mailCONTACT US
This is an introduction to how to make inquiries about school exchanges as part of a Japan Educational Travel program and how to apply for these school exchanges.
Before inquiring, please check the frequently asked questions section.
1. Inquiries about Exchange with Japanese Schools
Please refer to the following contacts for questions related to exchange with Japanese schools.
forumInquiries to Japanese Local Governments
If your school has prior experience of completing an educational travel to Japan:
Please contact directly to the office of the prefecture in the desired location.
* You may also be required to submit an application form specific to the relevant prefecture.
A list of local governments that handle school exchanges as part of Japan Educational Travel.
forumInquiries to JNTO
If your school has no prior experience of completing an educational travel to Japan:
Please contact JNTO if you have any general questions relating to educational travels to Japan and/or school exchanges.
- We do NOT arrange the itinerary or accommodation during your stay in Japan. We only assist in finding a host school for the exchange.
- We do not offer individual study abroad.
- We only provide support in Japanese and English.
| JNTO Global Projects Section | E-mail：education@jnto.go.jp (Japanese & English Support) |
|---|
2. Apply to Search for a Host School
If you are considering only one prospective destination (prefecture) for your school exchange:
The prefectural contact office will search for your host school in Japan. Please read all the precautions on this page and apply directly to the office of the prefecture in the desired location.
If you are considering multiple prospective locations (prefectures) for your school exchange:
Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) can apply to the prefectural contact offices on your behalf. Please read all the precautions on this page and agree to the contents before filling out all required items and submitting the application form from this page.
■
Applicants eligible to search for host school
remove addApplicants who are eligible for the host school search must belong to one of the following groups:
- Teachers from schools outside of Japan who wish to visit Japan to conduct an exchange program with a Japanese school
- Travel agency employees in or outside of Japan who have received a request for arrangements from ① above and are fully familiar with the details of the arrangements
- Employees of a travel agency outside of Japan that organizes and sells tours featuring exchange programs with Japanese schools.
The following applicants are not eligible for the host school search:
- Individual applicants
- Applicants who only wish to visit a school without conducting an exchange program at a Japanese school.
■
What to prepare ahead of the application
remove add1. When applying to the prefectural contact office:
- Application form for the prefecture (please send an e-mail to the prefectural office expressing your desire for a school exchange → fill out the application form provided by the prefectural office and submit it)
- An itinerary detailing the schedule for each day during the educational trip to Japan, including departure and arrival flights and times, destinations and times for visits, places and times for meals, hotels, transportation within Japan, etc. (to be submitted with the application form)
- Documents, e-mails, etc. confirming that airline tickets have been reserved for all participants (to be submitted with the application form)
- Documents or e-mails, etc. confirming that hotels in Japan have been reserved for all participants (to be submitted with the application form).
2. When applying through JNTO:
Please send only the application form on this page and ② above.
*The application form and supporting documents will be shared with prospective host schools.
■
Unfavorable periods for school exchanges
remove add
●
School vacation times (dates may vary slightly depending on the region and school)
- Summer vacation: Late July to late August
- Winter vacation: Late December to early January
- Spring vacation: Mid-March to early April
●
Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays
●
Around the beginning of the new school year (mid-March to early May = cherry blossom season)
●
During and around examination time at junior high and high schools (dates may vary slightly depending on the region and school. The following applies to schools with a three-semester system)
- Mid-term examinations for the first semester: Mid-May to late May
- Final examinations for the first semester: Late June to early July
- Mid-term examinations for the second semester: Late September to early October
- Final examinations for the second semester: Late November to early December
- Final examinations for the third semester: Late February to early March
●
On days scheduled for entrance ceremonies, graduation ceremonies, commencement ceremonies, closing ceremonies, and other school events
■
Application Deadline
remove add
Please submit the application at least 3 months (90 days) prior to the desired date of the school exchange.
*If you do not apply at least 3 months (90 days) in advance, the application may be rejected by the prefectural office.
*If you do not apply at least 3 months (90 days) in advance, the application may be rejected by the prefectural office.
■
Process after submission
remove add
The process from the submission of the application form leading to the day of the school exchange is as follows. (90 days or more required)
- Find a host school through the prefectural contact office
- Host school discusses and approves the school exchange
- Host school finalized
- Discuss the schedule for the day of the exchange between the two schools in advance
- If necessary, students from both schools prepare and practice performances, presentations, etc.
If the schedule for the day of the school exchange is to be planned in detail, the process may take more than 3 months to complete.
■
Requests we cannot respond to
remove add
●
Schools that are included in the search are elementary, junior high, and high schools, as well as vocational schools for these age groups. Universities are not included in the search process in many prefectures.
●
Please note that it may not be possible to find a host school due to the school’s schedule or other circumstances on the Japan side. （The submission of an application does not guarantee placement in a host school.)
●
Students from schools and grades that are not listed on the application and have not been approved by the host school will not be allowed to participate in the exchange program. (The school, grade, and participating students must be decided by the time the application is submitted.)
●
Prefectural contact offices and JNTO will only be involved in finding a host school in Japan. JNTO will not be involved in all other arrangements (accommodation, homestay, transportation, meals, sightseeing, training, observation, insurance, medical care, guides, interpreters, visas, religious services, etc.). Please arrange through a travel agency.
●
Since the prefectural contact office and JNTO are only involved in finding a host school, we will not be responsible for the tour itinerary or content of any educational tours to Japan arranged or organized by the applicant. JNTO will also not approve or guarantee the tour itself.
●
If the application is submitted one year in advance across school years, some prefectures may not accept the application due to reasons such as class formation ahead of the new school year.
■
Please ensure to avoid these actions
remove add
●
To accommodate students from overseas schools, the host school in Japan aligns the exchange schedule with their annual events. Once the application is submitted, please avoid changing the schedule, canceling the exchange, or making last-minute cancellations on the exchange day.
●
If you have already applied to a specific prefectural office to arrange a host school for a particular date, please refrain from applying to another prefectural office for a host school on the same date.
■
Other points to note
remove add
●
Prefectural offices will find a host school in Japan free of charge, but there are certain conditions, such as staying overnight in the relevant prefecture, which must be confirmed and adhered to.
●
Please avoid setting the school exchange on the day of your arrival in Japan so that it is not impacted by flight delays and other unforeseen circumstances.
●
If you have plans before or after the school exchange, please be sure to allow sufficient buffer time.
●
JNTO manages personal information in accordance with the following privacy policy. Please be sure to read through and understand it.
https://www.japan.travel/en/privacy-policy/
https://www.japan.travel/en/privacy-policy/
Obtain the JNTO Application Form
If you are considering multiple prospective locations (prefectures) for your school exchange and would like to apply to the prefectural contact offices via the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), please confirm the information below and click the button to obtain an application form.
createHow to Fill Out the Application Form
Please fill in the following information:
- The name of the school that is applying for a school exchange, as well as the full name, country and address of the representative.
- The school type, the school’s total number of students, and total number of teaching staff.
- The characteristics of the school.
- Choose from four options on the form, and indicate the Japanese language learning.
- Details of your travel agent and reserved flights. (If you are requesting an in-person exchange)
- Details of conditions related to the requested exchange school.
- Details about the school’s web environment. (If you are requesting an online exchange)
- The ages and number of students who will be participating in the school exchange. Please also fill in the number of teachers and guides who will lead the students, and others.
- Details of the requested prefecture and exchange date.
- If there are possibilities of cancellation, please describe briefly.
