Enrollment in Municipal Elementary/Junior High Schools

Inquiries: School Management Support Section, School Management Division

●To Enter
Compulsory education in Japan includes six years of elementary school and three years of junior high school for a total of nine years from 6 to 15 years of age.
Although foreign children are not obligated to receive compulsory education, if you are a foreign resident and would like to enroll your child in a Japanese school, you can apply for admission. Please bring your and your child’s residence cards and other necessary documents and consult with the Board of Education.

●Education Fees
There is no charge for enrollment, classes, or textbooks for municipal elementary or junior high schools. However, parents must bear the cost for school supplies, school lunches, field trips, and excursions. If you have financial difficulty in meeting these costs, there are subsidies available to cover educational expenses depending on income.
For more information, please contact the School Management Support Section of the School Management Division of the Board of Education.

For Children Who Need Special Support

Inquiries: Special Support Education Section, Education Support Division

For enrollment or transfer into a school for a child who needs special attention, such as when a child has a physical or mental disability, a school support committee provides counseling.
Shinjuku City also has the following facilities:

• Manabi Classrooms (special education support classrooms) for developmentally disabled children
• Special support classes for students with mental disabilities
• Shinjuku Municipal School for Disabled Children for those with disabilities in the arms and legs

Consultations on enrollment or transfer into metropolitan special-needs schools are also available.

The Educational System in Japan

Basic education in Japan includes six years of elementary school, three years of junior high school, three years of high school, and four years of college.
Of these, elementary and junior high school education are compulsory. Although foreign residents are not obliged to go to school, parents may enroll or transfer their children into an elementary or junior high school in Shinjuku City.
As a rule, admission to high school and university (for those who choose to go) is by examination.
In Japan there are also nursery schools and kindergartens for preschoolers, and vocational schools and other schools with the goal of teaching special skills and trades, mainly for junior and senior high school graduates. There are also schools that provide special support to the disabled.
Schools are divided into three types: national, public (metropolitan/prefectural/municipal), and private.
All grades begin the academic year in April and end in March of the following year.

April 1, 2022