Legal Framework for Japanese University Admission Qualifications Reference Document 1 School Education Act, Article 90, Section 1 ・Those who graduate high school or secondary education school ・Those who have completed twelve years of school education under an ordinary curriculum ・Those who are recognized to have scholastic ability equal or higher than these Qualification for admission to Japanese university is granted if any of these conditions hold. School Education Act, Enforcement Regulations, Article 150 ・Person completed 12 years of school education curriculum overseas or person pursuant to the mentioned above. ・ Person completed an overseas education facility certified as being equivalent to high school ・ Person completed upper secondary course at a specialized training college as designated separately by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology ・ Person passed High School Equivalency Examination (formerly Daiken) ・ Person accepted by university through its individual admissions vetting process and reached age 18. MEXT Notice No. 153 ・Person passed a academic qualification exam equivalent to having completed 12 years of curriculum in the foreign country ・Person completed a foreigner’s school located in Japan that is designated as a school equivalent high school ・Person completed school curriculum in foreign countries corresponding to high school as designated by MEXT* ※Added by legal amendment in March 2016 Japan’s School Organization Chart School Year Reference Document 1 Age 24 Graduate School 18 23 13 10 3 2 10 ( Middle School Elementary School 1 11 9 8 7 ( 6 5 4 3 2 1 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 In principle, completion of 12 years of education is required to enter a Japanese university. By legal amendment in March 2016, however, MEXT confers Japanese university admissions qualifications to those who have completed the designated school even if your country’s duration of primary and secondary education is 11 years. Preschool education Kindergarten 17 Primary education 4 Specialized traiing colleges (Upper secondary course) Lower 5 18 12 Upper 6 Compulsory education 7 19 School under compulsory education 8 20 ( Lower 9 High School 21 Secondary education 11 ( Upper Secondary education 12 22 Colleges of technology University 14 Junior College 15 Professional training colleges 16 Higher education 17