Everything You Need to Know When Applying for Nursery School in Japan - From Documents Required to Consultation Services Available for Foreigners 

When parents with small children look for a daycare center in Japan, they are often at a loss as to where to start looking. This article  will help all foreign national parents  with the steps to enter a nursery school and provide you with all the necessary information during that process.

How nursery schools work in Japan

Types of Nursery Schools

In Japan, there are three types of nursery schools as follows:

• ・Public nursery schools (operated by the local government, so there are certain standards for policies and environment)
• ・Private daycare centers (with their own policies)
• ・Unapproved daycare centers (outside of the national standards)

In order to enter a licensed daycare center, whether public or private, the local government must certify that the child needs care. Thus you will need to prepare the necessary certificates and documents to receive the approval. This is required by the government to ensure that families that need more support, such as families with both parents working full-time or single mothers/fathers, are able to have priority to these facilities. This system has been in place in response to the shortage of child care facilities due to the increase in the number of women continuing work after maternity leave, especially in more urban areas. 

Nursery school fees

Fees at licensed daycare centers are determined by your income, hours of care needed at the center, and the age of the child. For unlicensed daycare centers, the fees are not based on income, but rather on the fees set by each center, so please check with each center.

There is an explanation by the Cabinet Office about the free childcare program that started in 2019. Available in English, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish. 

What kind of place is a nursery school?

At nursery schools, children learn a variety of things through group activities such as indoor and outdoor play, lunch and snack time, and naps. It is not only a place where parents can work while their children are in their care, but also a place where the children can develop their social skills, thus helping them grow.

Private daycare centers and unlicensed daycare centers have different educational policies and hours, so it is best to visit the centers first and choose the one that best suits your lifestyle and your child’s personality.

The process of enrolling your child in a nursery school

The general flow until the child enters nursery school

In most cases, children enter nursery schools in Japan in April.

• ①Take a tour (make an appointment by phone with each preschool around April to September in the year before you wish to have your child enrolled)
• ②Submit the application form for admission (from around October – it is safer to start preparing the documents as early as possible)
• ③Have an interview with the nursery school staff
• ④Receive your offer of admission

Tour of the nursery

It is a good idea to visit the nursery so you can see the relationship between the nursery staff and the children, as well as the state of the nursery facility itself. Many nurseries accept tours throughout the year, but the general expectation is to call each nursery between May and September to schedule a tour with the nursery.

Application for admission

Most nursery schools accept applications from October to December of the year before the child starts nursery. You will need to have all your documents ready before you apply. It is common to apply to several nurseries to have better chances of securing a place.

Interview before the offer of admission

In some cases, there is no interview prior to the offer of admission. The interview before the offer of admission is mainly to confirm the contents of the application documents and to ask about the need of childcare for the family.

Notification of Offer of Admission

Most municipalities will send you an offer letter by mail around January or February. There are some schools that do not contact you if you fail the selection process, so it would be a good idea to check in advance if there will be a notification or not, and when it will be sent. If you are selected for admission, make sure to confirm the schedule of the information session and interview. If you are not accepted, you will have to look for a nursery that has a second application process or an unlicensed nursery.

Can I enter a nursery school outside of April?

If you wish to enroll your child in a daycare center outside of April, please check with the daycare center of your choice or your local government. If there are any openings, they will accept enrollment at any time of the year.

Necessary documents for admission to preschool and their preparation

Necessary documents for admission to preschool

The common documents required for admission to preschool are:

• ・Application form for admission to preschool (入園申込書 nyu-en moushikomisho)
• ・Family Situation Form (家庭状況票 kateijoukyouhyou)
• ・Child Status Form (児童状況票 jidoujoukyouhyou)
• ・Entry sheet (エントリーシート)
• ・Notes on Nursery Schools, etc.
• ・Provision of Personal Number (My Number)
• ・Certificate of Consignment of Childcare (保育受託証明書 hoikujutaku shoumeisho)
• ・Checklist of documents to be submitted for application for admission, etc.

Other documents required depending on the family’s situation are:

• ・Certificate of employment (就労証明書  shu-roushoumeisho)
• ・Declaration of employment status (就労状況申告書 shu-roujoukyou shinkokusho)
• ・Statement of return to work after childcare leave (育児休業からの復職に関する申立書 ikujikyugyou karano fukushoku ni kansuru shinnritsusho)
• ・Statement of return to work after maternity leave (産前産後休暇からの復職に関する申立書 sanzensangokyuuka karano fukushoku ni kansuru shinritsuhso) 
• ・Preference for simultaneous application of siblings (きょうだい同時申込みに関する申立書 kyoudai douji moushikomi ni kansuru shinritsusho) 

Prepare the documents as soon as possible

Please check the website of your local government office for the documents. There are a lot of documents, but if you make a checklist of the necessary documents and prepare them one by one, things will be much easier and you will be able to get it done without missing anything.

Reference example of document download (Shinjuku City)

Consult with your local government

Each municipality has its own consultation service for childcare. Please consult with the “Consultation Service for Foreign Residents,” which will be introduced later, as well as your local government, and prepare the necessary documents one by one to prepare for admission to nursery school.

Consultation Service for Foreign Residents

Tokyo Metropolitan Education Consultation Center

The Tokyo Metropolitan Education Center has a website in English, Chinese and Korean for general consultation about schooling and education.

Another service that is available is a Citizens’ Voice Section in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government office that provides general lifestyle consultation services for foreign residents.

In addition to English, Chinese and Korean are also available.

Tokyo Metropolitan Government International Exchange Committee

The Tokyo International Exchange Committee  has a list of multilingual consultation counters in each ward, city and town in Tokyo.

Find your area, check the date and time, and the languages available, and then you can call to receive some assistance. 

Useful facilities while raising children

Local Child-Raising Support Centers

In each area, there are facilities called Child-Rearing Support Centers for small children (0 years old to preschoolers). You’ll be able to let your kids play, and interact with other children, while you will be able to talk with other parents and make friends with whom you can talk about your struggles and share some ideas. They hold seasonal events and are designed to help you get to know each other organically. By participating in these events, you may be able to find someone in a similar situation as you and be able to relate with topics about child rearing, day care and just daily life. 

Summary

With the increase in the number of mothers who continue to work after childbirth, there has been a shortage of nursery schools. Recently, the situation has been improving due to the efforts of the national and local governments. Now families with a serious need for nursery schools have a better chance of being admitted. 

I can only imagine how difficult it is to prepare for admission to a nursery school in a foreign language. I sincerely hope that this article has helped you with some ideas on what to prepare as well as about where to receive proper help in your area. May your child have a good time at the nursery school of your choice!

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