In order for international students to maintain a valid residence status throughout their stay in Japan, they must apply for and obtain permission for "permission to change residence status" or "permission to extend period of stay" at the regional immigration office as necessary. Our university does not apply for "permission to change residence status" or "permission to extend period of stay" on behalf of students, so students must apply for them themselves at the regional immigration office that has jurisdiction over their place of residence. In addition, if their Japanese residence status expires due to a leave of absence or other reason and they return to study, they or a representative living in Japan must apply for a "Certificate of Eligibility" at the regional immigration office, and after obtaining it, they must apply for a "Student" visa at the Japanese embassy or consulate in their home country.

The visa status and expiration date of all international students will be regularly reported to the Immigration Services Agency.

In accordance with Article 19-17 of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, Aoyama Gakuin University reports the residence status and expiration date of each international student to the Immigration Services Agency twice a year (May and November).
If any student is expelled, drops out, or whose whereabouts are unknown, we will report this to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and the Immigration Services Agency.

For the above reasons, if any of the following (1) to (4) apply to you, please notify the International Center immediately.

• (1) When your residence procedures, such as changing your residence status or extending your period of stay, are approved
• (2) If you lose your residence card and receive a new one
• (3) If your application for a change of status of residence or extension of period of stay is denied
• (4) If you are considering taking a leave of absence

Report to the International Center

*If you fall under (1) or (2) above, please report using one of the following methods.

Reporting method 1: (For both campuses) Visit the International Center
Please come to the International Center with your ① new residence card, ② passport, and ③ student ID card.
Advance reservations may be required, so be sure to check for updates.

Reporting method 2: (Aoyama Campus students only) Online
Report by uploading data via the web form
Here Please enter the required information and upload your data.

Reporting method 3: (Only for students affiliated with Sagamihara Campus) Send by email
Please attach a photo of ① the front of your new residence card, ② the back of your new residence card, and ③ the permission sticker for engaging in activities other than those permitted under the status of residence permitted by your status of residence affixed to your passport and send it to agu_iec_sc@aoyamagakuin.jp by email.
* If you have not applied for permission to engage in activities other than those permitted under the status of residence permitted under the visa status specified above, please indicate so.

The "Student" residence status is granted for the purpose of studying at our university, and the university is obligated to accurately keep track of each international student's long-term absences and academic performance.
At our university, there are some classes that do not take attendance, so the International Center checks the attendance of international students. When you attend class, please touch your student ID card to the IC card reader installed in the International Center. The International Center wants to support your student life in a face-to-face manner, so if you have any concerns or worries, please feel free to consult us when checking your attendance.
If you are just coming to the International Center to confirm your attendance, no prior reservation is required.

<Points to note>
・Please make sure to always carry your student ID card with you.
・Assuming you are attending classes, please scan your student ID card into the card reader once by the 15th of each month.
・If attendance cannot be confirmed by the 15th of each month, the International Center will contact you.
・If you are a graduate student who only has face-to-face classes after the 5th period, or who has been receiving thesis guidance and classes online for a period of time without coming to campus, and is therefore unable to touch the card reader by the 15th of each month, we will consider your case individually. Please contact the International Center in advance by visiting or emailing us.
・Please come to the International Center during its opening hours.
If you are unable to attend classes for an extended period of time due to illness or other reasons, please be sure to contact the International Center with the reason.

Foreigners residing in Japan are prohibited from engaging in business activities that generate income or activities for which they receive remuneration that go beyond the scope of their status of residence as stipulated in the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act. If a person with a "Student" status wishes to work part-time, they must apply in advance for "Permission to Engage in Activities Outside the Status of Residence Permitted" at the Regional Immigration Bureau and obtain permission beforehand. In addition, there are legal restrictions on the places and times that you can work part-time.
If you do have a part-time job, please be careful not to let it interfere with your studies. If you work too hard at your part-time job and neglect your studies, your grades will go down, and you will not be able to receive your scholarship. This will lead to a vicious cycle of having to work more hours at part-time, which will mean you have even less time to study. If your academic performance drops, it will affect your visa application, so please keep part-time work only as a way to earn supplementary income.
Also, please note the following:

If you wish to apply

Prior permission must be obtained from the Immigration Services Agency.

Before starting a part-time job, you need to apply to your local immigration office and get "permission to engage in activities other than those permitted under the status of residence permitted under the visa status you have been granted." Working part-time without permission will result in penalties and deportation, so be sure to get permission beforehand if you are going to work part-time. Please note that while you are applying for a visa period extension or a visa status change, your previous permission to engage in activities other than those permitted under the visa status permitted under the visa status of residence ...

Protecting places where international students can work part-time.

