Schooling Options
Welcome to the OIST Schooling Options webpage. The purpose of this page is to provide members of the OIST community with information regarding schooling options for their school-age children (ages 6-18). While the education coordinator makes every attempt to update this page regularly, we strongly encourage you to email for the most up-to-date information or schedule a consultation.
Note: When considering your schooling options in Japan, it can be helpful to think of the "big picture". Where do you expect your children to go to high school? What about university? Consider elementary and junior high school options carefully with these questions in mind.
Please note that High School education is not compulsory, which also means it is not guaranteed, and that is why these questions are so important to consider.
Current Education Coordinator: Anne Hendler
CLICK HERE for office hours.
Onna Elementary School
- School website
- Map explaining Onna Elementary School registration eligibility (pdf)
- Enrollment process for kindergarten and elementary school
International Schooling Options
- International School FAQs
- School Fees Comparison Chart (by request)
- School Curriculums
- School Websites
- Virtual International Schools Presentation (log in only)
OIST School Subsidy (log in only)
Educational Websites (official)
- One Day in Elementary School in Japan (video)
- Videos for children starting elementary school (MEXT - multilingual)
- Guide for foreign students to start school (MEXT summary)
- Guide for foreign students to start school (MEXT document)
- Ministry of Justice Life in Japan Guidebook (multilingual)
- Public elementary school enrollment guidebook
Useful Websites for OIST Parents
- OIST Resource Center
- Educational websites and apps (log in only - for more useful websites, see the "Parents" tab)
- Website for parents with children in public school (2017, EN)
- Website explaining public and private high school education in Japan (EN)
OIST International Classroom
Compulsory Education in Japan:
The Japanese school year is from April to March.
Elementary and Middle school are both part of compulsory education in the Japanese school system. Education in Japanese schools follows a curriculum designated by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). However, education through middle school (9th Grade in the Japanese System), is only compulsory for Japanese citizens.
For foreign residents of Japan, schooling is optional to give them more flexibility (including home-schooling, international schooling, boarding schools, private tutoring, or any combination of those). For more information, see Useful Websites for Parents.
Schooling Options in Okinawa: Overview
There are three types of schools for each level of education: Public, Private, and International. Please click the links below for more information on each.