In May 2025, Japan promised 100,000 jobs to Bangladeshis over five years. Here's what that actually means, and the doors already open today.
Three doors into Japan.
Every guide we've written comes back to this. Pick the door that matches your situation — each one leads somewhere different.
Work & study
agreements
TITP, SSW, and the language-school route — signed dates, requirements, and which one fits your situation.
Verify your
agent first
BMET, BOESL, ScamCheck — the real channels, and why Japan's route is structurally safer than others.
The language
school path
How most of the current community actually got here — and how to do it right.
Study in Japan — 交換留学・大学院留学・語学学校
Work visas get most of the attention. But the student route — language school, university exchange, or degree — is how a significant part of Bangladesh's Japan community got here, and how it keeps growing. Three different paths, one outcome.
Exchange
- Your home university sends you via an MOU with a Japanese partner
- Duration: 6–24 months
- Tuition: Usually no extra tuition — you keep paying home-country fees
- Language: JLPT N2–N3 usually required; some programs taught in English
- Start: Ask your international office → verify at jpss.jp
Degree-seeking
- Apply directly to a Japanese university — no home-university MOU needed
- Japanese-taught programs: JLPT N2 + EJU exam
- English-taught programs: IELTS / TOEFL — no JLPT required
- April intake has 80%+ of all seats; October is smaller but growing
- MEXT Scholarship available for this track
Language school first
- The most common real-world path for the Bangladesh community in Japan
- 6–24 months of intensive Japanese → university or work visa
- No JLPT required to enroll — schools test and place you on entry
- Part-time work: 28 hours/week allowed on student visa
- Tuition: ¥600,000–900,000/year; living costs separate
April vs October intake
| Intake | Apply by | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| April (春) | October–January | Dominant — 80%+ of seats. Apply this cycle first. |
| October (秋) | March–May | Fewer seats. Good backup or for graduate programs. |
Deadlines vary by university. Always check the specific institution's website.
Annual cost breakdown
JPY + BDT equivalent. Rates: 1 JPY ≈ BDT 0.753 (July 2026). Admission fee ¥282,000 (one-time, national universities) not included.
| Item | JPY / yr | BDT / yr |
|---|---|---|
| National university tuition | ¥535,800 | ≈ BDT 4,03,000 |
| Private university (average) | ¥1,150,000 | ≈ BDT 8,66,000 |
| Language school tuition | ¥700,000 | ≈ BDT 5,27,000 |
| Living — Tokyo | ¥1,260,000 | ≈ BDT 9,49,000 |
| Living — Regional Japan | ¥1,020,000 | ≈ BDT 7,68,000 |
MEXT Scholarship (文部科学省奨学金)
- Open to Bangladeshi citizens — competitive, not automatic
- Teacher Training: 5+ years teaching experience + born after 2 Apr 1991, currently employed in primary/secondary school
- Japanese Studies: currently enrolled in Japanese language/culture undergraduate (born 2 Apr 1996–1 Apr 2008)
- Application window: April–June each year
- Covers tuition, living allowance, and travel
EJU — 日本留学試験
- University entrance exam — different from JLPT
- Tests: Japanese language + 1–2 subject areas (Math, Science, or Social Studies)
- Available in Japanese or English for most subjects
- Accepted by 900+ universities in Japan
- Held twice yearly: June and November
- Check which subjects your target university requires
How to find your university's Japan partner
No agent needed. This four-step method works for any university in Bangladesh — evergreen, no annual maintenance.
Search jpss.jp
Filter by field and prefecture. Each listing shows international student programs. jpss.jp ↗
Ask your international office
Bring the Japanese university name. Ask: "Do we have an active MOU?" Active MOUs are updated yearly.
No MOU? Apply directly.
Degree-seeking admission does not require an MOU. Apply as an international student — most programs accept this route.
Contact the Embassy
Japanese Embassy Dhaka has an education attaché. Contact them for MEXT guidance and scholarship verification. bd.emb-japan.go.jp ↗
Known Bangladesh–Japan university partnerships
East West University (EWU) ↔ Okayama Shoka University
Undergraduate exchange program. EWU students can study at Okayama Shoka University during their 3rd or 4th year. Signed by EWU Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Okayama Shoka University President. Contact EWU's international office for current application cycle.
BUET ↔ Saitama University
20-year partnership (original 2011, renewed 2016 and June 2021). Academic collaboration and student/faculty exchange. Engineering and technology fields. BUET students interested in Saitama should contact the BUET international office directly — the MOU is one of the most established Bangladesh–Japan agreements.
BRAC University ↔ Japan Economic Foundation
Research collaboration MOU on sustainable development and SME growth in post-COVID Bangladesh. Primarily a research and faculty collaboration — check with BRAC's international office for any student mobility programs linked to this partnership.
University of Dhaka — Department of Japanese Studies
DU's Japanese Studies department (established 2017) offers BA, MA, and MPhil programs in Japanese language and culture. The department has an active exchange framework — students enrolled in Japanese Studies at DU should ask the department directly about available exchange slots with Japanese partner institutions.
AUW (Chittagong) — University of Tokyo Joint Spring Program
Asian University for Women (AUW) in Chittagong hosts a joint spring break program with University of Tokyo students. Focus: immigration and refugee studies. Application period: November–December. Primarily a short-term joint study program — contact AUW's Office of Academic Affairs for current schedule.
All partnerships verified from official university and government sources, July 2026. MOU status changes annually. Note: University of Dhaka ↔ Yokohama National University discussions were in progress as of April 2026 — formal MOU not yet confirmed at time of writing.
Fake study agents are common — especially for Japan
Promises like "guaranteed visa in 7 days," "scholarship for all students," or "no JLPT required for university" are red flags. Fake admission letters, forged financial documents, and agents charging "visa deposit" fees are documented patterns in Bangladesh. Using false documents in Japan carries a fine of up to ¥3,000,000 and a 5+ year re-entry ban — even if someone else prepared them.
Scam & fraud protection guide →Study in Japan — FAQ
交換留学 バングラデシュ 日本 · 大学院留学 バングラデシュ人 · 語学学校 日本 · EJU 受験 外国人 · MEXT奨学金 バングラデシュ · 日本留学 手続き · 学生ビザ バングラデシュ人
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