18 month Student Visa course

Genki Japanese and Culture School

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Course description

Study intensively in Japan for a full year! This course allows you to receive a student visa while studying at GenkiJACS' Fukuoka branch.

The course offers 4 start dates per year, in January, April, July-August and October. Because of the Japanese government's deadlines, you must apply roughly 5 months in advance to be able to receive a student visa. So application deadlines would be as follows:
January start: Apply by August 20 of previous year
April start: Apply by November 20 of previous year
July start: Apply by February 20
October start: Apply by May 20

The course has 60 weeks of lessons, scheduled as follows:
Term 1: 10 weeks
Holiday 1: 3 weeks
Term 2: 10 weeks
Holiday 2: 3 weeks
Term 3: 10 weeks
Holiday 3: 3 weeks
Term 4: 10 weeks
Holiday 4: 3 weeks
Term 5: 10 weeks
Holiday 5: 3 weeks
Term 6: 10 weeks

The classes you will attend are the same award-winning small-group Japanese classes GenkiJACS is already famous for. You'll have 20 classes per week, Monday through Friday, with a maximum of 8 students per class, and a focus on Japanese for everyday communication in daily life and work.
After 18 months of study, you'll be at advanced level, equivalent to JLPT N2-1, and ready to work in Japan, or even go on to study at a 2-year college!

The student visa allows you to work for up to 28 hours per week while studying, which helps to reduce the cost of a year in Japan. Our staff are happy to help you find work.

The Japanese student visa has some government restrictions, so we cannot accept requests from all countries - contact us for details. Additionally, applicants must meet these requirements:
- Have graduated high school or equivalent
- Have no criminal record
- Be able to show proof of savings (or family savings) to pay for tuition and living expenses

Course topics

Listening, Speaking, Pronunciation, Reading, Writing, Vocabulary and Grammar

Class schedule

Course duration
60 weeks
Classes per week
20 lessons per week (each lesson lasts 50 min)
Class days
Monday - Friday
School holidays
01 Jan 2025 - 03 Jan 2025, 11 Feb 2025, 24 Feb 2025, 20 Mar 2025, 29 Apr 2025, 05 May 2025 - 06 May 2025, 21 Jul 2025, 11 Aug 2025, 15 Sep 2025, 23 Sep 2025, 13 Oct 2025, 03 Nov 2025, 24 Nov 2025, 29 Dec 2025 - 02 Jan 2026

GenkiJACS does not hold classes on the holiday dates above. The school does not compensate for these holidays, so make sure to choose your start date accordingly.

Class times

You can choose from the following class times:

Morning session
09:30 AM - 01:10 PM
Afternoon session
11:25 AM - 03:50 PM
Afternoon session
02:05 PM - 05:45 PM

Class schedule may change depending on availability and season.

Class level

Absolute beginner
Elementary
You will take a placement test on your first day to determine your class level. You may also take this test before your arrival in Fukuoka.

Class size

Average 4 students
Maximum 8 students

Student age

Age range 16 years old and older
Average 25 years old

Certificate

A certificate of completion will be issued at the end of the course.
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Photos

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reviews

Reviews

90% recommend

based on 10 reviews
5 stars
5
4 stars
4
3 stars
0
2 stars
1
1 star
0
Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing

"Great for long-term study in smaller groups"

Tala F, student from Japan

Genuinely enjoyed all of the teachers and particularly the conversation classes. The most negative part of my experience was the holiday-themed event lessons, which undermined my goal to take an intensive Japanese language course over winter vacation and instead focused on cultural customs and hands-on crafts. I appreciate the token nod to the holiday, but considering my timeline the two days of “no classes” for New Years were more than enough. I felt study expectations and prior knowledge required were left unclear during orientation and that the placement test is less than accurate. However, I did find Genki a valuable experience and I was impressed by the organized classrooms and consistent material. I wish I could have spent more time actively studying here without interruptions for holidays or holiday lessons. I would certainly recommend this school, particularly in smaller class sizes or private lessons.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Duration of study
1 week
Date of study
23 Dec 2019 - 3 Jan 2020
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Fabulous 8 week experience"

Brandon Brookes, student from UK

The classes were small so very great to talk to others and easy to hear the teachers. The teachers were very nice and easy to communicate to. the location was very convenient and easy to get to from the train station, the place i stayed was quiet however a tiny bit boring as i didnt know what to do at weekends.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Duration of study
7 weeks
Date of study
7 Oct 2019 - 29 Nov 2019
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Well-organized and good teachers."

