Thinking about studying Japanese in Tokyo is exciting, but the practical questions come quickly: what programs does Waseda Language School（早稻田语言学校）actually offer, what does it take to get in, and what will it cost? This guide answers those questions using only the school’s official website (tokyowaseda.com), accessed 5 August 2026. Where the official site does not publish a figure, this guide says so plainly instead of inventing a number.
About Waseda Language School and where it is
Waseda Language Schoolis a Japanese language institution in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Its official site is published under the name Tokyo Waseda Foreign Language School, the school describes itself as founded on Christian values and committed to supporting students’ new life and studies in Japan. According to the school’s history page, it began in 1988 as Kawaguchi Japanese Language School, received recognition from the Association for the Promotion of Japanese Language Education in 1989, and adopted its current name in 1997.
The main campus is at Kabukicho 2-31-11, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo (the Second Monami Building, floors 3 and 5–9). The access page lists walking times from three stations: about 3 minutes from Seibu-Shinjuku Station (Seibu Shinjuku Line), about 5 minutes from Higashi-Shinjuku Station (Toei Oedo Line and Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line), and about 8 minutes from Shin-Okubo Station (JR Yamanote Line). The school notes that Shinjuku is central, well connected, and surrounded by restaurants and shops.
On scale, the Japanese homepage states a capacity of 1,800 students, 1,000+ students currently enrolled, 59 full-time instructors, and support staff covering 6+ languages. The FAQ page adds that as of January 2025, more than 1,700 students from 10 countries were enrolled — about 50% from China, 15% from Vietnam, 10% each from Nepal, Myanmar and Sri Lanka, 1% from Korea, and 4% from other countries. Most students are in their twenties, with some teenagers and students in their thirties. Note that the English homepage uses different marketing figures (e.g. “1800 students from over 50 countries”), which differ from the Japanese pages; the figures above follow the Japanese pages.
Programs and the level system
Waseda Language Schooloffers long-term courses matched to four intakes per year, with total study time depending on when you start: a 2-year course starting in April, a 1-year-9-month course starting in July, a 1-year-6-month course starting in October, and a 1-year-3-month course starting in January. The FAQ also mentions a short-term program of about 3 months.
Levels are mapped against both the CEFR framework and the JLPT, so you can judge where you would start: elementary 1 is A1 / JLPT N5, elementary 2 is A2 / N4, intermediate is B1 / N3–N2, upper-intermediate is B2 / N2–N1, and advanced is C1 / N1. The curriculum covers grammar, reading, listening, writing and conversation, and the school runs dedicated preparation classes for the EJU (Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students) and the JLPT. The course page also mentions “Japanese for further study” — building the skills to write a statement of purpose or research plan, express yourself in interviews, and follow university lectures.
The school’s features page highlights small-group attention: homeroom teachers help with university selection, application document checks, statement writing and interview practice; classrooms use electronic whiteboards and learning apps; and multilingual staff support daily life and residence procedures after arrival.
Entry requirements and the application path
Waseda Language Schoolrecruits new students four times a year — January, April, July and October — and the official entrance guidelines describe an eight-step path from application to enrolment: submit the application form and pay the entrance screening fee; the school sends the application documents to the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau; a Certificate of Eligibility is issued; after paying tuition you receive the certificate from the school; you apply for a visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate in your home country; obtain the visa; enter Japan; and start classes.
The documents listed on the official site include the application form, a curriculum vitae, a statement of reasons for study (on the form designated by the immigration bureau), a graduation certificate from your most recent school, a copy of your passport, six photos of 3 cm × 4 cm taken within the last three months, residence registration and family-relationship certificates, income documents on the school’s designated form, and a certificate of employment for the person covering your expenses. The bank balance requirement is stated explicitly: the applicant, parents or sponsor must hold at least 3,000,000 yen in the account. Documents must be issued within the three months before submission, and the school notes that required documents can vary by country.
Two practical points from the official site: applications close as soon as capacity is reached and deadlines can change, and applicants holding short-stay, dependent or working-holiday visas can also apply for short-term study, with class placement decided after a simple test. The school also states that immigration screening can take time and additional documents may be requested, so it advises submitting visa application documents early.
Tuition and what the official site does not publish
On costs, the official website of Waseda Language Schoolnames the fee categories — entrance screening fee, admission fee and tuition — but does not publish a unified price list on the pages accessed for this guide. Rather than guess, this guide states the boundary honestly: for the current term’s exact amounts, check the latest version of the official site. What the site does publish are two scholarship figures: the Japanese government (MEXT) scholarship of 360,000 yen per year and the school’s own scholarship of 120,000 yen per year, plus one-off awards for students with top grades or attendance.
Living costs are addressed in the official FAQ. It suggests bringing at least about 150,000 yen per month for living expenses, and gives a typical range for monthly living costs in Tokyo of 60,000–100,000 yen excluding rent. It also warns that newly arrived students generally cannot open a local bank account that receives overseas transfers for the first six months, and that students whose visa validity is under six months cannot open a bank account at all (Japan Post Bank accounts are limited to domestic transfers) — so plan your first months’ funds before departure.
Other practical figures from the official pages: anyone staying more than three months must join the national health insurance scheme, which covers most medical costs (you pay about 30%), with premiums varying by city (the site cites roughly 1,500 yen per month for newly arrived students as a reference). Students on a student visa who obtain a work permit may work up to 28 hours per week, and the site lists industries that are off-limits, such as hostess clubs, mahjong parlours, pachinko halls, clubs and massage parlours.
Support for university admission and daily life
A distinctive part of the offering at Waseda Language Schoolis the university admission support described on the official site: homeroom teachers hold individual interviews to guide each student’s path, help with statements of purpose and application documents, and practice interviews; the school also invites admissions staff from universities — the site names Meiji University as an example — during summer for students to ask questions directly. The school states that many graduates go on to universities, graduate schools and vocational schools.
The FAQ confirms the school’s general affairs office has staff fluent in Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Nepali, Myanmar and Sri Lankan languages, and that orientation covers Japanese rules and manners in seven languages. After arrival, students must register their address at the local municipal office within 14 days of receiving their residence card at the airport, and the site points to nearby hospitals and facilities around the school for day-to-day needs.
If you are comparing Japanese language schools, the practical things to check against your own plan are the intake that fits your timing, the level you would start at, the total study period you need before your target exam or university application, and how the fee structure compares once the official site publishes current amounts. For advice tailored to your own situation — timing, budget and goals — talk to our consultants, who can help you work through the details. The official website remains the authoritative source for figures, and it is worth rechecking it before you commit.