Enrolling Your Child in a Japanese School as a Foreign Family

Your options

Most children go to their local public school, which is free and teaches in Japanese. Other options are private Japanese schools, international schools teaching in English or another language, and schools for particular nationalities. International schools charge high fees, and not all of them are recognised as schools under Japanese law.

Enrolling at a public school

First, register your address at the city or ward office within 14 days of moving in. Then ask the board of education (kyōiku iinkai), usually at the same office, to enrol your child. Bring your residence cards and your child's passport. Foreign families apply rather than being enrolled automatically, but many cities send a school guide (shūgaku annai) to foreign families with school-age children.

The school is decided by your address. Children can join in the middle of the school year, so there is no need to wait for April.

Which grade your child joins

Children join the grade that matches their age, using the 1 April cut-off, the same as Japanese children. This can differ from their grade at home, especially for children with birthdays from January to March. If a child needs time to catch up, the school can agree to place them in a lower grade at first.

Japanese language support

Many schools offer Japanese lessons for children who need them (nihongo shidō), often by taking them out of some classes for small-group lessons. Support varies a lot by area: cities with many foreign residents may have interpreters, translated letters and preparation classes, while other schools have very little.

After junior high

High school is not compulsory, and places are decided by entrance exams. Some prefectures have special places or adapted exams for students who arrived in Japan recently. Ask about them early, ideally by junior high year 2.

Tips for families in Japan

Bring school reports and records from home. They help the school understand what your child has studied.
Ask for a school visit before the first day, and ask whether letters can be translated or sent through an app.
A translation app with the camera function makes the many printed school letters much easier to read.
Use the grade calculator on our School in Japan page to check which class your child will join.

Words you will hear

教育委員会 kyōiku iinkai: board of education
就学案内 shūgaku annai: school enrolment guide
転入 tennyū: moving into a school or city
日本語指導 nihongo shidō: Japanese language support
在留カード zairyū kādo: residence card

More on Parenting in Japan

Based on MEXT guidance on accepting foreign children in schools. Procedures differ by city. Rules, costs and dates vary by city and school, so check with your local office or school.

Enrolling a child in a Japanese school