Designating Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) with Improper International Student Enrollment Management as a "ISGI : Higher Education Institution (HEI) Subject to Guidance for Improvement"

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 (HEI) 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.

【HEIs Designated as ISGI in FY2025】

^*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.

【Criteria for Determining Attributability (Cases deemed to be "Attributable to the HEI")】

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 lacks thorough confirmation of 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 lacks thorough confirmation of the student's financial capability, resulting in expulsion due to unpaid tuition.
3. Inadequate Post-Enrollment Support
   A HEI clearly fails to provide adequate support, including academic, daily-life, or physical and mental health support to the enrolled student.
4. Inappropriate Admission Selection
   A HEI inappropriately adopts a scoring method that adds points based on consideration of factors* such as financial capacity and final academic background, or consideration of age, and the applicant would not meet the required admission score without such considerations.
   *The HEI should ordinarily consider such factors not for scoring, but for evaluating 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 a HEI is not designated as a ISGI, MEXT requests all HEIs to continuously ensure appropriate acceptance and enrollment management of international students based on the above criteria.

【Information on this policy available on the following websites】

• MEXT (Japanese):
  https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/koutou/ryugaku/1412692_00005.htm

• MEXT (English):
  https://www.mext.go.jp/en/policy/education/highered/title02/detail02/mext_00040.html

【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)
https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/koutou/ryugaku/1325305_00002.htm

Ensuring Thorough Appropriate Acceptance and Enrollment Management of International Students
(Notice No. 14, April 23, 2025)
https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/koutou/ryugaku/1325305.htm

【Inquiry】

Office for Student Exchange
International Affairs Division,
Higher Education Bureau,
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
taigaku@mext.go.jp