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Education学歴

Doctorate 30 / Master’s 20 / Bachelor’s 10 (a doctorate is 20 in business management)

This page is our own reading of the rules

The text below was written by this site from material published by the Ministry of Justice. It is not the official text, and it may contain errors or lag behind the latest notification. Treat the official sources at the foot of the page as authoritative, and consult a licensed immigration lawyer (行政書士) for an actual application.

Key points

  • ・Scored from your highest degree. Junior colleges, colleges of technology and the "Advanced Diploma" count as university-equivalent; the ordinary "Diploma" does not.
  • ・Holding doctorates, master’s or professional degrees in more than one field adds 5 points. The majors must be demonstrably different from the diploma or transcript.
  • ・An MBA or MOT adds 5 points. Equivalent overseas management degrees also qualify.

What does not stack

  • ⚠️In business management a doctorate is worth 20 — the same as a master’s — not the 30 it earns in the other two categories. This is the most commonly miscalculated point in the table.
  • ⚠️Selecting MBA/MOT treats your education as at least master or professional level.
  • ⚠️The multi-field bonus and the MBA bonus are separate items; meeting both counts both.

Official and authoritative sources

All links below are official or authoritative bodies. This site has no commercial relationship with any of them.

Still unclear?

Ask about this item’s requirements, exclusions or point values. Answers draw only on policy text verified against MOJ sources.

Official sources:

This page is our own reading of the rules and is not legal or immigration advice. Consult a licensed immigration lawyer for an actual case.