Cecilia Wirseen, student from Sweden

My daughter, 14 years, was very disappointed. She chose Pop culture because she likes manga and anime. The course description made it sound like that all Japanese teaching would be based on actice learning through pop culture. Hovever, all lessens were just ordinary japanese. The pop culture element constituted of a saturday activity that were traditional culture, not pop. The school was very nice to us and tried to compensate incl refunding. But, still, my daughter had great expectations of a three-weeks exposion to japanese pop culture which did not came true. The host family was wonderful and Fukuoka an amazing city. Cecilia from Stockholm

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
2 weeks
Date of study
4 Jun 2018 - 22 Jun 2018
Would you recommend this school?
No
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Short, but great experience at GENKI JACS, Fukuoka."

Susan Vasey, student from USA

The only negative about my course at GENKI JACS, Fukuoka, was that I couldn’t stay longer. I was there for 2 weeks while most people in my class were there for 2-3 months, or longer. The teachers were all extremely personable, knowledgeable and excellent in their teaching methods.
The private apartment I rented was within an easy walking distance to the school and perfect for my needs. Even though I arrived on a Saturday night the check in instructions I received were precise and accurate.
Being a senior citizen, I did not participate in the extra-curricular activities organized by the school, yet I never felt out of place and actually went places and did things with other class members.
I would not hesitate to take classes again at GENKI JACS.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
1 week
Date of study
16 Apr 2018 - 27 Apr 2018
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Cool and serious school"

Maud RAUTURIER, student from France

First, Genki School's staff were really great. All of them were nice and helpful. They were all eager to help you in case of difficulty or questions.
The activities they offered were really interesting. I had a great time in Pop Lessons, for example.
The staff even helped me to find a Kyûdô school. I was able a to see a practice session and that was an amazing experience!

I like the teaching methods.
My first week was a bit hard because I arrived in the middle of a level and my classmates were in Japan for few weeks (even months) before. But after a week, it was all perfect again!
I learned a lot even if I stayed for only 3 weeks.
The teachers were all so nice, fun and serious at the same time, that the lessons were a real pleasure!

All in all, I had a great time there.
But, I have to say that I stayed in Japan in March. I heard that, at some periods of the year, the school is much more crowded. I didn't experience that.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
2 weeks
Date of study
13 Mar 2017 - 31 Mar 2017
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Unforgettable"

amélie lecompte, student from Australia

The school in Fukuoka is great
The location is not so far from a big station with buses, trains, subway. There were shops with pretty much everything, post office, ATM,arcades. It was also close to convenience store and cheap restaurants for lunch, just perfect
The school it self is not so big ( at least it's bigger than the one in Tokyo) but you will feel at ease and helped all the way no matter what I guess ( I asked them a lot and they've done as much as they could to help me with my requests)
The lessons were fun and we've change teacher every day which actually help us to practice and progress.
I've done cultural activities and it was fun, I don't have any regrets about choosing it I've learn so much about Fukuoka and Japan itself exactly what I was hoping for. I now want even more studying Japanese and its culture.
I've stayed at two different home-stay because I was alone the first two weeks and then I asked my family to come for the last two weeks so I had to change to a more spacious room (yes we manage to be in the same house).
I had a great time at my home-stay, an experience that I won't ever forget and I still talk to them and practice my Japanese.
I want to see them again. If I have the chance I would do it again for sure since I enjoyed my stay in Fukuoka so much. Everyone were great, the teachers were good and make you understand everything, as for the reception workers I owe them so much.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Duration of study
1 week
Date of study
4 Jul 2016 - 15 Jul 2016
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Wonderful"

YuYu Chen, student from Taiwan

I loved everything there which includes the activities, facilities, teachers and location.
There's nothing that I didn't like.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
Housing
Duration of study
1 week
Date of study
18 Jul 2016 - 29 Jul 2016
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Genki Jacs was an excellent learning experience as I expanded my knowledge about Japan and its language."

Yuet On Lee, student from Australia

I feel as though the culture classes could use more variation, especially the pop culture. However, the teachers could also be more consistent because each of them have their own personal teaching style. Otherwise, everything else was good.

