As someone who has worked as a teacher at a private high school in Japan, guiding students through career choices and entrance exam preparation, and later as an admissions officer at a private Japanese university recruiting international students, I have seen both sides of the journey. From the classroom to the admissions office, I have witnessed how Japanese students spend their high school years and how those experiences shape them before entering university. For international students, understanding this background is more than just cultural knowledge — it is a way to connect more deeply with Japanese classmates and to appreciate the effort and discipline that define their path to higher education.
The daily life of Japanese high school students preparing for university is far more intense. Their routines evolve dramatically from Grade 1 to Grade 3, shaped by study hours, entrance exams, and the unique hensachi system.
Grade 1: Exploration and Balance
- Students begin high school with a balance of academics and club activities.
- Study time is relatively light — 1–2 hours per day outside school.
- Many focus on building friendships, joining sports or cultural clubs, and adjusting to new responsibilities.
- University preparation is not yet urgent, but students start to hear about hensachi as a measure of academic level.
- Students who are highly motivated to enter university often begin attending open campus events as early as their first year of high school. In fact, some high schools even assign participation in open campus programs as part of their summer homework, encouraging students to explore university life and start thinking seriously about their future paths.
Grade 2: Building Momentum
- Academic pressure increases, with 2–3 hours of study daily plus regular homework.
- Many students begin attending juku (cram schools) to strengthen weak subjects.
- Club activities remain important, but some students reduce participation to focus more on academics.
- This is the stage when students start seriously considering university options — comparing prestige, location, and hensachi requirements.
- Many Japanese high school students use the results of mock exams, whether taken at their own school or at external testing centers, to understand their hensachi (deviation score). This score then becomes an important reference point when choosing which universities to apply to, helping them match their academic level with the entrance requirements of different institutions.
Grade 3: Full Commitment
- The final year is dominated by exam preparation.
- Study hours rise to 4–6 hours daily on weekdays and 7–10 hours on weekends.
- Club activities are often minimized or stopped entirely.
- Students aiming for elite universities like Tokyo or Kyoto may accumulate 3,000–3,500 total study hours before graduation.
- Family support becomes crucial, with parents providing meals, encouragement, and quiet study environments.
- In the third year of high school, career guidance meetings are held involving the homeroom teacher, the student, and the parents. These three-way discussions are an important step in deciding future pathways and preparing for university entrance.
- Some high schools in Japan also provide practice sessions for interview-based university admissions, giving students the opportunity to rehearse interview skills and prepare for this increasingly common entrance format.
Admissions Pathways in Japan
Currently, more Japanese university students enter through interview-based or recommendation-style admissions than through traditional written exams. In fact, by 2025, over half of entrants (53.6%) were admitted via holistic or school recommendation pathways, most of which already included interviews, while written exam–only admissions are shrinking.
▶Written Exams
- Still dominant at national universities and highly competitive faculties.
- Conducted between February and March, focusing on academic knowledge.
- Required hensachi levels: 65–70+ for elite institutions (Tokyo, Kyoto, Keio, Waseda).
▶Recommendation Admissions
- Based on high school grades, teacher endorsements, and interviews.
- Popular among private universities.
- Often completed by December, before regular exams.
▶Holistic / AO Admissions
- Evaluate motivation, essays, extracurricular activities, and interviews.
- Already included interviews in 92.6% of cases by 2025.
- Designed to assess qualities beyond test scores.
▶Interview-Based Admissions
- Growing rapidly, especially at private universities.
- By 2025, 77.4% of recommendation-based admissions included interviews.
- From 2027 onward, interviews will be mandatory in all holistic and recommendation pathways.
Admissions Trends
- Majority shift: More than half of students now enter university through non-written exam routes.
- Policy change: The Ministry of Education (MEXT) has mandated interviews in early admissions starting 2027, reinforcing holistic evaluation.
- Future outlook: Even general entrance exams at some universities (e.g., Tsukuba) are adding interviews, meaning written exams alone will become rare.
Hensachi and University Choice
- Hensachi is the deviation score used to rank students and universities.
- Elite universities (Tokyo, Kyoto, Keio, Waseda): Require hensachi 65–70+.
- Mid-level universities: Admission ranges around hensachi 50–60.
- Interview-based admissions: Many private universities accept students with hensachi 45–55, focusing more on interviews and essays.
Students choose universities based on:
- Prestige and ranking
- Hensachi benchmarking
- Location (close to home vs. Tokyo/Osaka)
- Faculty and programs aligned with career goals
- Cost and scholarships
- Entrance format (written vs. interview)
Transition to University
After exams end in March, students enjoy a long break before university begins in April. Many take part-time jobs, travel, or spend time with friends. Moving into dormitories or apartments marks the beginning of independence and adult life. Japanese students who want to interact with international classmates often join the International Exchange Club at their university. By becoming members, they can participate in language exchanges, cultural activities, and social events that bring Japanese and international students together.
