Career Colleges and Vocational Schools in Japan

In Japan, practical career training after secondary school mostly takes place at specialized training colleges. Those that offer post-secondary courses are known as professional training colleges (senmon gakko) and are classified as higher-education institutions. They teach the knowledge and skills needed for a specific job, from nursing and cooking to design, animation and game creation. According to the Ministry of Education's School Basic Survey 2025, Japan has 2,658 specialized training colleges, of which 2,476 are private.

A second, more technical route is the college of technology (kosen), which trains engineers. For international students the main point to know is that almost all of this training is in Japanese.

How vocational education works in Japan

Professional training colleges award two official qualifications:

• Diploma: courses of two years or more, with at least 62 credits or 1,700 class hours
• Advanced diploma: courses of four years or more, with at least 124 credits or 3,400 class hours

A diploma allows you to transfer to a university, and an advanced diploma makes you eligible for graduate school. Courses fall into eight fields: industry, agriculture, medical care, hygiene, education and social welfare, commercial practice, dressmaking and home economics, and culture and liberal arts. Typical careers include interior designer, system engineer, car mechanic, nurse, nutritionist, chef, beautician, interpreter, hotel staff, fashion designer, animator and game creator.

Only schools authorised by the prefectural governor can award diplomas and advanced diplomas, so Study in Japan advises checking a school's accreditation and confirming that your course leads to one of these qualifications. Like universities, most colleges start the academic year in April.

Colleges of technology offer a five-year programme (five and a half years for mercantile marine studies) for students who have finished lower secondary school. International students usually join in the third year. There are 51 national colleges of technology with 55 campuses, plus a few local public and private ones. Most departments are in engineering, and graduates earn an associate degree; they can continue to a two-year advanced course or transfer to a university.

Admission for international students

Because classes are taught in Japanese, professional training colleges ask international applicants to prove their Japanese. Accepted evidence includes more than six months of study at a Japanese language school recognised by the Ministry of Justice, level N1 or N2 of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), or at least 200 points in the Japanese section of the EJU. Study in Japan notes that there are no degree programmes taught only in English at specialized training colleges or colleges of technology.

You also need 12 years of school education, or 11 years plus a designated preparatory course. Selection may include document screening, an academic test, an interview, a short essay, an aptitude or practical test and a Japanese test. For national colleges of technology, the National Institute of Technology looks at application documents, EJU results, a TOEFL, IELTS or TOEIC score and an online interview.

Students at specialized training colleges and colleges of technology receive the same "Student" status of residence as university students; the school usually applies for the Certificate of Eligibility on your behalf. With permission from the immigration authorities you may work part-time for up to 28 hours a week.

Costs and funding

According to Study in Japan, admission and tuition fees for the first year average about 1,300,000 yen at specialized training colleges and about 320,000 yen at national colleges of technology. Teaching materials and practical training can cost extra. Privately financed students with high EJU scores who enrol in a post-secondary course at a specialized training college can be selected for a MEXT honours scholarship of 48,000 yen a month, and the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship includes categories for specialized training college and college of technology students.

How to choose

• Accreditation: the school should be authorised by the prefectural governor and award a diploma or advanced diploma
• Japanese level: check whether you need N2 on entry, or whether the school offers a Japanese course first
• Curriculum and teachers: the skills you want and the number of teachers per student
• Facilities and equipment for practical training
• Career support and graduates' employment record
• Total cost of the whole course, not only the first year

Example: Yokohama Design College

Yokohama Design College began in 1948 as a dressmaking school in Nishi-ku, Yokohama, and took its current name in 2001, when it started teaching design more broadly. Its post-secondary General Design department is a two-year daytime course with three fields: visual design (advertising, posters and the web), fashion, and manga and illustration. In 2014 its specialised courses were approved by MEXT as professional practice courses. For international students it offers specialised courses for those with Japanese at about N2 level, combining design, business skills such as bookkeeping and trade, and Japanese, and a Japanese language department for levels N5 to N1, with intakes in April and October. The college is certified under a MEXT programme that supports the careers of international students, and has a student dormitory.

Frequently asked questions

Can I study at a Japanese vocational school in English?

Generally not. Classes at professional training colleges are taught in Japanese, and applicants usually need JLPT N1 or N2 or equivalent study at a Japanese language school.

How long does a vocational course in Japan take?

A diploma course takes at least two years and an advanced diploma course at least four years.

Can I go to university after a vocational school?

Yes. A diploma from an accredited professional training college allows you to transfer to a university, and an advanced diploma makes you eligible for graduate school.

How much does a vocational school in Japan cost?

According to Study in Japan, first-year admission and tuition fees at specialized training colleges average about 1,300,000 yen, plus materials and practical training.