What Happens to Your Status of Residence If You Change Schools, Withdraw or Take Leave? The 14-Day Notification, and When Status Can Be Revoked After Three Months of Inactivity

International students stay in Japan in order to study. So if you change schools, quit, take time off or graduate, it can affect your status of residence. This guide explains the notifications you need to make and the points to watch when you change schools, withdraw, take leave or graduate, using official information.

We checked the official pages listed at the bottom on 7 November 2026. Individual decisions are made by the Immigration Services Agency, and how rules are applied can change. Before you decide to change, leave or take time off from your school, always consult your school and the Immigration Services Agency. This guide does not explain the admission conditions of the school you move to, or the individual effect on your period of stay.

First, what to know

• The "Student" status of residence is for studying at a school. If you are not attending school and not studying for a long time, your status of residence can be revoked.
• When you change schools or leave your school (by withdrawing, graduating, etc.), a notification is required within 14 days.
• If you do not go to school and only work part-time every day, your status of residence can be revoked unless there is a justifiable reason (Study in Japan).

When you change schools: notification within 14 days

According to the Immigration Services Agency's Q&A, when a person with the "Student" status changes schools, they must notify a Regional Immigration Services Bureau or similar office within 14 days of the following.

• That they left the school they were enrolled in before the change (notification of leaving)
• That they are enrolled in the school they moved to

You can notify at a counter, by mail, through the online notification system and so on. Before you change schools, check the procedure and timing with the new school and your current school. For points this guide does not confirm, such as the conditions for changing schools and the effect on your period of stay, ask the Immigration Services Agency.

Notifying a change of school is separate from reporting your address or changing your residence card. For details, see the guide to procedures after you arrive.

When you leave your school by withdrawing, graduating, etc.

When you leave your school (by withdrawing, graduating, etc.), you also notify the Immigration Services Agency within 14 days (notification about your organization). If your organization does not change, such as moving on to a graduate school at the same university, no notification is needed.

If you graduate and do not go on to another school and are not enrolled at any school, you no longer fall under the "Student" activity, and staying in Japan by extending your period of stay is not allowed (Immigration Services Agency). If you want to work in Japan or continue job hunting, that is an activity other than studying, and you may need to change your status of residence. For details, see the guide to working after graduation.

When you take leave

If you only take leave and the school you belong to does not change, a notification about your organization is not needed (Immigration Services Agency). However, if your leave is long, you may need to change your status of residence or take similar steps. Before you take leave, consult your school and the Regional Immigration Services Bureau.

Part-time work after graduation

The comprehensive permission to engage in other activities for students is valid only while you are enrolled at a school (Immigration Services Agency). If you have graduated and are not enrolled at any school, part-time work is not allowed. The part-time work rules are explained in the part-time work guide.

When status can be revoked after three months without attending

According to the Immigration Services Agency's Q&A, if you have not carried out the activity your status is for continuously for three months or more without a justifiable reason, your status of residence can be revoked. The activity of the "Student" status is studying at a school.

Examples that may count as a "justifiable reason"

Even if you have not done the activity for three months or more, you are not subject to revocation if there is a "justifiable reason." The Immigration Services Agency's Q&A gives examples such as these.

• The school you attended has closed, and you are completing the procedures needed to enroll in another school
• You need a long hospital stay for treatment of an illness and have unavoidably taken leave from school, and you intend to return to school after you are discharged
• An international student who graduated from a specialized training college has been accepted into a university
• After leaving a job, you are making specific job-hunting efforts, such as visiting companies (this is an example for people with a work-related status who have left their job)

Simply job hunting after leaving school does not always count as a justifiable reason. If you take leave because of illness, ask your school about records that show your treatment and your plan to return, and keep them. Whether it counts as a "justifiable reason" is judged individually by the Immigration Services Agency.

After revocation

If your status of residence is revoked, you cannot change your status of residence or extend your period of stay afterwards. You must leave Japan once and go through the entry procedures again, such as applying for a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) (Immigration Services Agency).

When status is revoked for reasons such as not carrying out your activity for a certain period or not reporting your address, a period to prepare to leave (a departure grace period) not exceeding 30 days may be set. If you leave on your own within that period, it is treated the same as a normal departure within your period of stay. However, especially serious cases may be handled differently.

Extending your period of stay, and attendance

You can apply for an extension from three months before your period of stay ends. If you often miss school, your attendance drops and your studies are neglected, your extension may not be approved (Study in Japan, Immigration Services Agency). Whether you can extend is decided individually by the Immigration Services Agency.

What to do when you are in difficulty

1. 1Do not decide alone. Before you quit, take leave or change schools, talk to your school's staff.
2. 2Do not forget the 14-day notification. After changing schools or withdrawing, start preparing the notification right away.
3. 3When you take leave, keep documents. Ask your school about documents that show the reason (illness, etc.) and your plan to return.
4. 4Do not live on part-time work alone. If you do not go to school and only work part-time, your status of residence can be revoked.
5. 5Use the consultation services. The Foreign Resident General Information Center (0570-013904) gives guidance in Nepali. However, it cannot answer about the outlook for an individual permit or the result of an examination. See also the guide to where to get help.

Frequently asked questions

What notification do I need if I change schools?

Within 14 days of changing schools, you need to notify a Regional Immigration Services Bureau or similar office of two things: that you left your previous school, and that you are enrolled in the new school.

Will my status of residence be revoked if I take leave?

If you have not carried out your activity (studying) continuously for three months or more without a justifiable reason, you can be subject to revocation. Cases such as taking leave for an illness that needs a long hospital stay, with an intention to return to school, may count as a "justifiable reason." However, it is judged individually, so check with your school and the Immigration Services Agency.

If I withdraw, do I have to go home right away?

You need to make the notification within 14 days of withdrawing. What happens after that depends on your status of residence and period of stay. Consult the Immigration Services Agency early.

Can I keep working part-time after I graduate?

A student's comprehensive permission to engage in other activities is valid only while you are enrolled at a school. If you have graduated and are not enrolled at any school, part-time work is not allowed.

If my status is revoked, can I enter a Japanese school again?

After revocation, you cannot change or extend your status of residence. You must leave Japan once and go through the entry procedures again, such as applying for a COE.

What to do next

When you choose a school, it also helps to ask about its rules on changing schools, taking leave and attendance. See How to Choose a Japanese Language School and the school list. You can contact us, but we do not guarantee admission or a visa. Decisions about individual statuses of residence are made by the Immigration Services Agency. This site is free to use.