Information for international students enrolling into Ritsumeikan University's colleges and graduate schools from September 2026 will be uploaded on this page beginning from early September.
Contents
1. Orientation session for new international students, hosted by the International Center
2．From pre-arrival to post-entry into Japan
2-1 Newly entering Japan (Steps from visa acquisition to entry)
2-2 Procedures for students entering from within Japan
2-3 Complete these procedures at your city hall/ward office
2-4 Submit a copy of your residence card to the University
2-5 Register your address and phone number with the Univeristy
3．Important information for life as an international student at Ritsumeikan University
3-1 Materials covered during orientation
3-2 Things every international student must remember to do while enrolled
3-3 Useful information for student life
(Last Updated 2026/9/1 10:00)
1. Orientation session for new international students, hosted by the International Center
The orientation for new international students was held on the date below in a hybrid format, allowing participants to attend either in person or via Zoom.
The orientation covered important information for international students, including status of residence, application procedures for scholarships and tuition reduction, and what to do when facing difficulties in student life. The materials used on the day are also available below.
*Students enrolling into a degree program conducted in Japanese should see the Japanese language orientation page.
Date, Format and Pre-registration
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2. From pre-arrival to post-entry into Japan
2-1 Newly entering Japan (Steps from visa acquisition to entry)
Please check this page for necessary procedures if you are going to enter Japan on a new "STUDENT" visa.
2-2 Procedures for students entering from within Japan
If you already hold a Residence Card in Japan, you are required to notify the Immigration Bureau of any change to your host institution (e.g., employer or school), even if your Residence Card remains valid. This notification must be submitted within 14 days of enrollment. Failure to do so may result in penalties. The notification can also be submitted online. For details, please refer to the following website: Reporting change of your host organization – International Center
2-3 Complete these procedures at your city hall/ward office
- All three procedures below can be done at your city hall/ward office
- For (3), you'll first need your student ID card. If you won't be able to obtain your student ID card from within 14 days of moving-in, or if you want to open a bank account as soon as you receive your student ID card, complete (1) and (2) first. (Regular students will receive their student ID cards on the orientation day of their respective college or graduate school.)
- After completion of these procedures you will receive a variety of important notices in the mail. Make sure to read them!
| (1)Register your address |
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| (2)Enroll in National Health Insurance |
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| (3)Enroll in the National Pension System |
Read more about National Pension here. |
✅Reference
For more on what to bring in order to complete procedures and things to keep in mind afterwards, also refer to the homepage of your local city hall/ward office, international exchange center, etc.
| Kyoto |
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| Kusatsu and Otsu | |
| Ibaraki |
2-4 Submit photos of your residence card to the University
All international students must submit photos of their residence card, which includes their up-to-date address, to the university. Submit photos of your residence card via this form📄
To access the form you must log in using your RAINBOW ID, which will be distributed to all regular students via Ritsu-Mate at 4pm on September 15th. *RAINBOW IDs for SKP and other non-regular students will be distributed separately by the responsible offices in charge.
About RAINBOW user ID and password.
2-5 Register your current address and phone number with the University
All students must register or update their current address and phone number through CAMPUS WEB.
Please also change your billing address to your address in Japan.
https://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/rsp/
3. Important information for life as an international student at Ritsumeikan University
3-1 Materials covered during orientation
- Materials covered during orientation on Wednesday, September 16th will be released here afterwards.
- If you were unable to attend orientation or would like to review the information afterwards, please review them as needed.
3-2 Things every international student must remember to do while enrolled
- The Immigration Bureau has granted you the residence status "Student"(留学) specifically for conducting study and research at Ritsumeikan University.
- If you are not studying or conducting research at the university or if we are unable to get in contact you, you will be considered as residing in Japan illegally or as a missing person, and will be liable to lose your "Student" residence status.
- Even if you are studying or conducting research, if you forget to apply for an extension of your period of stay you may be deemed as residing in Japan illegally.
- To avoid this situation, please remember to do the following.
| No. | What needs to be done | When to do it | How to do it |
| 1 | Submit residence card photos |
|
Web Form |
| 2 | Confirm attendance |
|
See this page |
| 3 | Extend your Period of Stay |
|
See this page |
| 4 | Register/update your personal information |
|
See this page |
| 5 | Submit Notification for Temporarily Leaving Japan |
|
See this page |
3-3 Useful information for student life
The following section contains information you should know as a student of Ritsumeikan University. Particularly important points will be covered during orientation.
| No. | Topic | Materials |
| 1 | International Center (FAQ Page) | This page provides important information for international students regarding student life. It also includes The Quick Guide. Please check this page first to find the information you need. |
| 2 | Online Support Desk | The Online Support Desk is an online service where you can submit questions or inquiries to the International Center and apply for or submit required documents at any time. Please refer to this PDF for details on how to use the system and what services are available. |
| 3 | Tuition reduction and scholarships | Read this to learn how to apply for tuition reduction and/or scholarship after enrollment |
| 4 | Opening a bank account |
How to open a Japan Post (Yucho) Bank account For more details, please refer to this question. |
| 5 |
Study Support Site |
The Study Support Site provides info on course registration, classes, grades, enrollment status and the like. |
6 |
Tuition fee | The Tuition Fee Payment page provides information on how to pay tuition fees, as well as answers to frequently asked questions. |
| 7 | Commuting to campus by bicycle |
You must take "Commuting Guidance" (video on demand) and register before you can commute to campus by bicycle. 1) "Commuting Guidance" and Information on Commuting on a motorbike or bicycle is here. 2) Please read about the bicycle rules in your area below. 3) Location of bicycle registration |
| 8 | IT support: Wi-Fi, uni email, media labs, etc. |
1) BEGINNER'S GUIDE for students *Language setting required at the top right ▼英語＝English |
| 9 | Using the library and database | 1) LIBRARY GUIDE |
| 10 | Office of Student Affairs | 1) Scam warning (PDF) (Coming soon) 2) Extracurrricular Activites (PDF) (Coming soon) |
| 11 | Medical Service Center | 1) Orinetation Information Sheet (PDF) (Coming soon) 2) Medical Service Center Homepage (yearly health exams, etc.) |
| 12 | Invitation for Ritsumeikan CO-OP and their Campus Tours | 1) Orientation Information Sheet (PDF) (Coming soon) 2) Membership Application Information(PDF) (Coming soon) 3) CO-OP Student Comprehensive Mutual Insurance(PDF) (Coming soon) |
| 13 |
Job hunting in Japan and University support (Career Center) |
Orientation Information Sheet (PDF) (Coming soon) |
【Following files are some of the materials listed above】