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Can i enroll in a Senior HS in Japan at 18? 2022/6/25 19:52
Hello guys, i am half filipino and half japanese (my father is a half so maybe 1/4?) so currently i am 17 right now, studying Japanese because i am planning to enroll next year. Is it possible? I know there are like schools that will just make me study to be able to enroll college but back in my home country i also haven’t graduated high school yet (i’ll be able to graduate by next year there if i continued my study and not came to Japan) i know i’m too old to enroll but i just want to finish high school atleast to get a little better job (also aiming for scholarships if possible) is it still possible? Thank you for the Answers..
by Hakuya01 (guest)  

Re: Can i enroll in a Senior HS in Japan at 18? 2022/6/26 15:01
Hi, do you have Japanese language skills, which is enough to take an enroll exam and attend classes in Japanese? Are you going to live in Japan with your family as a dependent? I know a woman who entered a Japanese high school at 50s but she is Japanese and have no problem with language.
by atsuina (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Can i enroll in a Senior HS in Japan at 18? 2022/6/26 16:07
If you’re talking about Japanese Language, i’m still starting N5 level (i guess) i have informed my KUMON instructor about my situation and she said she will try her best to make me atleast be N3 level by next year (i hope it’s fine but, i’ll try and get more details and information about Japanese outside too for extra knowledge) also, i’m doing part-time jobs for tuition fee and other expenses for my HS (I don’t want to burden my parents anymore) still living with them tho, but maybe, i’ll go and live on an apartment if needed and still continue to do part-time.
by Hakuya01 rate this post as useful

Re: Can i enroll in a Senior HS in Japan at 18? 2022/6/26 17:04
I mean whether your Japanese level is enough to take the enroll exam (able to read questions in Japanese), enough to understand what written in textbooks, enough to understand what teaches and classmates talk. Rather than JLPT. They are generally taught in Japanese although schools accept N3 level students might exist as your cram school teacher imply.

If your parents can't afford tuition, I am not sure your visa is granted. Scholarship are generally not for people who just want to go Japan. If you believe that part time work is enough for tuition, please be advised 200000yen of monthly income that some people in your country say is not accurate.

If I were you, I graduate in own country then try to enroll Japanese university.

Good luck with your study anyway.
by atsuina (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Can i enroll in a Senior HS in Japan at 18? 2022/6/27 03:40
I'm not sure if I understand your question, but you can enroll in a senior HS in Japan only if you haven't graduated any kind of senior HS. So, if you graduate your current senior HS, you won't be qualified to enroll in a Japanese one.

If you haven't graduated senior HS anywhere, and if you pass the entrance exam for that particular Japanese senior HS, then you could enroll. Keep in mind that senior HS is not completely free of charge even if it's a public one.

What I don't understand is the reason you wish to enroll in a Japanese HS when you're almost qualified to graduate a local one. Like the other poster suggested, if your language / academic skills are poor, you would only be able to enroll in low-level schools. And you may not be able to understand everything in class. Then, potential employers may not find you appealing.

If you're already going to school and want better jobs in the future, the best thing you can do is to finish the school you're attending, and focus on On the Job Training or proceed to college.

I hope it helps.
by Uco rate this post as useful

Re: Can i enroll in a Senior HS in Japan at 18? 2022/6/27 09:10
@atsuina

- Sadly my Japanese is not that good yet, i’m still studying. I’ve been doing part-time jobs (although idk if it’s still part-time since i do 8 hours for 5 days in a week, Saturday and Sunday are rest days 😅) for future expenses, i estimate it’s \140,000 a month (but they sure will be expenses like food, appliances and other stuff so it won’t be exactly like that) I am eligible for Permanent Visa here but i still need to be 3 years living in here for it be granted. And yes, i am one year away from graduation Senior High School in my Home Country but my mom really wanted me to go to Japan (something happened to my family in the past and they we’re here in Japan so it was really what they wanted, to bring us here so that they feel safe.) and so I can’t go back anymore. I’ll be doing my best for next, wish me luck..


