indicates the amount of funds and the duration of the award.
d) (追記) For Loan funds (追記ここまで): A copy of the approval letter indicating the amount of the loan.
Application for Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
[for visa]
- Use this format (COE_Application_Form_2025_Fall(CEMS).xlsxEXEL ) and NOT the below samples.
- Please read the below samples carefully upon filling out the COE application form. The form is three pages long.
1. COE Sample(Personal Funds)for students whose financial fund is solely "a) Personal funds."
2. COE Sample for students whose financial funds are NOT solely "a) Personal funds." (Any combination of the above funds a)- d) )
- International students without any residential status in Japan need the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) to apply for the College Student visa. Keio CEMS Office will apply for COE on your behalf based on the information on the form.
- The information on the form needs to be ACCURATE.
- Not required for Japanese nationals.
- If you have dual nationalities, choose 1 nationality (passport) and make sure you write the information on the chosen passport only, including the "Past entry into/depart from Japan" section.
3.Obtain a visa before you enter Japan
Housing Information
Keio Dormitory
Off-campus dormitories are available for all CEMS exchange students on an availability basis. Dormitories at Keio University are quite inexpensive because the fees are subsidized by the university. This has helped many international students since the living cost in the Tokyo area is very high. All CEMS students to Keio will receive an email regarding a dormitory application approximately three months prior to the beginning of the term.
Housing Platform
Visa Information
Applying for "Student" status under GENERAL VISA
Once COE has been issued, Keio will send it to you. Thus, it is very important that you keep us informed of the appropriate postal address so the document will reach you. You will then be able to apply for a "Student" status visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate in your country, submitting the necessary documents along with this certificate.
Note: Japanese nationals, including those with dual nationalities, must enter Japan as a Japanese national with a Japanese passport. They should apply for a Japanese passport at a Japanese embassy or consulate if they do not possess one.
To apply for a "Student" status visa:
Applying for "Change of Status of Residence"
(1) CEMS schools have different starting dates for their academic semesters. If your plan to take up an internship in Japan during the holidays after your semester at Keio, make sure there is enough time to allow you to complete the internship requirement of more than 8 consecutive weeks in Japan AND start the following semester at your home school (or another CEMS school abroad) on time.
(2) You need to have a job offer by the time you make the application for a "Change of Status of Residence." This may require you to have a job offer as soon as you arrive at Keio, which means that you may need to look for an internship job at a company in Japan before you come to Keio University.
To apply for a "Change of Status of Residence":
Internship Visa ("Designated Activities" status under SPECIFIED VISA)
To apply for a visa for "Designated Activities" status:
Immigration Bureau Offices in the Tokyo / Yokohama Area
General Information about Japanese Visa
(2) The visa requirements are subject to change, and thus you should consult the local Japanese embassy or consulate in your country for the final check.
(3) Specific procedures for visa application may depend on the applicants' nationality, so you should check BOTH the general procedures information described in the Ministry of Foreign Affair's website (Links are provided in the sections "Student Visa" and "Internship" below for the respective visa types) AND more specific information provided by the local Japanese embassy/consulate in your country.
(4) A visa is valid for three months after its issuance for entry. This means that you should obtain your visa within three months prior to your intended date of entry into Japan.
Others
Health Insurance
1 Employees' Health Insurance (generally covers individuals who are employed by a company.)
2 National Health Insurance (covers individuals who are not eligible to join employees' health insurance.) Most international students are required to join the National Health Insurance scheme unless they are covered by the Employees' Health Insurance of a family member who lives and works in Japan. Please see "International Student Handbook" for more information.