Three Ways for Japanese Nationals to Learn Korean in Korea: Short-Term Courses Within 90 Days, 10-Week Regular Language Institute Terms (D-4), One-Year Working Holiday (H-1)

There are three main ways for Japanese nationals to learn Korean in Korea. For a short-term course that ends within 90 days, they can enter visa-free and choose a course that accepts visa-free students. Regular courses at university Korean language institutes, where students take two or more 10-week terms, require a General Training (D-4) visa. Those who want to combine study and part-time work for a year should go with the Working Holiday (H-1) visa. Which path fits depends on how long they will stay, whether they plan to work in Korea, and whether they plan to move on to a degree program.

Here is how the three paths compare at a glance.

Short-Term Courses of 90 Days or Less: Visa-Free Entry, Mostly 1- to 4-Week Programs

Japanese nationals can stay in Korea without a visa for up to 90 days for purposes such as tourism or visiting relatives. However, they cannot work or engage in any income-generating activity.

People taking language training of 90 days or less are not eligible for the long-term General Training (D-4) visa. Nationals of countries that require a visa obtain a short-term visa (C-3-1) in this case, while Japanese nationals can enter visa-free and choose a course that accepts them. At Dankook University Korean Language Center, students can study visa-free within 90 days; to keep attending beyond 90 days, they must change their status of stay to D-4-1. Yonsei Korean Language Institute's four-week summer course does not issue D-4 visas and is taken within the period students are allowed to stay in Korea.

There is also one pre-entry procedure to check. Japan is temporarily exempt from the K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization), and the exemption runs through December 31, 2026 (Korea time). Those entering in January 2027 or later should check the notices on the K-ETA website (k-eta.go.kr) before departure to see whether the exemption has been extended. Travelers may still apply for a K-ETA during the exemption period if they wish, but a fee applies.

Published examples of 2027 short-term courses are as follows (yen amounts converted at the November 3, 2026 exchange rate).

Ewha's tuition is the amount as of June 2026 and may change without notice. Ewha's short-term courses come with no separate visa guidance, so when submitting an application, email the Language Center to ask whether the course can be taken visa-free and keep the reply. Airfare and accommodation are not included in tuition, so budget for them separately. Continuing beyond 90 days requires a separate procedure to change one's status of stay to D-4-1, so for those planning to study for six months or longer, starting with a regular course from the outset is simpler.

Regular Language Institute Courses (D-4-1): Taking 10-Week Terms Back to Back

For those who want to build their Korean systematically and aim for TOPIK or university admission, the regular course is the path. A regular term usually lasts 10 weeks. Sogang Korean Language Education Center runs each term at 20 hours a week for 10 weeks, for a total of 200 hours.

The D-4-1 visa is available only to students attending a university-affiliated Korean language institute. It cannot be obtained by enrolling at a lifelong education facility (including university-affiliated lifelong education centers) or a private academy. A language institute must also run daytime classes on at least four weekdays and for at least 15 hours a week for a course to qualify for the visa.

The visa process and proof of funds work as follows.

• After receiving admission (a standard admission letter) from the language institute, apply for the visa at a Korean diplomatic mission in Japan. The first visa issued is a single-entry visa with a period of stay of 6 months or less.
• Applicants must prove they can pay 6 months of tuition and living expenses. Bank balance certificates are accepted only if issued within 30 days of the application date.
• The required balance differs by university. Incheon National University and Sangmyung University require about ¥1,578,693 (US$10,000, about KRW 13,410,000) or more, while SNU Language Education Institute requires about ¥1,177,163 (KRW 10,000,000) or more.
• At Dankook University, students must enroll for two or more terms to attend on a D-4-1 visa. After that, they extend the visa as they register for additional terms, staying up to a maximum of 2 years.
• Attendance is reviewed at extension. Dankook sets the bar at 70% or higher and Sangmyung at 80% or higher. After entering Korea, students must complete alien registration within 90 days.

Part-time work is not allowed right after arrival. Students can apply for a part-time work permit only after 6 months have passed since their date of entry. Permitted hours are 20 a week for those who meet a Korean proficiency standard such as TOPIK Level 2 and 10 a week for those who do not; a permit, once granted, is valid for up to 6 months and limited to one workplace. If average attendance across the terms taken so far falls below 90%, the permit is restricted.

Spring application schedules and tuition are summarized in 2027 spring term application dates for Korean language institutes, and the amount due in a lump sum at first enrollment is covered in Comparing first payments at Korean language institutes. For whether you can start without TOPIK, see A roadmap for Japanese students learning Korean without TOPIK.