@Uco

- I’m glad to hear that i can enroll i’m eligible to enroll in Senior High School though the problem is my Japanese skills 😭. And uhh, it’s tough. As you said, my aim is to appeal potential employers or maybe aim for scholarships and it’ll be tough in my situation. Damnn, how it sucks to be not be able to understand Japanese better 😭.. and i said above, i’m not in a High School anymore, I’m only doing part-time jobs preparing for next year. Still, thanks for the answers, both of you. I appreciate it. For real…
by Hakuya01 rate this post as useful

Re: Can i enroll in a Senior HS in Japan at 18? 2022/6/27 11:07
I am eligible for Permanent Visa here

I don't know much about Japan visa and what permanent visa you mean. But if you mean a permanent resident status (permission), I am wondering one for a HS student whose income is from part time work or who wants count on scholarship is granted or not. I don't generalize what I know and I am aware that I may have misunderstood what permanent resident status is, but to me, permanent residents I understand are non-students/trainees who is financially independent or a dependents of somebody who is financially independent and able to support.

You said also that you want to graduation for a better job but if you mean a job in Japan, then you may realize HS graduation is not enough at job hanting. Many decent jobs with proper amount of reward require you a BA degree today. Yes, there are many workers without a degree but they have difficulties to be independent financially.

In rural regions, expense for living and studying can be less than 140,000 yen but in such areas, there are not jobs available. Even if you find one, income is limited and may not be stable because you are a student who work at spare time. Your intention to be in Japan is study, right? At the same time, actual living cost may even more expensive if a place you reside require jijikai membership (to be allowed to dispose trash), a car (as no public transportation available) etc.

Sorry for writing negative things being off the topic, but I really want to share information on reality since I know many Filipino young encounter financial problems in Japan as a result they go to Japan without knowledge, being a student.
by Jipo (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Can i enroll in a Senior HS in Japan at 18? 2022/6/27 12:35
Hakuya01, I'm confused about something. Are you currently living in Japan, or in another country?

If you are living in Japan and did not graduate from high school in your own country, then yes, you should be eligible to enroll in a Japanese high school. The key word here is "eligible." Depending on factors such as your test scores and ability to pay tuition a school may or may nor accept you, but at the very least you will be eligible. It would probably be a good idea to talk to someone at your city hall in Japan, or the local board of education, to get advice on what you need to do in order to get accepted by a school and for a plan to do it.

If, on the other hand, you are living outside Japan, your path to enrolling in a Japanese school may be more complicated. You will need to not only find a school that will accept you, but also sponsor your visa for living in Japan, since passing a school entrance exam alone does not guarantee you a visa.
by . . . . (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Can i enroll in a Senior HS in Japan at 18? 2022/6/27 13:08
Yes, things will be more hard if you are living outside Japan and enroll a school from there, regardless Nyugaku or Hennyu. You once need to go to Japan with a temporary visitor visa to take the exam, which should be around January to early March 2023 as long as you want to enroll the next yeah. Nobody knows if Japan will open its borders for temporary visitors.
by Jipo (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Can i enroll in a Senior HS in Japan at 18? 2022/6/27 13:31
You mentioned also 'permanent visa', are you saying a permanent resident status (permission) or Eiju Shikaku? If so, are you sure a HS student whose live with part time working or scholarship can have it? My understanding of PR isn't like that.

As for expenses for living and studying, it can be less than 140,000 yen if you live in a very rural region and try to be frugal but in such a place, I don't think there is a job available and a school which takes care of students who need language support with English speaking staff. Even if you find a job, income should be low and not stable as you, a student work at spare time. You will need to count on your parents financially.

I hope things go well for you and your family. I am sure your Japanese will be better and it changes your situation, you are still young.
by JipoJip (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Can i enroll in a Senior HS in Japan at 18? 2022/6/27 14:30
@. . . .

- Sorry if i’m confusing you but i am currently in Japan right now. My mom has a friend who has a son that started to attend school here from young age till HS graduation. So she asks her more often about this but i’ll tell her about asking advice to the Local Board of Education.


@Jipo

- I see, but Thankfully i’m already in Japan. Still, thanks for the information.


