Action plan for your child’s admission of public school in Japan

  • After you arrive in Japan, submit move-in notification to a municipality.
  • Go to a municipal board of education and inform your child has an intention to go to an elementary school
  • You receive Application Form for Enrollment of Non-Japanese Students” (Gaikokujin Jidou Seito Nyuugaku Shinseisho) or the “Guide for School Enrollment” (Shuugaku annai) (for children who will just start to attend school) at a municipal board of education.
  • Fill in the necessary information in the application form and submit it
  • You receive the “Enrollment Permit for Non-Japanese Students” by mail or on the spot at a municipal board of education.
  • Confirm the the name and address of the designated school.

Source of reference by the ministry of MIXT

A municipal board of education is mostly installed in a city office

In many cases, the municipal board of education is installed in a city office (municipal office) as an educational affair section, called “Kyomuka” (教務課). After you submit a move-out notification and check if your child wants to go to a Japanese public school, go to an educational affair section of a municipal office.

Your child can’t choose a school to go to

A board of education designates a school located within a walking distance from your house. To some extent, some choices of schools are given to your child if there are multiple schools near your house within walking distance.

Principally, public schools are divided by school district and a child needs to go to a school designated by a municipal board of education.

Things to take to a designated school

  • School Entrance Permission, “Gaikokujin jidou seito nyuugaku kyokasho” (外国人児童生徒入学許可書)
  • School ceritificate or document issued by a school that your child used to go to in your country.
    Such as the certificate of enrollment and transcript of records.

How much does public school expenses cost?

All the expenses I introduce here is purely about the things you must pay for for your child’s school life. I don’t contain any expenses that generates outside school such as private classes and additional extra education book and something like that.

Public elementary school expenses

104,484 yen (965.85 US dollars)

This is the average annual elementary school expense from 1st grade to 6th grade. As your child’s grade raise up, school expense will go up in proportion.

Public school expenses have tendency to become small if child population in school is large. In a school with a small number of children, expense burden per child tends to become big. The following is a rough breakdown of the above average annual public school expense.

School meal expenses 44,441 yen
School education expense 60,043 yen

Expense structure of public elementary school

The following table is more detailed breakdown.

Average annual public elementary school expenses
Expense type Amount
School fees Exempted
school trip, school outing, observation tour 6,738 yen
School contribution (Donation) 10,135 yen
Book, school things, training materials 19,049 yen
Extra-curricular activities 2,714 yen
Others 21,407 yen

Junior high school expenses

177,370 yen (965.85 US dollars)

This is the average annual junior high school expense from 1st grade to 3rd grade.

Rough breakdown of average annual junior high school expense
School meal expenses 133,640 yen
School education expense 43,730 yen

Expense structure of public junior high school

The following table is more detailed breakdown.

Average annual public elementary school expenses
Expense type Amount
School fees Exempted
school trip, school outing, observation tour 31,319 yen
School contribution (Donation) 133,640 yen
Book, school things, training materials 25,038 yen
Extra-curricular activities 13,994 yen
Others 27,375 yen

Source of reference from the school expense survey in 2016 by the minister of Mext

School things you need to prepare

Elementary school

School items Approximate price
School backpack (Randoseru) 40,000 yen ~
School hat 1,000 yen ~
Handkerchief pocket tissue 400 yen ~
Handbag (for gym uniforms) 900 yen ~
Indoor shoes 400 yen ~
Gym uniforms (for winter season and for summer season) 5000 yen ~ (2000 yen for summber season, 3000 yen for winter season)
Designated swimsuits 2,000 yen ~
A plastic sheet (to lean on when taking notes) 200 yen ~
Calligraphy tools 2000 yen ~
A sewing set 3000 yen ~
Soroban 800 yen ~
A paint set 3000 yen ~
Recorder (instrument) 1,800 yen
Disaster prevention hood which is a special hood that people are to wear during earthquakes and other disasters (Bousaizukin “防災頭巾”) 2,000 yen ~
Pianica 3,000 yen ~

Junior high school

There are some of items which can be used continuously even after graduation from elementary school. However, there is a case that the school request you to buy designated school things newly.

School items Approximate price
School uniforms (for winter season and for summer season) 40,000 (15,000 yen : uniform for summer season, 25,000 yen : uniform for winter season)
Cutter shirt 3,000 yen
school shoes 5,000 yen ~
Jerseys (for
Winter season and summer season)
10,000 yen (5000 yen : for each seasons)
School bag 15,000 yen ~
Handkerchief pocket tissue 400 yen ~
Gym bag 1,500 yen ~
Indoor shoes 2,000 yen ~
Gym uniforms (for winter season and for summer season) 5000 yen ~ (2000 yen for summber season, 3000 yen for winter season)
Designated swimsuits 3,000 yen ~
Calligraphy tools 2000 yen ~
A sewing set 3000 yen ~
Soroban 800 yen ~
A paint set 3000 yen ~
Recorder (instrument) 1,800 yen

These are the only basic things you must at least prepare prior to entering a school. Of course, your child needs something to write on and with for studying. Dictionary, calculator, and a pen case are, needless to say, prepared in advance.

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