This article was written by the NIPPON VISA & LIFE editorial team based on information from public organizations such as the national government and local governments. Rules and fees may differ depending on the city, ward, town or village where you live.
In Japan, public elementary and junior high schools do not charge tuition, but notebooks, gym clothes, school lunch, school trips and other things cost money. For families who have difficulty paying these costs for financial reasons, there is a system called School Attendance Assistance (就学援助, shugaku enjo), in which the city, ward, town or village (市区町村) helps pay these costs. Where you apply differs depending on the municipality. For example, in Yokohama City and Osaka City, you submit the application form to the school your child attends.
The procedure for enrolling a child of foreign nationality in a public elementary or junior high school is explained in How to Enroll Your Foreign National Child in Elementary or Junior High School in Japan: Procedures, What to Bring and Costs at Public Schools. For an overview of child-rearing procedures, see The Basics of Raising Children in Japan: Pregnancy and Birth Procedures, Child Allowance, Checkups and Vaccinations, Nursery Schools and Kindergartens, Elementary and Junior High School.
The Short Answer: How to Apply for School Attendance Assistance
How to apply differs depending on the municipality. Here, based on information from Yokohama City and Osaka City, we show a common flow.
- Read the notice: Example: In Yokohama City and Osaka City, a “notice about the School Attendance Assistance system” is handed out at school. It is also posted on the municipality’s website.
- Fill in the application form: Fill in the application form attached to the notice.
- Submit it with the required documents: Attach documents that confirm your income and submit the form. Example: In Yokohama City and Osaka City, you submit it to the school your child attends.
- Wait for the result of the review: The municipality’s Board of Education reviews the application and notifies you of the result.
- Receive the assistance: If you are approved, the specified costs are covered.
School Attendance Assistance is set out in Article 19 of a law called the School Education Act. It says that municipalities must provide necessary assistance to parents or guardians of children who are recognized as having difficulty attending school for financial reasons.
(Source: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), “About the School Attendance Assistance System (School Attendance Assistance Portal Site)”, e-Gov Laws and Regulations Search, “School Education Act”)
Families Who Can Receive School Attendance Assistance
The families eligible for School Attendance Assistance are divided into two main groups.
| Category | What kind of family |
|---|---|
| Persons requiring protection (要保護者, yohogosha) | Families receiving public assistance (welfare), etc. |
| Persons in a situation close to requiring protection (準要保護者, jun-yohogosha) | Families recognized by the municipality’s Board of Education as living in hardship close to that of families receiving public assistance |
The standards for being recognized as a person in a situation close to requiring protection are set by each municipality. For this reason, even with the same income, the result may differ depending on the municipality where you live.
In municipal information, for example, the following families are listed as eligible.
- Families receiving public assistance (welfare)
- Families exempt from municipal resident tax (example: in the case of Osaka City)
- Families receiving Child Rearing Allowance (児童扶養手当, jido fuyo teate; an allowance paid to single-parent families and others)
- Families whose total household income is lower than the standard set by the municipality
Example: In the case of Yokohama City, the notice contains a table of income standards, but the city says the amounts in the table are only a “guide.” Because there is also a system in which a certain amount is deducted from income before the review, you may be approved even if your income is above the standard. Yokohama City advises families who are struggling financially to apply first.
(Source: MEXT, “About the School Attendance Assistance System”, Yokohama City, “About the School Attendance Assistance System”, Osaka City, “School Attendance Assistance for Elementary, Junior High and Compulsory Education Schools”)
Costs Covered by School Attendance Assistance
The costs that the national government covers with its subsidy include the following. Which costs are actually covered and how much is paid differ depending on the municipality.
| Cost | What it is |
|---|---|
| School supplies | Things used for studying, such as notebooks and pencils |
| Commuting supplies | Things used for going to and from school |
| School supplies for new students, etc. | Costs of preparing what is needed when entering elementary or junior high school |
| School trip costs | Costs of the school trip (an overnight trip taken with the school) |
| Out-of-school activity costs | Costs of activities held outside the school, such as excursions |
| School lunch costs | Costs of the school’s lunch (kyushoku) |
| Medical costs | Treatment costs for school diseases (specified illnesses such as tooth decay and middle ear infections) |
| Others | Physical education equipment, commuting costs, club activity costs, student council fees, PTA fees, graduation album costs, etc., and online learning communication costs |
Example: In the case of Yokohama City, to receive treatment for a school disease (the illnesses in the table above), you need a “treatment voucher” issued by the school. The city advises you to consult the school first.
(Source: MEXT, “About the School Attendance Assistance System”, MEXT, “School Attendance Assistance at the Compulsory Education Stage (Overview) (FY Reiwa 8)”, Yokohama City, “Notice about the School Attendance Assistance System (FY Reiwa 8)”)
How to Apply
Where to Apply
Where you apply differs depending on the municipality. For example, in Yokohama City and Osaka City, you submit the application form to the school your child attends.
- Example: In the case of Yokohama City, fill in the application form attached to the notice handed out at school, attach certificates and other documents, and submit it to the school. The applications are received by the administrative staff of each school.
- Example: In the case of Osaka City, you apply by bringing the form directly or sending it to the school your child attends or the school your child is going to attend.
If you do not have an application form, ask the school. In some municipalities, you can also download the application form from the municipality’s website.