Working part-time in adult entertainment businesses or places related to adult entertainment businesses (snack bars, bars, nightclubs, restaurants that entertain customers, pachinko parlors, mahjong parlors, etc.) is prohibited by law. Working part-time in such places, including cleaning, distributing tissues, washing dishes, etc., is a violation of the permission for activities outside the status of residence permitted, and you may be subject to penalties such as fines, imprisonment, and deportation, so you should never do so.
Even if you think you are working part-time at a restaurant, it may be considered adult entertainment or adult entertainment-related business. If you are unsure, please consult with the International Center before signing an employment contract.

Ensure that international students adhere to the hours during which they work part-time.

The maximum number of hours that international students can work part-time is 28 hours per week, and during long vacation periods (summer vacation, winter vacation, spring vacation) specified by the university regulations, the maximum number of hours is 8 hours per day, and 40 hours per week.
If you have multiple part-time jobs, the total working hours must be within 28 hours per week. Working longer hours than this is considered a violation of the permission for activities outside the scope of your status of residence and may result in fines, imprisonment, or deportation, so be sure to adhere to the time limit. There has been an increase in the number of applications for visa renewal or change of status of residence being denied due to past overwork. Companies that employ international students are also required to report the employment status of international students to the government, so the government can have a comprehensive understanding of your working situation. Try to limit your part-time work to less than 28 hours per week.

[Proof of long vacation period]
Your part-time job may require you to submit a certificate for your long vacation period, but the university does not issue such certificates. Please print out your academic calendar from the student portal and submit it.

Aoyama Gakuin University academic regulations (excerpt)
Article 18
The holidays are as follows:
(1) Sunday
(2) Holidays prescribed by the Law Concerning National Holidays (Law No. 178 of 1948)
(3) Aoyama Founding Anniversary, November 16th
(4) Summer vacation: A period between late July and late September as determined by President
(5) Winter Break: A period between late December and early January of the following year, as determined separately by President
(6) Spring break: A period between late January and late March as determined by President

Entering into an employment contract with an employer.

To reduce trouble, be sure to have a written contract outlining the employment conditions (working days, working hours, wages, etc.) that you confirmed during the interview. International students are subject to the same relevant laws as Japanese people, including the Basic Labor Law and the Minimum Wage Law.

Submit the notification to the International Center.

Once you have decided on a part-time job, please fill out the "Report on Activities Outside the Status of Residence Permitted by the Employer" at the following URL. If there are any changes in your part-time job, please also notify us of these changes each time (as you will need to submit this at the request of the Immigration Services Agency).

• Report of activities other than those permitted under the status of residence

University contract

If you are working as a TA (Teaching Assistant), RA (Research Assistant), or chat room leader based on a contract with the university, you do not need to obtain permission to engage in activities outside the scope of your status of residence as these are considered to be within the scope of activities permitted by your "Student" visa.

International students on leave

International students on leave of absence are not permitted to work part-time.

[IMPORTANT] General precautions for residence application

Note 1) In addition to the necessary documents, the Immigration Services Agency may request you to submit additional documents. If you are required to submit additional documents, please notify the International Center.
Note 2) Documents using correction fluid or correction tape will not be accepted. If you make a mistake, draw a line through it, stamp or sign over it, and write the correct information next to it.
Note 3) Documents filled out with erasable writing implements such as pencil or FRIXION pen are invalid.
Note 4) Documents not written in Japanese must be translated into Japanese. The student applying may translate the document on a separate sheet of paper. In the margin of the translation sheet, please clearly write: 1) the translation date, 2) the translator's name, 3) the translator's address, 4) the translator's phone number, and 5) the translator's signature.
Note 5) All attached documents must be in A4 size and certificates must have been issued within three months of the application date.

Special re-entry permission is a permission that, in principle, does not require a normal re-entry permit for foreigners residing in Japan with a valid residence card and passport who re-enter within one year of the date of departure. The validity period of special re-entry permission is one year from the date of departure, but if the expiration date of your stay arrives before one year has passed since the date of departure, it will be valid until the expiration date of your stay.
If you intend to depart Japan with a special re-entry permit, you must possess a valid passport and residence card, and at the time of departure, must state to the immigration officer that you wish to depart Japan with a special re-entry permit.

If you stay in Japan for a certain period of time without engaging in activities that are covered by your visa, your visa will be revoked. If an international student with a "Student" visa continues to stay in Japan despite not studying at our university, or despite having graduated, withdrawn, been expelled, or taken a leave of absence, they will be subject to the "cancellation of visa."
In addition, if the reason for the revocation of your residence status is serious, you will be forced to leave the country on the same day.
In that case, you will not be able to enter Japan for five years, and you will not be permitted to resume your studies in Japan, so please be sure to understand this and take sufficient precautions.