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16 June 2026
Enrolling your child in school is one of the most reassuring milestones of a family move to Japan — and one of the most navigable, because the public system is set up to take foreign children. Public elementary and junior-high school is generally tuition-free and open to residents regardless of nationality, with enrolment handled through your local board of education. This guide explains the process, the documents, the April school year, the language support available, and when an international school makes sense instead.
Where to apply: Your municipality's board of education (教育委員会), at/near the ward office
Cost: Public elementary & junior-high: generally tuition-free; small fees for lunch, materials, trips
School year: Starts in April; three terms; transfers accepted mid-year
Bring: Residence cards, residence certificate (jūminhyō), child's records, vaccination records
Language: Many schools offer Japanese-as-a-second-language support for newcomers
Alternative: International / private schools — fee-paying, other curricula and languages
Compulsory education in Japan covers elementary school (6 years) and junior high school (3 years). While compulsory schooling is a legal duty for Japanese nationals, foreign children are welcomed into the public system and can attend free of tuition. The steps are straightforward:
Register your address at the ward office (the 14-day registration). The municipality knows your household and your child's age from this.
Visit the board of education (教育委員会) — often in the same building — and request enrolment. They assign your child to the designated local school based on your address.
Submit the documents and meet the school; the school arranges the start date and any support.
Because the assignment is address-based, the neighbourhood you live in determines the school — worth weighing on the Neighborhood Map if school catchment matters to you.
Residence cards for the child and parents.
Residence certificate (住民票) showing the registered address.
The child's prior school records if transferring (some translated).
Vaccination / health records — Japan tracks immunisations and school health checks.
Any forms the board of education provides at the visit.
Japan's school year starts in April and runs in three terms through to the following March. That said, you don't have to wait for April: schools accept mid-year transfers, so a child arriving in, say, October enrols into the current grade and joins straight away. Grade placement is generally by age.
A common worry is a child starting with little or no Japanese. Many municipalities and schools provide Japanese-as-a-second-language (JSL) support — extra lessons, support teachers, or initial guidance classes — and children, especially younger ones, often pick up conversational Japanese quickly through immersion. Ask the board of education and the assigned school specifically what support is available; provision varies by area.
If you want your child taught in English (or another language/curriculum such as IB, British, or American), international schools are the alternative. They're private and fee-paying — often a significant cost — and concentrated in larger cities. They suit families on shorter postings, those prioritising continuity of curriculum, or children for whom entering the Japanese system mid-education would be difficult. Factor the tuition into your family budget with the Budget Calculator.
Can foreign children attend Japanese public schools?
Yes. Public elementary and junior-high schools accept foreign children who are residents, generally without tuition. You enrol through your municipality's board of education after registering your address.
How do I enrol my child in a Japanese school?
Register your address at the ward office, then visit the local board of education (教育委員会) to request enrolment. They assign your child to the designated local school by address; you submit documents and the school arranges the start.
Is Japanese public school free?
Tuition at public elementary and junior-high schools is generally free, though families pay small costs for school lunch, materials, uniforms, and trips.
When does the Japanese school year start?
In April, running in three terms until the following March. Mid-year transfers are accepted, so your child can start as soon as you've enrolled, not only in April.
What if my child doesn't speak Japanese?
Many schools and municipalities offer Japanese-as-a-second-language support — extra lessons or support teachers — and younger children often acquire conversational Japanese quickly. Ask the board of education and the school what's available in your area.
What documents do I need to enrol my child?
Typically residence cards, your residence certificate (jūminhyō), the child's previous school records if transferring, and vaccination/health records, plus any forms the board of education provides.
What grade will my child be placed in?
Placement is generally based on age, matching the Japanese grade for that age. Discuss any special circumstances with the board of education and school.
Should I choose a public school or an international school?
Public schools are free, address-assigned, and immersive in Japanese — great for integration and longer stays. International schools are private, fee-paying, and teach in English or another curriculum — better for shorter postings or curriculum continuity. It depends on your length of stay, budget, and your child's needs.
Japan's public system is more open to foreign children than many families expect: register your address, visit the board of education, bring the documents, and your child has a place — often within days, and at no tuition. Weigh school catchment when you choose a neighbourhood on the Neighborhood Map, budget for school costs (or international-school tuition) with the Budget Calculator, and see how schooling fits the wider family move in Moving to Japan With Family.
Authoritative references: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT); your local city/ward board of education (教育委員会) for enrolment specifics.
This guide is general information, not official educational or legal advice. Enrolment procedures, documents, and language support vary by municipality and school and can change; confirm the current process with your local board of education before enrolling.