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My ratings for this school

Duration of study
3 weeks
Date of study
7 Dec 2015 - 1 Jan 2016
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Excellent learning and life experience"

Moon Tsang, student from Hong Kong

The teachers are passionate and patient in teaching. These made learning enjoyable and interesting. When we encountered something unclear, the teachers were patient and cheerful in explaining to us. The staff there were very helpful; they provided information for our daily life, e.g. where to shop, swim, or see a doctor. Studying there was so warm and happy. One area for improvement though would be the class size; maybe if it could be limited to under 6 persons, it would be the best. The cleanliness of the dormitory I stayed is so-so; two cockroaches visited me.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
1 week
Date of study
28 Sep 2015 - 9 Oct 2015
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"A good experience and atmosphere"

Jean-Luc Jirayut Prasopa-Plaizier, student from Australia

The school, classes and teachers were all wonderful. I had a great time and the atmosphere was friendly and not overly formal. The facilities and location were good. My host family was a little far away but I did not mind this too much. Overall it was a valuable experience.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
9 weeks
Date of study
21 Sep 2015 - 27 Nov 2015
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.
Evan Kirby, Director at Genki Japanese and Culture School responded to this review.
02 October 2015

Thank you for the review! We do our best to meet the needs of students, so we're very glad you enjoyed your time with us.

housing

Housing

GenkiJACS offers the following housing types:
homestay

Homestay - Single-person room - Breakfast and dinner

NZ$ 316
weekly
Age range: 14 years old and older
Location: Outside the city center of Fukuoka
Housing type: Homestay
Room type: Single-person room
Board type: Breakfast and dinner (14 meals per week)
Facilities: Kitchen, laundry, wireless internet, free internet, air conditioning, and heating
Distance to school: 40 - 90 minutes by train or subway
Availability: January - December
Check-in: Sunday, anytime
Check-out: Saturday, anytime
NZ$ 316
The opportunity to stay with a Japanese host family is the perfect way to immerse yourself in the culture, and practice at "home" what you learned at school that day.

When arranging a host family for you, we try to take into account any needs or preferences you may have, such as smoker or non-smoker, allergies, English ability, and so on. Your host family can act as guides and mentors, friends and companions, and a wonderful resource in your adventure in Japan. They are likely to be the people you become closest to during your stay, which is why we work with a very reputable homestay provider that performs a thorough screening of all host family applicants, to ensure that they can provide a suitable environment to assist your learning and to allow you to fully experience Japan.
student-residence

Student residence (off-campus) - Single-person room - No meals

NZ$ 217
weekly
Age range: 18 years old and older
Location: In the city center of Fukuoka
Housing type: Student residence (off-campus)
Room type: Single-person room
Board type: No meals
Facilities: Private bathroom, kitchen, laundry, telephone, free internet, carpet, air conditioning, heating, and 24/7 supervision
Distance to school: 30 - 45 minutes by train or subway
Availability: January - December
Check-in: Sunday, anytime
Check-out: Saturday, anytime
NZ$ 217
A private room in a dormitory with other GenkiJACS students and Japanese university students gives you the freedom to enjoy the city life, but also the chance to make lots of friends. We have a variety of different dorms available for you to choose from, depending on your preference.
apartment

Private apartment - Single-person room - No meals

NZ$ 456
weekly
Age range: 18 years old and older
Location: In the city center of Fukuoka
Housing type: Private apartment
Room type: Single-person room
Board type: No meals
Facilities: Private bathroom, kitchen, laundry, free internet, tV room, and air conditioning
Distance to school: 15 - 20 minutes by walk
Availability: January - December
Check-in: Sunday, anytime
Check-out: Saturday, anytime
NZ$ 456
This apartment is located in the city center, within walking distance of the school as well as all of the major facilities of the city - hundreds of restaurants, bars, nightclubs and more!
The building houses about 30 private apartments. The apartments are Western style, about 21 square meters in size. All apartments have air conditioning, a bed, and are fully furnished. They also have a kitchen area (with cooking and eating implements), washing machine, and a bath and shower. Amenities such as shampoo, toilet paper, and bedsheets are provided. (Towels are not, so please bring your own.) The apartment includes high-speed Internet access.
Students must be 18 or older.
visa

Visa support

We cannot apply for visas on behalf of students. However, the school can supply you with all the documentation you need to support your visa application.

Your letter of acceptance will be sent to your home address by regular mail at no charge to you. If you wish to receive your paperwork by express mail, you will be charged ¥ 6,500 when you register.

Flights and airport transfer

Please note that we do not book flights for our students. If you are researching airfare costs, we recommend using Kayak.com, a search engine that lets you compare flight options from your home country to Fukuoka based on your budget, schedule and preferences.

Travel insurance

Study abroad worry-free with Language International's health and personal effects insurance coverage. When you book a course with us, you can opt to purchase an international insurance plan that covers not only your health care cost but also loss of your personal belongings. You must book your insurance in advance when you register.

Learn more about our insurance plan »

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Questions and answers

Have questions? Get answers from Genki Japanese and Culture School staff, Language International student advisors, and past students.

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