Foreign families preparing for April 2027 Tokyo high school entry must complete an official pre-application eligibility check in late 2026. The Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education conducts mandatory screening consultations in November and December 2026 for foreign students requiring Japanese language guidance. Taking these steps early ensures your academic transcripts, residency records, and stay durations meet municipal entrance requirements before formal application submission.
Who is eligible for the Tokyo foreign student high school selection?
What are the main requirements and residency conditions?
To qualify for the special selection of foreign students, applicants must require Japanese-language support and live in Tokyo with a parent or guardian. Alternatively, applicants must establish a Tokyo address by their actual high school enrollment date and commute directly from their Tokyo residence. Applicants interested in Hitotsubashi High School, Asakusa High School, Ogikubo High School, or Sunagawa High School face a modified rule: they must either live or work in Tokyo, and do not strictly need to share an address with their guardian.
Candidates must satisfy one of five background conditions detailing their educational history:
- Completing or expected to complete junior high school in Japan by March 31, 2027, with a stay of three years or less in Japan by the admission date.
- Previously graduated from a Japanese junior high school with three years or less in Japan by the admission date.
- Expected to complete or already completed equivalent secondary education in their home country by March 31, 2027.
- Holding a foreign passport while attending or graduating from an accredited foreign school inside Japan equivalent to a Japanese junior high school by March 31, 2027.
- Attending or graduating from an overseas Japanese school providing education equivalent to Japanese middle school by March 31, 2027.
How is the three-year stay in Japan calculated?
Under official guidelines from the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education, any student who first entered Japan on or after January 1, 2024, is legally classified as having lived in Japan for three years or less by the April 2027 entry date.
What dates and venues are scheduled for the 2026 eligibility checks?
Where and when do general metropolitan screening sessions take place?
The general pre-application screening takes place on the 5th floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Main Building No. 1 (Main Conference Hall) located at 2-8-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo. Before going upstairs, families must pick up a yellow entrance pass from event staff near the 1st-floor north elevator.
The designated dates and four daily time slots are:
- November 15, 2026 (Sunday)
- December 6, 2026 (Sunday)
- December 20, 2026 (Sunday) (Reserved exclusively for applicants whose verification could not be finished on November 15 or December 6)
Daily time slots for November 15 and December 6 feature fixed group capacities:
- Session 1: 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (Capacities: 30 on Nov 15; 40 on Dec 6)
- Session 2: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (Capacity: 50; last reception at 12:00 p.m.)
- Session 3: 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. (Capacity: 50)
- Session 4: 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Capacity: 120; last reception at 4:00 p.m.)
Reservations opened online on October 13, 2026. Applicants unable to attend these dates must call the Tokyo Education Consultation Center at 03-5320-6745 for assistance.
What is the schedule for Tokyo Metropolitan Kokusai High School IBDP?
Families seeking admission to the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) at Tokyo Metropolitan Kokusai High School must follow a distinct timeline. Starting from the 2027 admissions cycle, September admissions are eliminated, leaving April enrollment as the sole entry point. The IBDP course accepts 25 students in total (18 Japanese students and 7 international students).
IBDP eligibility checks take place directly at Kokusai High School on a first-come, first-served basis without prior appointments:
- November 21, 2026: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (Registration closes at 2:00 p.m.)
- December 12, 2026: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon (Registration closes at 11:00 a.m.)
Applicants residing abroad who cannot attend in person must email `kokusai.ibdp1@gmail.com` with the subject line "About the Eligibility Verification of IB Course". For the Kokusai IBDP online application, digital entries run from December 18, 2026, to January 18, 2027 (by 5:00 p.m.), paper documents must be submitted between January 8 and January 18, 2027, and exams are held on January 26 and 27, 2027.
What documents must foreign families bring to the screening?
Identification and residency records
Every family attending the general metropolitan screening listed under the Tokyo Foreign Student Admission Notice must bring:
- The completed Application Form for Pre-Application Eligibility Check (filled in Japanese or English).
- Passports and Residence Cards for both student and guardian. If renewed, bring your previous residence card to confirm original landing permission. If landing permission cannot be verified from the card (especially cards issued on or after June 14, 2026), officials will check passport entry stamps or official entry/exit records from the Immigration Services Agency of Japan.
- Certificate of Items Listed in Resident Record (Form Ō-3): Tokyo residents must present this document issued on or after November 1, 2026. Those moving to Tokyo later submit Form Ō-1 (Application for Approval of Application) during screening, followed by Form Ō-3 once relocated.
- Form Ō-5: Declaration Concerning Return to Home Country.
Academic certificates
Depending on the student's schooling background, you must present official school documents:
- Japanese Middle Schools: Student handbook or student ID card showing address and grade; certificate of expected graduation or graduation certificate.
- Foreign Schools in Japan / Local Schools Abroad: Complete academic transcripts of the final year, graduation/completion certificates proving 9 years of school education, or official certificates of expected completion.
- IBDP at Kokusai High School: Proof of nationality (passport or resident record) and official academic records for the most recent year including the grading scale.
How do language support and session reservations work?
Online reservation and interpretation languages
Attendance at the Metropolitan Government Building requires online pre-booking to prevent congestion. Interpretation services covering eight languages are available during screening:
- English, Chinese, Tagalog (Filipino), Nepalese: Available November 15 and December 6 (10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).
- Spanish, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean: Available December 6 (1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.).
For interpretation in other languages, requests had to be placed via telephone (03-5320-6745) by November 6, 2026.
Finding a place to stay
When relocating to Tokyo for high school enrollment, setting up stable housing before the academic term starts in April is essential. Families moving from abroad or other Japanese prefectures often need temporary, flexible accommodations while completing school eligibility checks and residency registration at municipal offices. OHAYO Stay offers furnished monthly apartments and rooms in Tokyo; most homes have a minimum stay of 30 nights (shown on each listing). Booking is simple online with a passport or ID and a credit card, eliminating traditional Japanese leasing hurdles like guarantors, key money, or agency fees. The monthly price includes electricity, gas, water and Wi-Fi, making it easy to focus on entrance exams and school setup.