Working Holiday (H-1): Studying and Working Together for a Year

The working holiday visa is primarily for tourism and allows holders to work to cover travel expenses. Under the Korea-Japan program, the annual cap for Japanese nationals is 10,000. The eligibility requirements are as follows.

• Applicants must be Japanese nationals living in Japan.
• Applicants must be between 18 and 25, or up to 30 if unavoidable circumstances are recognized. Those aged 26 or older must attach a statement of reasons to their application.
• The passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the application date, and dependents cannot accompany the applicant.
• Since October 1, 2025, people who have already taken part in the Korea-Japan working holiday program can participate again, one time only.
• The visa is a single-entry visa with a 1-year period of stay and 1-year validity. The stay cannot be extended beyond 1 year from the date of entry, and people on other statuses of stay cannot switch to a working holiday visa.

The application process differs from other visas. The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Japan (Tokyo) accepts applications only through its embassy-designated working holiday counseling desk (counselor). It does not accept individual bookings through the reservation site or applications filed by travel agencies on an applicant's behalf. Issuance takes about two weeks. Those living in areas under the jurisdiction of a Consulate General, such as Osaka, Fukuoka and Nagoya, should check the application procedure separately in the working holiday guidance on that Consulate General's website.

The key documents to prepare are as follows. Documents must have been issued within 3 months, and the medical certificate and bank balance certificate within 1 month.

• Original bank balance certificate: ¥300,000 or more (about KRW 2,550,000). Applicants who prove ¥400,000 or more do not need to submit a copy of a round-trip air or ferry ticket.
• Insurance certificate: Medical insurance or similar coverage with a term of 10 months or longer and coverage of about ¥4,710,000 (KRW 40,000,000) or more is required. If it is not travel insurance, submit a document showing that it applies overseas.
• Submit a criminal record certificate, a medical certificate, a certificate of enrollment or of highest education (including vocational schools), proof of intended residence such as a lodging reservation or lease, and a 住民票 (Japanese residence certificate).
• Proof of Korean study: Submit a screenshot of membership registration on a Korean-learning website, a language institute admission letter, or similar.
• One-year activity plan: Describe in concrete terms plans to work at lawful jobs, plans to study Korean (example: enrolling at a language institute), and how you will find accommodation. Write it in Korean or English.

Life in Korea works as follows.

• Part-time work is allowed up to 25 hours a week. This applies regardless of employment type, whether contract or part-time, and no separate permit is needed to change or add workplaces.
• Holders cannot work as hosts at entertainment establishments or as dancers or singers, in occupations requiring qualifications such as doctor, lawyer, professor or conversation instructor, in gambling or adult-entertainment businesses, or as private tutors.
• Studying Korean at a language institute or academy is permitted throughout the stay. However, holders cannot take degree-granting regular university programs (programs corresponding to the Study Abroad D-2 visa).
• The visa is restricted for those who intend to devote themselves solely to work or study. That is why the activity plan should also include tourism and daily-life plans.
• Because it is a single-entry visa, holders who leave Korea after entry but before receiving their alien registration card cannot re-enter. Once issued a working holiday visa, they also cannot enter visa-free.

Choosing the Right Path

• If you want a taste of conversational Korean during a 1- to 4-week school break, a short-term course of 90 days or less is the answer. Yonsei's 4-week summer course can be taken without a D-4 visa, and Ewha's winter short-term course accepts applications until January 4, 2027, so ask whether visa-free attendance is possible when you apply.
• If you want to study systematically for 6 months or more and aim for TOPIK or further education, choose a regular language institute course (D-4-1). Prepare a bank balance certificate and enrollment for two or more terms.
• If you are 18 to 25 (up to 30 if unavoidable circumstances are recognized) and want to learn Korean for a year while earning part of your living expenses, the working holiday is for you. Securing a language institute admission letter in advance takes care of both the proof of Korean study and the activity plan.
• If you plan to attend a language institute on a working holiday and then enter a degree program, factor in that switching from a working holiday to another status of stay is restricted in principle. Prepare for a degree program by obtaining admission and separately applying for a Study Abroad (D-2) visa.

--- Yen amounts are converted at Hana Bank's posted base rate on November 3, 2026 (¥100 = KRW 849.50, US$1 = KRW 1,341.10) and may differ from actual remittance or payment amounts. Tuition and schedules are based on each language institute's notices, and visa conditions are based on guidance from the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Japan and the Ministry of Justice's guidance manual by status of stay.