@JipoJip

- I don’t know since i’m new here but i’m guessing a permanent resident status is what they have, and so i also assumed i’m eligible for it. My mom and dad have a stable work and they said i should also have a job to make the PR or something to think that we are financially stable and will allow us for it. And also, i think they said i need to live here for more than 3 years before applying for permanent. I don’t know about english staff in a school but i’ll just try and get by or work more harder in my Japanese. I’ll just… Hope they are friendly. And thanks for cheering me, i also hope everything goes well.

by Hakuya01 rate this post as useful

Re: Can i enroll in a Senior HS in Japan at 18? 2022/6/27 15:29
I don't is it true.. when I ask a question to my uncle.
Can I Enroll in Senior High School in Japan at 18?: With a simple and convenient online application, it is easy to apply for a senior high school in Japan. Use the search function to find your perfect school.

and can I where a Japanese flag jacket?
https://www.williamjacket.com/product/rip-wheeler-the-yellowstone-blac...
by jeams william (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Can i enroll in a Senior HS in Japan at 18? 2022/6/27 15:50
Oh I see, you are already in Japan. In case that you do that 8h x 5days work in Japan and your parents have stable income, scholarship is not for you. But there could still be a chance to study, my friend who has a Japanese grandmother moved to Japan at childhood and attended a Tsushinsei High School. English speaking staff exist probably in big cites only and it is only particular junior schools and elementary schools, but your Japanese shall be better.

P.S sorry for being off the topic a lot
by Jipo (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Can i enroll in a Senior HS in Japan at 18? 2022/6/27 19:04
「@. . . .
- Sorry if i’m confusing you but i am currently in Japan right now. My mom has a friend who has a son that started to attend school here from young age till HS graduation. So she asks her more often about this but i’ll tell her about asking advice to the Local Board of Education.」

No prob, and thanks for the clarification!

Just to confirm, by "I am currently in Japan right now," you mean you're living here on a resident visa, not just staying in Japan as a temporary visitor, right? If so, then you should be eligible for high school enrollment. What I mean by that is there aren't any rules preventing someone in your situation (an 18-year-old who is living in Japan and did not already graduate from high school in their own country) from enrolling in a Japanese high school.

However, it's important to remember that high school is not part of mandatory education in Japan, and so enrollment is not guaranteed, even for public high schools (sort of like how there are public universities that still require people to apply/test in and pay tuition).

Because of your academic background you will likely have fewer options in terms of Japanese high schools you can get accepted to. You said that, by your own estimate, you're currently at about an N5-level of Japanese language proficiency, which is quite a bit below the language skills an average 18-year-old native Japanese high school student would have, and thus below the level of language used by teachers, textbooks, and entrance exams. Depending on possible differences between your home country's educational system and Japan's there may also be differences in your proficiency level in other subjects compared to certain Japanese high schools’ standards. For example, odds are your elementary and middle schools in your home country schools didn’t cover Japanese history as thoroughly as elementary and middle schools in Japan do, and so your knowledge of that subject is probably below what most Japanese high schools expect of their incoming students.

This is not to say you’ll be rejected by/unable to get accepted by ALL Japanese high schools, but just that realistically you probably have fewer options than a native Japanese person would if they were also looking to enroll in a Japanese high school at the age of 18. That’s the reason why I recommend talking to someone at city hall or the board of education, so that they can steer you toward schools where you have a reasonable chance of being accepted given your situation.
by . . . . (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Can i enroll in a Senior HS in Japan at 18? 2022/6/27 21:12
Ah! So, you're living in Japan, and you want to get some kind of HS education as opposed to no education. Am I right?

If so, the first place you want to consult is either your local city hall or your local board of education. They will be able to lay out all your options and how you may achieve them.

If I were you, I'd be quick at it, so that I'd know which direction to head to. For example, schools often provide entrance exams mid-term.

And it's not at all impossible to enroll in Japanese public HS even if your language skills are poor. Your new school may not be as good as the one you had been attending in your home country, but it's better than no education.

I'm sure your parents have it all figured out, but you're 17 and it's about you. If you have concerns, talk to public organizations yourself.

A lot of municipals also have language assistance for those who wish to talk to public organizations such as city halls and BOEs. Ask at the your city hall, or your local public international exchange lounge. What city are you in anyway?
by Uco rate this post as useful

Re: Can i enroll in a Senior HS in Japan at 18? 2022/6/27 23:01
my guess is that OP is probably on 定住者ビザ. since there is an age limitation (before 18), OP came to Japan with quitting senior high school for the sake of getting the resident status.
by ken (guest) rate this post as useful

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