Section 1
Japanese High Schools
Q1. How do I enroll in high school? Are there high schools I can enroll in?
Q2. When does the Japanese school year start?
Q3. 【The Japanese School System】
Please tell me about the Japanese school system.
Q4.【Importance of enrolling in high school】
Do I have to?
Q5. 【Enrollment Requirements ・ Entrance Exams】
How do I enroll in high school?
Section2
Advancing to High School
Q1. Please tell me about the features of High Schools in Japan.
Q2. How do students commute to school?
Q3.【Types of high schools etc.】
What types of high schools are there?
Q4. 【Tuition Fees】
How much are high school tuition fees?
Q6. What are the requirements to take high school entrance exams?
Q8. What are the series of events leading up to entrance examinations
Q9. 【High School Life】
I want to learn about a high school student’s daily life.
Section3
Status of Residence and Nationality
Q1. 【Residence card】
What is written on a residence card?
Q2. 【Status of Residence】
What is status of residence?
Q3.As a high schooler, is there anything I need to do prior to working a part-time job?
Q4. 【To Those with the Dependent Status】
Am I able to work while I am under the “Dependent” Status?
Section1 Japanese High Schools
Q1. How do I enroll in high school? Are there high schools I can enroll in?
To enroll, one must take and pass (school entrance) exams.
- Current junior high students, or those about to enter junior high should consult with their teachers.
- If you do not fall into either of these categories, please consult with SenTIA. We’ll talk about what schools are like in your country, and work together to figure out when and how you will enter high school.
Q2. When does the Japanese school year start?
The school year begins in April and ends in March.
Q3. [The Japanese School System]
Please tell me about the Japanese school system.
- In Japan, everyone must enroll in “compulsory education” for a total of 9 years: 6 years of elementary school (6 years-old to 12 years-old) and 3 years of middle school (12 years-old to 15 years-old).
- After graduating from middle school, you can advance to high school/university, work and more.
Q4. [Importance of enrolling in high school] Do I have to?
Graduating from high school is recommended for those who intend on continuing to higher education (university and technical college etc.) or joining the work force.
- Many universities and companies require you to “graduate from high school”.
- If you don’t go to high school, there will be fewer career paths open to you.
- Over 90% of Japanese students advance to high school.
Q5. [Enrollment Requirements ・ Entrance Exams]
How do I enroll in high school?
In order to enter high school, you are required to either “have graduated from (or be expected to graduate from) a Japanese junior high school” or “have completed a total of 9 years of school education elsewhere”.
- People who fulfil the requirements can take a high school entrance exam. If you pass, you will be able to enroll.
- People who do not fulfil the requirements will be unable to take the exam. If you meet the requirements but fail the exam, you will be unable to enroll in high school
→For more detailed information, please see Section 2.
Q6. [Japanese Language Ability]
I do not understand Japanese. Can I still take the exam? Will I be able to learn at high school?
- If you fulfil the requirements, then you can take the exam. However, the exam is only offered in Japanese. You cannot take the exam in a different language.
- Passing the exam will be difficult if you do not understand Japanese.
- Even if you are able to pass the exam, high school classes are taught entirely in Japanese. If you can’t understand Japanese, it will be difficult to keep up with classes. You should continue studying Japanese after getting into high school.
Q7. [Over School-age]
I graduated from junior high school in my home country and am now 16. I have no Japanese ability, so taking high school exams would be difficult. Can I enroll in and study at a junior high school?
- The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (the government office in charge of Japan’s education) says that “Even if you’re over 16, we will flexibly support you in entering junior high school.” We cannot guarantee that you will be able to enroll in a junior high school. We will have to contact the Sendai Board of Education.
- Those who understand Japanese can take high school transfer exams. If they pass, they can attend that high school.
- People who do not understand Japanese should prepare for high school entrance exams while studying Japanese.
Within Sendai City, you can study Japanese through classes offered by citizen-led organizations aimed to support Japanese language learning and high school entrance exams. At SenTIA, we will discuss your situation, share relevant information with you and help you decide on the next steps to take.