Q: I have a child who came to Japan four years ago and is in the second year of high school. My child wants to go to university. Is it necessary to take the Common Test for University Admissions to apply to a university?

 

A: To apply for university admission through the general selection process, your child may be required to take the Common Test for University Admissions. However, children with foreign roots often find it difficult to take the common test in terms of language. For those children, there are alternatives, such as applying to sit for entrance exams for international students or students with foreign roots, which do not require applicants to take the common test.

 

　You may think that an entrance exam for international students is for those who have graduated from high school overseas and come to Japan as international students. However, some universities allow those who have graduated from a Japanese high school to take the exam for international students. In addition, an increasing number of universities have recently introduced exam options specifically for students of foreign origin studying at a Japanese high school.

 

　Regardless of which exam option your child chooses, once admitted, they will attend the same classes as other students. Since the classes are taught in Japanese, they are required to have Japanese language proficiency equivalent to N2 level.

 

If they have good grades in high school, they may be able to apply for admission through the designated school recommendation or general recommendation programs, which do not require the common test. Be sure to research the options carefully to prepare for university admission.