Eligibility
Program Description
Visa and Travel Documents
Getting There
AFS Orientations and Activities
Eligibility
To be eligible you must:
- Be between 15 years 4 months and 18 years 4 months old at the start of the program for the Semester program; 15 years 0 months and 17 years 11 months for the Year program.
- Have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale)
- Be in good mental, physical, and emotional health in accordance with the AFS Medical Evaluation Policy
- Have an open mind, willingness to be flexible, and the ability to adapt to new a culture, school, and environment
- Be in possession or have applied for a U.S. passport at the time of application (see the visa and travel documents section below for details).
Program Description
As with all AFS high school programs, you will be placed with a volunteer host family while attending a local host school. Learn about life in Japan.
Students are placed throughout Japan. Most placements (approx. 50%) are in rural areas. 40% are classified as suburban placements and the remaining 10% are urban.
If your program departs in the Fall, you will be arriving in Japan during the middle of their school year. You will be enrolled in the second term of the year. Then, after a school break in January or February, you will begin the first term of the next grade level along with your previous classmates.
You will be required to wear a school uniform. The volunteers in your host community will help you borrow a second hand uniform from a local “uniform bank”. However, if a uniform is not available in your size, you will be responsible for purchasing a new uniform (~$500). All students must also meet the dress code of your host school. Colored or dyed hair is not allowed and males must keep their hair cut short.
The most common way to commute to school is by bicycle so be prepared to ride several kilometers each day if necessary.
Applicants who require a vegetarian diet are difficult to place and will not be accepted.
The ability to speak Japanese is not a prerequisite for the program but a year or more of formal study is strongly suggested. We highly recommend that you learn as much Japanese as possible prior to departure.
Visa and Travel Documents
In order to participate in this program, you must have a U.S. passport that is valid for six months longer than your intended stay. You must be in possession of a valid passport early in the program admissions and preparation process since you will need it to begin the visa application.
A student visa is required to enter and reside in Japan.
The visa application process for Japan is relatively easy but it is time-consuming and long. At least 2 months before applying for the visa you must submit your passport information and an application for a Certificate of Eligibility (CoE). The CoE request will be processed by immigration officials in Japan and will be returned to AFS in the following months. Once the Certificate of Eligibility has been issued, it takes about 2 weeks to apply for and receive the student visa.
The current visa processing fee is $0 but there may be costs associated with obtaining, translating, notarizing, and mailing the required documents. Please note that these fees and requirements are determined by the consulates and are subject to change.
AFS USA will provide you with detailed visa application instructions in the months prior to your departure.
Getting There
You and your fellow AFSers will fly together between Los Angeles and Tokyo, the capital city of Japan. After you collect your luggage and pass through customs you will be met by AFS staff and volunteers and taken to the arrival orientation site in the outskirts of Tokyo.
After the orientation, you and the other students placed in your region will travel together by bus (or by plane if you are hosted in the far north or south) to your host community where you will be met by your host family. If you are required to travel to your host community by plane, please note that flights within Japan have strict luggage weight restrictions and you will need to keep your luggage below 30 lbs.
AFS Orientations and Activities
In addition to the orientations that you will participate in domestically – the local Pre-Departure Orientation, Culture Trek, and the Gateway Orientation – you and your fellow AFSers will have several orientations while abroad.
The first orientation will take place upon your arrival in Tokyo. This will be a 2-3 day orientation that is intended to prepare you for your first weeks abroad. This will be an international orientation and your opportunity to meet participants from around the world. In addition to covering the rules and safety tips, there will be an emphasis on approaching your experience from an intercultural learning perspective.
After about a month, you will have another orientation, organized at the local level. This will last for a day or so and will focus on cultural and school adjustment. You will also meet with AFS staff and volunteers to evaluate your first few weeks and be offered guidance to make the transition as smooth as possible.
You will also be offered a 1-2 day mid-stay orientation about halfway through your stay. Once again, this will be a time to meet with staff and volunteers, evaluate the first half of your experience, and gain more tips to aid your cultural adjustment.
Finally, there will be an evaluation camp immediately prior to departure. This is your chance to reflect on your experience and to share with other AFSers. You will also prepare for the cultural readjustment that is a part of returning home.
In addition to the orientations, many local chapters organize activities for students and host families throughout the year. These will vary from chapter to chapter but may include parties or excursions to other cities or regions in Japan. Unlike the orientations, these activities are optional and are at the student’s expense.
