• Placement with a carefully selected host family
• Enrollment in a local Japanese high school
• Airport transfers
• Domestic and international travel
• All pre-departure and post-arrival orientations
• Pre-program support by trained YFU staff
• Support from a YFU Japan Area Representative while on program
• Comprehensive insurance

Students will typically be placed in the first or second year at a Japanese high school. Most schools are quite large, averaging 500 to 1,000 students. You will likely study subjects like Japanese classics or contemporary Japanese language and you may also attend elective classes that include subjects such as art and calligraphy. You may attend club activities after school such as karate or judo.

Japanese schools are generally conservative and therefore the dress code in Japan may be stricter than you are used to. In Japanese schools, students do not have unnaturally dyed hair or eccentric hairstyles. Piercings, earrings, necklaces, and rings are not allowed in schools. Students cannot wear makeup, or perfume, or have visible tattoos. Female students cannot wear skirts above the knees or high heels. Male students should not have a beard or long hair. Schools in Japan almost always require uniforms. The cost of a school uniform and language training is included in the program tuition. All students will be placed in the appropriate language course as a result of a level check test at the arrival orientation.

Please note: Students may not be able to receive a transcript or a record of grades. Some schools can issue a certificate of attendance. Placement in a particular grade level, credit, or graduation cannot be guaranteed.

All students applying for the year program must be available for a mandatory 3-day National Pre-Departure Orientation*, which usually takes place in early-mid December. This orientation is a required part of the program aimed at preparing students for their experience overseas.

*Due to COVID-19, the 3-day National Pre-Departure Orientation described above may take place online dependent upon recommended guidelines at the time of the event. YFU will continue to assess the situation as it develops.

Upon arrival in Japan, students will participate in a 5-day orientation in Tokyo. All orientation costs are included in program tuition.

• 2025 Spring Departure: Students born April 2, 2007 – March 31, 2010.
• Students applying for the year program who will graduate from high school before the start of their program will not be considered for admission.

Japanese. One year of previous language study is required for long-term Japan programs. A Japanese correspondence course is included in program tuition for long-term program participants.

Students to Japan may be placed with a host family anywhere in the country, including the Okinawa Islands, in either a rural or suburban setting. Students are usually not placed in large urban centers.

• Placement with a carefully selected host family
• Enrollment in a local Japanese high school
• Airport transfers
• Domestic and international travel
• All pre-departure and post-arrival orientations
• Pre-program support by trained YFU staff
• Support from a YFU Japan Area Representative while on the program
• Comprehensive insurance

Students will typically be placed in the first or second year at a Japanese high school. Most schools are quite large, averaging 500 to 1,000 students. You will likely study subjects like Japanese classics or contemporary Japanese language and you may also attend elective classes that include subjects such as art and calligraphy. You may attend club activities after school such as karate or judo.

Japanese schools are generally conservative and therefore the dress code in Japan may be stricter than you are used to. In Japanese schools, students do not have unnaturally dyed hair or eccentric hairstyles. Piercings, earrings, necklaces, and rings are not allowed in schools. Students cannot wear makeup, or perfume, or have visible tattoos. Female students cannot wear skirts above the knees or high heels. Male students should not have a beard or long hair. Schools in Japan almost always require uniforms. The cost of a school uniform and language training is included in the program tuition. All students will be placed in the appropriate language course as a result of a level check test at the arrival orientation.

Please note: Students may not be able to receive a transcript or a record of grades. Some schools can issue a certificate of attendance. Placement in a particular grade level, credit, or graduation cannot be guaranteed.

All students applying for the year program must be available for a mandatory 3-day National Pre-Departure Orientation*, which usually takes place in early-mid December. This orientation is a required part of the program aimed at preparing students for their experience overseas.

*Due to COVID-19, the 3-day National Pre-Departure Orientation described above may take place online dependent upon recommended guidelines at the time of the event. YFU will continue to assess the situation as it develops.

Upon arrival in Japan, students will participate in a 5-day orientation in Tokyo. All orientation costs are included in program tuition.

• 2025 Fall Departure: Students born April 1, 2007 – April 2, 2010.
• 2025 Spring Departure: Students born April 2, 2007 – March 31, 2010.
• Students applying for the semester program who will graduate from high school before the start of their program will not be considered for admission.

Japanese. One year of previous language study is required for Japan’s long-term programs. A Japanese correspondence course is included in program tuition for long-term program participants.

Students to Japan may be placed with a host family anywhere in the country, including the Okinawa Islands, in either a rural or suburban setting. Students are usually not placed in large urban centers.

• Placement with a carefully selected host family
• Attend a Japanese high school (number of days in the high school will vary dependent on where your placement is made)
• Airport transfers
• Domestic and international travel
• All pre-departure and post-arrival orientations
• Pre-program support by trained YFU staff
• Support from a YFU Japan Area Representative while on the program
• Comprehensive insurance

All students applying for the summer program must be available for a mandatory Japan Pre-Departure Orientation*, which takes place just prior to the departure date. This orientation is specifically designed for American students studying in Japan and covers cultural elements such as food, language, etiquette, and arts. It is a required part of the program to prepare students for their experience in Japan.

*Due to COVID-19, the orientation described above may take place online depending upon recommended guidelines at the time of the event. YFU will continue to assess the situation as it develops.

• 2025 Summer Departure: TBD

Students should not have graduated before the start of the summer program.

Japanese. Previous language study is not required.

Students to Japan may be placed with a host family anywhere in the country, including the Okinawa Islands, in either a rural or suburban setting. Students are usually not placed in large urban centers.

Japan comes to life when you arrive for your six-week stay with your host family. Attending traditional tea ceremonies, practicing martial arts, and visiting local summer festivals are just some of the activities  YFU students to Japan may experience during their summer exchange. School is in session during our summer program in Japan so students may attend classes at their host high schools for a short duration. Students may attend and audit classes but are not officially enrolled in the school during their stay in Japan. Students will not receive report cards or evaluations of their performance.