Japan
A country where centuries-old temples sit next to neon-lit skyscrapers and everything runs on time, every time. Daily life is shaped by a culture of precision, respect, and quiet attention to detail that shows up in everything from the food to the trains to the way people interact. English is limited outside major cities, but that's part of what makes living here feel like a real immersion rather than a tourist experience.
Universities
Average Monthly Costs (CHF)
Rent
CHF 345
Food
CHF 210
Transport
CHF 41
Fun
CHF 108
Averaged across profiled universities, converted at exchange rates as of 2026-08-14. Set your home currency under My Profile.
Climate
Fall semester (Sep-Nov)
19.6°C
Spring semester (Mar-May)
14.3°C
Average temperature in Tokyo (2024), source: Open-Meteo Historical Weather API.
Visa
Exchange students need a Student visa (status of residence 留学). Your host university, not the embassy, applies for your Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) at the regional immigration bureau, which takes one to three months, so start four to six months before the semester. The embassy then issues the visa in about a week, at JPY 15,000 single entry or JPY 30,000 multiple entry since the July 2026 fee revision, charged in local currency. Your residence card is issued on arrival at the major airports (New Chitose, Narita, Haneda, Chubu, Kansai, Kobe, Hiroshima, Fukuoka); smaller ones stamp your passport and send it later. Within 14 days of moving in you must register your address at the municipal or ward office; missing that deadline can cost up to JPY 200,000. Many universities handle this during orientation, so ask your coordinator. The same counter usually covers National Health Insurance, mandatory for stays over three months with no opt-out. Working requires a separate Permission to Engage in Activity Other Than That Permitted, a free residence-card stamp allowing up to 28 hours a week. Programs of 90 days or less run on short-term visitor status instead.
Japan pairs the world's largest metropolitan area, Tokyo with around 37 million people, with a country of 123 million and the world's fifth-largest economy. Everything is engineered for reliability: trains run to the minute, the Shinkansen puts Osaka two and a half hours from Tokyo, streets stay safe at any hour, and a konbini, Japan's 24-hour convenience stores with hot food and ATMs, waits on every corner. One transit card covers trains, buses, and most daily purchases, though smaller restaurants still appreciate cash. The food scene has no equal: Tokyo has held the most Michelin-starred restaurants of any city in the world for 19 consecutive years, while a full ramen or set meal costs under ten dollars. Centuries-old shrines sit between neon districts, spring means cherry blossoms and autumn burns red, and the nightlife stretches from Shibuya's clubs to Shinjuku's tiny bars. The trade-offs: English stays limited outside big cities and campuses, residence paperwork takes patience, rush-hour trains are packed, and summers are brutally hot and humid. Japan is the benchmark every other exchange destination gets measured against.