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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