Moving to Japan and bringing your family can seem like a dream come true in many ways. The Land of the Rising Sun is known for many things – beautiful sights, very friendly and polite people, mouth-watering cuisine – but it can also pose some difficulties for foreigners. If you have school-age children, then one of the most important things on your list is finding the right school for them. One thing that Japan is famous for is the high cost of living.
If you want to ensure that you manage your budget well and spend more than enough on your children’s school fees, understanding school fees in Japan for foreign students is a must. Here are some tips for you.
Read more about fees
Public schools are free. But you still have to spend money to buy uniforms, backpacks, and school supplies. However, if your child does not understand the local language, enrolling them in a public school is not ideal. International schools are more suitable, especially those that use English as a teaching tool. This makes the transition easier for your children, helps them adapt better at school, as it means they stand out less in a multicultural environment and catch up more quickly with their peers. However, private tuition fees average around 2,000,000 JPY per student, and this is for tuition only. There are additional costs that you have to pay.
Consider Scholarship
However, the good thing is that you can look at scholarships for education. If your children have excellent grades and are academically gifted, they have a good chance of winning. Several programs offer scholarships for international students. Make this list and discuss it with your children. Some of these scholarships may be aimed at students who are gifted and experienced in sports and others are ideal for those who demonstrate proficiency in the visual or performing arts. Find out which one is right for your children.
Choose the right school
Not all schools offer this scholarship, so this is another detail that you need to understand. Keep this in mind when looking at school options. If you still have time — if you don’t have to move to Japan yet — keep looking for schools that can provide educational scholarships that your children can attend. This can be one of the most important considerations to consider when deciding on a school.
Know All the Other Fees
Tuition fees are just one of the regular fees you pay when your children attend school in Japan. There are also building management fees and family committee fees that you have to cover. There are also special fees such as application fees, registration fees and development fees. These three additional fees are paid at once, so you don’t have to worry about adding to your tuition fees every semester or semester.
Think About Out-of-Pocket Costs
Another thing to worry about in terms of expenses is the cost of lunch because the children eat at school. There is also a fee for the school bus if you intend to take your child to school. That way you don’t have to leave it and pick it up later. While this may no longer be true now that students are returning to private tutoring, it will be a safety as it will allow you to get to work on time. Other costs include additional curriculum or training support courses, field trips, and donations.
Don’t Miss the Application Period
Now that you know your costs, you can create a budget. You can take your finances seriously and manage everything. When you and your family are ready to move, you must have made significant progress in preparing and where your children will go to school. Make sure you don’t miss the school’s application deadline. However, many are very flexible in accepting applications, even if your child does not enter until the second half of the school year. Not all schools allow this.
Gather the Requirements
If your children apply for scholarships, at some point make sure you can provide the correct documentation. Keep this in mind so that when they ask for documents, you know what they are talking about and you can easily purchase the documents. This is usually a document proving the family’s income level. Some educational grants are open to children from middle-income families, so your children have a chance.
We hope this information will help you understand how to manage your child’s school budget when enrolling them in an international school like GIIS Tokyo.