The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) calls for thorough implementation of the appropriate acceptance and enrollment management of international students to maintain credibility and integrity of the international student system, and to promote acceptance of diverse and talented international students.
  At the same time, when a HEI that carries out improper international student enrollment management accepts international students, there is a relatively high risk that the HEI’s insufficient enrollment procedures, guidance, or support may lead to a student’s withdrawal or expulsion.
  Therefore, based on the Guideline for Administrative Guidance to HEIs with Improper International Student Enrollment Management (Ministerial Decision on April 26, 2024), MEXT designates “ISGI: Higher Education Institution Subject to Guidance for Improvement” and publicly releases a list of such designated HEIs to inform prospective international students considering study in Japan, relevant foreign educational institutions, and other stakeholders.

  Based on the Guideline, a HEI is designated as a ISGI when the ratio of international students who (1)withdrew, were expelled, or (2)were missing during a fiscal year (from April 2024 to March 2025), excluding cases of (1) not attributable to the HEI, exceeds 5 percent of the total number of international students enrolled on the reference date (May 1, 2024) at each HEI*1. MEXT will provide these designated HEIs with guidance for improvement.
*1 Universities and colleges of technology defined under Article 1 of the School Education Act.

1. HEIs Designated as ISGI in FY2025

No. HEI Name Number of International Students*2 Number of Students, who Withdrew, were Expelled, or were Missing, Attributable to the HEI*3 Percentage Attributable to the HEI
1 Tokyo University of Social Welfare 2,470 152 6.2%
2 Nagoya Management Junior College 94 7 7.4%

*2 Reference date: May 1, 2024
*3 The number of international students whose withdrawal or expulsion was determined to be clearly attributable to the HEI during the period of April 2024 to March 2025 based on the criteria described below.

2. Criteria for Determining Attributability (Cases deemed to be “Attributable to the HEIs”)

  Based on prior notices issued to HEI—including the notice, “Ensuring Thorough Appropriate Acceptance and Enrollment Management of International Students” (Notice No. 14, April 23, 2025)—MEXT has established the following criteria for determining attributability to the HEI.
  Each case of withdrawal or expulsion is assessed based on the following five criteria. If any criterion applies, the case is deemed to be attributable to the HEI.
Cases not attributable to the HEI, such as the death of the student or the family’s sudden financial hardship, are excluded.

Criteria for determining attributability:

1. Insufficient Confirmation of Japanese Language Proficiency

A HEI insufficiently confirmed the required level of Japanese language proficiency (as a general guideline, JLPT N2 level or higher for programs conducted in Japanese) during the admissions selection, combined with inadequate post-enrollment language support.

2. Insufficient Confirmation of Financial Capability

A HEI insufficiently confirmed a student’s financial capability, resulting in expulsion due to unpaid tuition.

3. Inadequate Post-Enrollment Support

A HEI provided clearly inadequate support, including academic, daily-life, or physical and mental health support to the enrolled students.

4. Inappropriate Admission Selection

A HEI inappropriately adopted scoring methods that add points based on its consideration of factors*, such as financial capacity and final academic background, or based on its consideration of age, and an applicant would not meet the required admission score without such considerations.
*HEIs should ordinarily consider them not for scoring but for evaluation of whether an applicant meets the application requirements.

5. Others

Other individual circumstances not covered above but deemed to be attributable to the HEI.

  In addition, even if HEIs are not designated as ISGI, MEXT requests all HEIs to continuously ensure appropriate acceptance and enrollment management of international students based on the above criteria.

【Reference】(Only Japanese available)

Guideline for Administrative Guidance to HEIs with Improper International Student Enrollment Management
(Approved by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology on April 26, 2024)

Ensuring Thorough Appropriate Acceptance and Enrollment Management of International Students
(Notice No. 14, April 23, 2025)

【The same information available on the following websites】

• 【Outline】International Student Enrollment Management.pdf
• MEXT (Japanese):
https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/koutou/ryugaku/1412692_00005.htm
• Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) "Study in Japan”:
(Japanese) https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/ja/planning/learn-about-schools/improvement/
(English) https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/planning/learn-about-schools/improvement/