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School in japan with japanese citizenship 2020/2/27 14:19
Im a 12th grade in the u.s and i have a japanese citizenship and i want to study in japan , tokyo or okinawa, but i dont speak japanese well enough to enter as a regular student but i cant find a college or highschool that teaches in english that isnt only a study abroad program please help!
by Julie (guest)  

Re: School in japan with japanese citizenship 2020/2/27 17:17
First do you have family in Japan.
If you do not speak Japanese it would be a challenge to find a school
Since you are not living in Japan this makes it more difficult.

School in Japan are mandatory to provide education to minors unless the school can not provide such support. In this case a) school can refuse you, b) you are allowed to enter but will leave school fast since you cannot follow.

The best option is international school in Japan which provides English lessons.
international schools are private and expensive.

You can also keep studying in the country where you are and find a school which has an exchange program, but those are often universities.

Another option is study hard and enroll a university in Japan, which has English course.
by justmyday rate this post as useful

Re: School in japan with japanese citizenship 2020/2/27 19:53
Some high schools can coordinate study abroad or exchange style programs, so you should check with your guidance counselor.

But school in Japan is compulsory only up through what is 8th grade in the US (3rd grade of middle school). High schools can be either public or private, but both require passing an entrance exam, and the more prestigious ones interviews and other requirements. I think it would be very difficult for you to find a school that will just randomly accept you, especially without much Japanese. An exchange would be better.

Alternately, check your local universities or community colleges for Japanese classes. High school students can often get a discounted tuition to attend classes. You can work on your language skills and also get some class credits that might even go towards college in the future should you choose to go to one.

Also, if you DO have family here, it would be easier to contact them and see if they can do some research on schools in their area. Otherwise, how are you planning to live over here? It will be smoother if you have family to help.
by scarreddragon rate this post as useful

Re: School in japan with japanese citizenship 2020/2/28 08:11
12th grade - not mandatory. And those entrance exams are tough - I spent a week helping my friends' son trek across Tokyo going to exams trying to get into a good school (with some success). Of course he speaks/reads Japanese.
by JapanCustomTours rate this post as useful

Re: School in japan with japanese citizenship 2020/2/28 13:54
With such limited information you are providing us, it is difficult to help. We don't even know if you just want to take a 編入試験 to do one final year of Japanese senior high just for experience, or if you are willing to start from the first of the three senior high years so that you can do some full-fledged Japanese studying, or if someone is willing to pay for an international school for your final couple of months until June.

Just for your reference, here is a list of senior high schools throughout Japan that have 帰国子女枠.
https://www.edubal.net/eduexaminfo_cat/hse/

Lastly, if you happen to be expecting to live in Japan because the circumstances of your parents are forcing you to, don't worry about it. There are many many ways to survive. Surely, change might be tough, but your teenage years are such a tiny part of your long and beautiful life, even if it doesn't seem that way when you're young.
by Uco rate this post as useful

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