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  3. Graduated Outside Japan? University and Japanese-Language Bonuses in HSP Points

Graduated Outside Japan? University and Japanese-Language Bonuses in HSP Points

English

If you graduated from a university outside Japan, you can still earn university-related bonus points in the Highly Skilled Professional (高度専門職) points system. If your university is on the eligible list, you receive 10 points; if you majored in Japanese, 15. And unlike graduates of Japanese universities, you can receive points for JLPT N2.

With 70 points or more, the residence required for permanent residence (永住) falls from ten years to three; with 80 or more, to one. You do not need to hold Highly Skilled Professional status to use this route.

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What this article covers

  • The points an overseas university degree and Japanese ability can bring
  • How to check whether your overseas university is eligible
  • The bonus for those who majored in Japanese at university
  • How this differs from graduates of Japanese universities

This article is based on the points allocation in the Ministerial Ordinance on Highly Skilled Professionals (高度専門職省令), the Immigration Services Agency’s detailed points calculation sheet (ポイント計算表の詳細), its list of Japanese language qualifications (日本語能力一覧), and its lists of eligible universities. The figures are for advanced specialised/technical activities — the calculation sheet most company employees use.

Points from an overseas degree

These figures are for a bachelor’s degree. With a master’s, academic background is worth 20 points, so each figure rises by 10.

JLPT N1, or majored in JapaneseJLPT N2Neither
Listed university353020
University not listed252010

These figures cover academic background, the university bonus and Japanese language ability only. Salary, age and professional experience are not included.

The three items behind the points

1. Academic background (bachelor’s 10, master’s 20, doctorate 30)

Points for your highest qualification. Degrees from overseas universities count. A professional degree in business management (MBA or MOT) is worth 25.

2. Graduation from a listed university (10 points)

For graduates of universities designated by the Minister of Justice in a public notice (Bonus Point 11 on the detailed calculation sheet). Overseas universities qualify in two ways:

  • The ranking-based list: universities on the list of universities eligible for bonus points (PDF), published by the Immigration Services Agency on the basis of three world university rankings. It includes universities in many countries, among them the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Korea, India and Australia
  • Innovative Asia partner universities: universities designated as partner universities in the Innovative Asia programme (イノベーティブ・アジア事業) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The list (PDF) covers universities in 14 Asian countries, including India, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Bangladesh and Pakistan

The ranking-based list reflects the rankings as at January 2026, and the Agency advises applicants to check the latest rankings as well.

3. Japanese language ability (15 or 10 points)

The Japanese language bonus is one of the following:

PointsWho qualifies
15 (Bonus Point 8)JLPT N1, BJT Business Japanese Proficiency Test 480 or more, or graduation from a university outside Japan with a major in Japanese
10 (Bonus Point 9)JLPT N2, BJT Business Japanese Proficiency Test 400 or more

The two cannot be combined. The N2-level bonus excludes anyone who has received the 15-point bonus.

If you majored in Japanese

If you graduated from a university outside Japan with a major in Japanese, you receive 15 points even without a JLPT result — the same as for N1.

If you studied in a Japanese language department or similar, your graduation itself qualifies you. As with every item, you will need to evidence it.

How this differs from graduates of Japanese universities

Graduates of Japanese universities receive a bonus for a Japanese degree (10 points, Bonus Point 7), but in exchange cannot receive the N2 bonus.

Graduates of overseas universities do not receive that 10 points, but can receive the N2 bonus (10 points).

Japanese university graduatesOverseas university graduates
Degree from a Japanese institution (10)YesNo
JLPT N1 (15)YesYes
JLPT N2 (10)NoYes
Majored in Japanese at an overseas university (15)—Yes
Graduation from a listed university (10)YesYes

If you completed a graduate course in Japan after graduating overseas, you receive the Japanese-degree bonus (10 points). In that case, you no longer qualify for the N2 bonus.

For graduates of Japanese universities, see Graduated from a Japanese University? How It Counts Towards HSP Points.

Making up the remaining points

With a bachelor’s degree from a listed university and N1 or a Japanese major, you have 35 points and need 35 more to reach 70.

The rest comes from salary, age and professional experience:

  • Age: under 30, 15 points; 30 to 34, 10 points; 35 to 39, 5 points
  • Annual salary: from 10 points for ¥4–5 million up to 40 points for ¥10 million or more
  • Professional experience in the field of your work: 5 points for 3 years or more, up to 20 points for 10 years or more

Check the conditions for each salary band on the calculation sheet.

Points to note when applying for permanent residence

Your score at an earlier date also matters. If you use the exception without holding Highly Skilled Professional status, you must have held 70 points continuously from three years before, or 80 points from one year before. Points for education and your university do not change over time, but salary and age do.

Every point must be evidenced. You will need a certificate of graduation, a copy of your degree certificate, your JLPT certificate of results, and so on. Obtaining certificates from an overseas university can take time.

For applications filed on or after April 2027, Japanese language ability at B1 becomes a consideration. The guidelines do not make clear whether someone applying with points, without holding Highly Skilled Professional status, falls within the exemption for highly skilled professionals. See Japan’s New PR Guidelines: What Changes for Your Visa Status and When to Apply.

Summary

Graduates of overseas universities can receive 10 points if their university is listed, and up to 15 for Japanese language ability.

If you majored in Japanese, you receive 15 points without a JLPT result. If you hold N2 and did not graduate from a Japanese university, you receive 10.

University and language points alone will not reach 70. You will also need points for age, salary or professional experience, and a permanent residence application requires evidence of your score at an earlier date.

We can go through your points calculation and whether you can apply for permanent residence, and when. Consultations are in English and free of charge.

Related reading: Graduated from a Japanese University? How It Counts Towards HSP Points
Related reading: PR with Highly Skilled Professional Points: The 3-Year and 1-Year Routes
Related reading: Japan’s New PR Guidelines: What Changes for Your Visa Status and When to Apply

About this article

This article helps graduates of overseas universities who are considering a points-based permanent residence application to estimate their score. It is based on the calculation sheet for advanced specialised/technical activities. Those engaged in research or business management should check the relevant calculation sheet.

Disclaimer

This article sets out general information based on the published ministerial ordinance and calculation sheets. It does not guarantee that any individual application will be granted or refused. Always check your score against the calculation sheet current at the time of application. The lists of eligible universities change as the rankings and designations are updated.

References

Last updated: 24 October 2026

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