When to Apply
When to apply differs depending on the municipality. Some municipalities accept applications around April, when the school year starts, and some allow you to apply in the middle of the school year.
| Example | When to apply |
|---|---|
| Yokohama City | The first application is in April. Additional applications are accepted from July to February 24 of the following year |
| Osaka City | If you apply by the end of June, you are approved from April 1. You can also apply from July onward, but approval applies only from the date you applied |
If you apply late, the period for which you can receive assistance may become shorter. When you receive the notice, read it soon.
Do You Need to Apply Every Year to Keep Receiving Assistance?
Example: In the case of Yokohama City, even if you want to keep receiving assistance, you need to apply every school year. In Yokohama City, families with two or more children submit one application form per child. Check whether your municipality also requires you to apply every year.
(Source: Yokohama City, “Notice about the School Attendance Assistance System (FY Reiwa 8)”, Osaka City, “School Attendance Assistance for Elementary, Junior High and Compulsory Education Schools”)
Required Documents and the Income Check
In the review, your household income (the amount left after deducting necessary expenses and other items from a year’s earnings) is checked. As documents that confirm your income, you may be asked for a tax certificate (課税証明書, kazei shomeisho; a document issued by the municipality that certifies your income and the amount of resident tax) or a withholding tax slip (源泉徴収票, gensen choshu hyo; a document issued by your company showing your salary for one year and the taxes deducted), among others.
How to get a tax certificate is explained in How to Get a Tax Certificate, Tax Exemption Certificate or Tax Payment Certificate in Japan: Which City Office to Ask, Fiscal Year vs. Income Year, Counter, Mail or Convenience Store, and If You Did Not File a Tax Return.
Example: In the case of Yokohama City, if you meet certain conditions and agree to let the Board of Education check your income and other information, you do not need to attach certificates. The conditions include being registered as a resident in Yokohama City on January 1 of that year and having filed your tax return under the same name as on your resident record (juminhyo).
Some people have just arrived in Japan and have no record of income in Japan. If you do not know which documents to submit, consult the school or the municipality’s Board of Education.
(Source: Yokohama City, “Notice about the School Attendance Assistance System (FY Reiwa 8)”)
When You Have Trouble: Frequently Asked Questions
Can Families of Foreign Nationality Apply?
According to MEXT’s explanation, School Attendance Assistance is for parents or guardians of children who are recognized as having difficulty attending school for financial reasons. No nationality requirement is mentioned. The information from Yokohama City and Osaka City also covers parents or guardians of children attending municipal elementary and junior high schools. Check the detailed conditions with your municipality.
What If I Cannot Read the Notice in Japanese?
Some municipalities provide notices in foreign languages. Example: In the case of Yokohama City, notices are available in easy Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese, Tagalog and other languages. MEXT also publishes explanations (flyers) of the system in easy Japanese and English. Search for “就学援助” on your municipality’s website, or ask the school whether a notice in a foreign language is available.
Can I Receive Money for Preparing for School Entry Before My Child Enters School?
Some municipalities pay money for preparing for school entry (school supplies for new students, etc.) before the child enters school. Example: Osaka City issues a separate notice and application form for children who will enter elementary or junior high school in the next school year (new first-year students). The city says that if you apply early and are approved, you are expected to receive the school entry preparation subsidy before your child enters school. Check whether your municipality allows you to apply before school entry.
What If My Child Attends a Foreign School or a Private School?
School Attendance Assistance is mainly for children attending public (municipal) elementary and junior high schools. Some municipalities have a separate system. Example: In the case of Yokohama City, when a child of foreign nationality living in the city attends a foreign school in the city (elementary or middle division), the child is eligible for the “Private School Attendance Encouragement System.”
What Happens with School Lunch Costs?
School lunch costs are one of the costs covered by School Attendance Assistance. How school lunch costs are handled differs depending on the municipality. Example: In the case of Yokohama City, the city says that in FY Reiwa 8, elementary school lunch is effectively free, and junior high school lunch becomes free once School Attendance Assistance is approved.
(Source: MEXT, “Overview of the School Attendance Assistance System (Easy Japanese Version)”, Yokohama City, “About the School Attendance Assistance System”, Osaka City, “School Attendance Assistance for Elementary, Junior High and Compulsory Education Schools”, Osaka City, “Notice about the School Attendance Assistance System for FY Reiwa 9 (Early Application 1)”)
Where to Ask about School Attendance Assistance
For inquiries about School Attendance Assistance, contact the school your child attends or the municipality’s Board of Education. MEXT also advises you to ask the municipality where you live for details such as the approval standards and the costs covered.
- Example: In the case of Yokohama City: the school your child attends, or the Enrollment Section, School Support and Community Partnership Division, Board of Education (phone 045-671-3270)
- Example: In the case of Osaka City: the school your child attends, or the Administrative Management Unit (School Attendance Support), School Management Support Center, Secretariat of the Board of Education (phone 06-6115-7653)
When searching, type “(name of your municipality) 就学援助” to find pages with notices and application forms.
Primary Sources Referenced in This Article
- Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), “About the School Attendance Assistance System (School Attendance Assistance Portal Site)”
- MEXT, “School Attendance Assistance at the Compulsory Education Stage (Overview) (FY Reiwa 8)”
- MEXT, “Overview of the School Attendance Assistance System (Easy Japanese Version)”
- e-Gov Laws and Regulations Search, “School Education Act”
- Yokohama City, “About the School Attendance Assistance System”
- Yokohama City, “Notice about the School Attendance Assistance System (FY Reiwa 8)”
- Osaka City, “School Attendance Assistance for Elementary, Junior High and Compulsory Education Schools”
- Osaka City, “Notice about the School Attendance Assistance System for FY Reiwa 9 (Early Application 1)”
This article is a translation of the original Japanese version.
