Student Life

• Housing
• Living
• Notification of Residence
• National Health Insurance
• National Pension Plan
• Part-time Jobs

Housing

Matsumoto International House

Basic information

Room Types

Nagano International House

Basic information

Room Types

Apartments

Apartments in Japan are usually unfurnished. If you want to live in a private apartment, you should check the room in advance.
When you start to rent an apartment, it is customary to pay the agency's costs (CHUKAI-TESURYO), the key money (KENRI-KIN or REI-KIN), and a deposit (SHIKI-KIN) in addition to the monthly rent (usually the key money and deposit etc. amount to 3 or 4 months' rent).
In Japan, generally you are required to have a guarantor to sign your apartment lease. If you cannot find a guarantor, please consult with GTN, of which Shinshu University is a member.
GTN（Global Trust Networks）

When you move out of the apartment, the deposit will be returned after payment of any outstanding rent and the costs of any repairs needed. However, other initial costs will not usually be returned. You must check the conditions attached to the lease carefully before signing the contract.
Only the person(s) registered on the lease contract is/are allowed to live in the room. You cannot have friends live with you without the landlord's permission, and cannot sublet to another person.
If you move out during the contract period, be sure to give at least 1 month's notice to the apartment owner.

Living

If you would like to know more about life in Japan, please see the following site.
A Daily Life Support Portal for Foreign Nationals: Living and Work Guidebook for Foreigners

NHK WORLD-JAPAN

Notification of Residence

Those who have come to Japan for the first time

You have to notify the municipal office where you live within 14 days of finding a place to settle down.

※This includes those in possession of a passport stating "A residence card will be issued later".
※New mid- to long-term residents who have changed their resident status to "Student" must report where they live.

■Items to Bring
Passport / Residence Card

Those who move within Japan or leave Japan

・Foreign residents who change their places of residence are asked to visit the municipal office where they have lived and make a moving-out notification. So do those who leave Japan.
・Those who move into another place in Japan must notify their new address to the municipal office of the new residence within 14 days of moving in.

■Items to Bring
Passport / Residence Card / National Health Insurance Card / Individual Number Card or Notification Card of "My Number"

※You can take the procedure of National Health Insurance along with the Notification of place of residence.

Major Local Government Offices in Nagano Prefecture

Matsumoto City Hall	0263-34-3000	Ina City Hall	0265-78-4111
Nagano City Hall	026-226-4911	Minamiminowa Village Office	0265-72-2104
Ueda City Hall	0268-22-4100

National Health Insurance

All foreign mid-to long-term residents in Japan (ex. those who have the resident status of "student" over 3 months) must join the National Health Insurance program. Once registered, you will receive a health insurance card.

If you receive treatment at any healthcare provider that accepts National Health Insurance, you will have to pay only 30% of the total cost; the remaining 70% will be covered by the insurance provided that you present the insurance card at the reception desk before the treatment (excluding medical checkups, vaccination, cosmetic surgery, orthodontics, normal pregnancy/childbirth, abortion for financial reasons, etc.)

■Items to Bring
Passport / Residence Card

How to Pay the Premium

You can pay the Premium at a bank, a post office and a convenience store using payment slip that was mailed to you.　A delinquency charge will be added if you fail to make a payment by the due date.

Application for a Reduction of National Health Insurance Premium

Because the annual premium is calculated on the basis of the previous year's income in Japan, you may be eligible to apply for a reduction in your premium if your income in the previous fiscal year was low.

You need to apply for the reduction every fiscal year. In February or March, please go to the municipal office and take procedure for next fiscal year.

■Items to Bring
Residence Card/ National Health Insurance Card/A document that shows your income in the previous year

・If you change your address, please go to the local government office with your insurance card and take necessary procedure.

National Pension Plan

All foreign mid- to long-term residents in Japan (ex. those who have the resident status of "Student" over 3 months) aged 20 or over are required to join the National Pension Plan. It provides income security in old age or in case you become disabled. The monthly premium is 16,520 yen (as of 2023), but you may apply for a fee waiver through the following procedures. For further information, please contact your local government office.

Regular Students

Apply for a "Special Pension Payment Exemption for Students" (GAKUSEINOFU TOKUREI SEIDO). After making this application you will be exempt from paying pension insurance premiums. Application procedures for pension payment exemption need to be completed every year (around April).

Non-degree Students (auditors, research students, etc.)

Apply for a "General Exemption" (MENJO). A General Exemption Application needs to be submitted if a person and his spouse earned no income at all in Japan during the previous financial year.
The application form states in advance that the same application will be continued for the following year and beyond. Note that if you mark a " do not request（希望しません）" in the "request for continuation" column, the application will not be continued for the following fiscal year and thereafter.
You will probably receive the bill for your pension premium before receiving the result of your application for exemption from payment. Do not pay the premium until you receive the application for exemption result.

Part-time Job

Please refer to the "Permission to Engage in Activity other than that Permitted under the Status of Residence Previously Granted" in the page of Status of Residence.