SSW was signed in 2019 but sat non-functional for five years. Here's what actually works today — plus five tools we built specifically for this pipeline.
5 real tools below ↓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
SSW, TITP, and the real story of why the 2019 deal took 5 years to actually work.
Verify your
agent first
DoFE licensing, fee caps, and a real tool that checks agencies for you.
Bringing your
family
SSW-2 family sponsorship — which sectors qualify, and exactly how it works.
Study in Japan — 交換留学・大学院留学・語学学校
Work visas get most of the attention. But for Nepal, the student route — language school, university exchange, or degree — is how a growing part of this community got here. 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 Nepal community
- 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 + NPR equivalent. Rates: 1 JPY ≈ NPR 0.943 (July 2026). Admission fee ¥282,000 (one-time, national universities) not included.
| Item | JPY / yr | NPR / yr |
|---|---|---|
| National university tuition | ¥535,800 | ≈ NPR 5,05,000 |
| Private university (average) | ¥1,150,000 | ≈ NPR 10,84,000 |
| Language school tuition | ¥700,000 | ≈ NPR 6,60,000 |
| Living — Tokyo | ¥1,260,000 | ≈ NPR 11,88,000 |
| Living — Regional Japan | ¥1,020,000 | ≈ NPR 9,62,000 |
MEXT Scholarship (文部科学省奨学金)
- Open to Nepali citizens — competitive, not automatic
- Research Student (Master's / Doctoral): apply via Japanese Embassy Kathmandu
- Teacher Training: needs 5+ years teaching experience + born after 2 Apr 1991
- 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 Nepal — 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 Kathmandu has an education attaché. Contact them for MEXT guidance and scholarship verification. np.emb-japan.go.jp ↗
Known Nepal–Japan university partnerships
💡 Yamada Hack
Japanese universities rarely publish exact exchange quotas for Nepali partner schools — that's normal, not a red flag. Don't wait for a public number. Email the international office at Tribhuvan, Kathmandu, or Pokhara University directly and ask 'how many students went to Japan last year under this MOU?' That question gets you a real answer faster than any website search. If your university has no active partnership, JPSS (japanstudy.jp) is your most reliable direct-application route — don't gamble on a partnership appearing.
Tribhuvan University — Campus of International Languages ↔ Japan (Government Grant)
Japan funded smart classroom upgrades for Japanese language education at TU's Campus of International Languages. Signed March 2026. This is a language education collaboration, not a student exchange program — but TU students benefit from improved Japanese instruction before applying to Japan.
Hokkaido University — HUSTEP Program
Hokkaido University's Short-Term Exchange Program (HUSTEP) accepts students from Nepal through partner institutions for 1–2 semester stays. Check if your home university has an active HUSTEP arrangement via Hokkaido's international office.
Kathmandu University ↔ TEPIA (公益財団法人)
Technology education collaboration between KU and TEPIA (公益財団法人テクノロジー振興協会 — METI-affiliated public interest incorporated foundation, not a corporation). Students in engineering and technology fields at KU should ask their international office about any active exchange or visit programs linked to this partnership.
MOU status verified from official sources July 2026. MOUs expire and renew — always confirm current status directly with your institution before making plans.
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 for "visa deposits" are documented patterns. 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.
Use the Agency Scam Checker →Study in Japan — FAQ
交換留学 ネパール 日本 · 大学院留学 ネパール人 · 語学学校 日本 ネパール · EJU 受験 外国人 · MEXT奨学金 ネパール · 日本留学 手続き · 学生ビザ ネパール人
Not just guides. Real tools, built for this specific pipeline.
Shram Swikriti Tracker
6-step guide through the FEIMS labor permit process.
Agency Scam Checker
DoFE license verification, red flags, and legal vs illegal fee breakdown.
SSW Cost Calculator
Total cost across 5 sectors, SSW-1 and SSW-2.
Remittance Comparison
Khalti, eSewa, bank transfer, and cash — compared.
JPY-NPR Salary Calculator
See your real salary in Nepali rupee terms.