INFORMATION SHEET

The purpose of the high school program is to provide opportunities for people of diverse cultures to come together to learn about different points of view and ways of life. Cross-cultural understanding is, we believe, a fundamental step in promoting better friendship and world peace. We expect the highest standards of behaviour from program participants at all times and, in turn, assume responsibility for the welfare and safety of the student through the program.

The land of the rising sun will charm you with the diversity of its culture and its ancestral traditions! The Japanese educational system can be outlined as follows: 6 years in primary school, 3 years in junior high school, 3 years in senior high school and 4 years at University. The school year starts in April and finishes in March. It is divided into three terms: April to July, September to December, January to March. There are vacations at the end of each term.

Education has been and is an important issue in Japanese society. There are three ways that a child is educated in Japan: by attending a public school for a compulsory education, by attending a private school for a compulsory education, or by attending a private school that does not adhere to standards set by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).

The high school is called "Kotogakko", and 94% of students who have successfully passed the previous period called "Chugakko", keep on studying through to higher education. Class subjects are designed to last through three years and are full-time. They can be extended over four years and be part-time or include night classes.

There are two kinds of program:

- The general program (Language, Mathematics, etc...)
- The professional program (Industry, Trade, etc...)

You will be allocated a class which you will attend for the whole year. Sometimes you might be asked to give a talk about your country. Although you won't graduate from the school you will be studying at, you will be given a certificate and school result sheet which will certify your attendance and participation. You will meet many people who will become lifelong friends!

Our families are chosen with great care by our local representatives and are volunteer families. They are very proud to share their culture and daily life, and generally speaking are able to speak a little English. Students will be part of the same family for the entire length of their stay. For longer periods students might be placed with two different families.

To live with a generous open-minded family is a great adventure for the student, who will normally keep in touch with all the Japanese people they meet. This is an unbelievable way to discover the Japanese culture and enjoy it. Host families will provide the student with full board on weekends, half board on weekdays.

No guarantee is made with regard to placement in a particular region of the Japan, nor in a town of a certain size, nor with a particular kind of host family (for example, with a teenager in the home). A private bedroom is not guaranteed. Only a separate bed is guaranteed.

Schools in Japan can be either private or public, most are co-educational. Nowadays, in Japan, 90% of students study higher education and 30% of them will go on to University.

We look for schools without fees that will take exchange students out of good will.

Teachers will assist you in your integration process because they are aware that you can contribute to the development of the cultural life of the school. Do not hesitate to speak to the teachers. You will have to attend all classes and respect the rules of the school. Some schools have very strict rules governing student life whether at school or out of it. The Japanese are very proud of these regulations which define their culture.

You will have to wear school uniform. Some Japanese schools can be very strict on this point, which you may find strange, but it will enrich your experience.

High schools expect exchange students to maintain high academic standards and to participate actively in school life. Japan high schools believe the presence of exchange students enhances the learning environment. Therefore, a student who is dismissed from school due to problems with attendance, attitude, discipline or failing grades will be terminated from the High School Program and returned home immediately.

No guarantee is made to the student with regard to participation in interscholastic sports. Eligibility is at the discretion of each high school and/or regional/state high school athletic association. Depending upon local regulations, if a student has graduated from high school in their home country or has completed a certain number of years of high school, he/she may be ineligible for interscholastic sports. Students who try out for high school sports teams are not guaranteed a place on the team.

Nacel decides where you will stay depending on the proposals made by a local representative from the Nacel team.

The student is responsible for his/her own transportation fees and also for all miscellaneous school fees.

Participants will join a class from September to March, then after the vacation, will start the new academic year with another class with which they will stay until the end of their visit at the end of July.

There will be an orientation day; it lasts only one day and it's for host families and international students. They talk about how important is the communication between host family and student etc...When the students arrive in Tokyo, they stay in a host family for 4-5 days and attend the orientation day. If they are placed far away from Tokyo (Osaka, Nagoya), they will live in another host family in Tokyo for some days.

Support of the local coordinator who supervises the student (visit one a month).

At the end of each month, the student is required to turn in the report called “Monthly Report” to our representative’s office to see how things are going regarding homestay life, school life, and other activities. This report will be shared with the other exchange students, so the students can learn from each other’s problems and experiences, and support each other.

December 31st, 2007 (late applications may be accepted depending on availability)

Please send student information (Name, Gender, Nationality, Birth date, Age, What grade in High School, Graduation date) as soon as possible.

Please ask for the specific application form.

A 1000 USD deposit should be paid.

Every student must be interviewed in the home country before being accepted:

- the language skills in Japanese must be sufficient to communicate in a school environment as well as in the family life
(see language skills);

- an above average academic record

- the maturity and responsibility to live away from home

- interest in the Japanese culture and language

- a desire to make new friends

- an open and flexible attitude towards a new living situation

You must be between 15 and 18 ½ years old on the arrival day in Japan. Precise birth dates accepted are updated each year.
For 2008, we will accept students born between 02/04/1990 and 01/04/1993.

There are no other preliminary conditions for registering in a Japanese school. Nevertheless, it would be useful to have a good level of Japanese.

However, teachers are aware of the difficulty of learning their language for a foreign student. Each participant will have to prove adaptable in this civilization, which is so different from any other. Participants will have to show politeness, thorough kindness, interest, curiosity... A strong motivation is essential.