Admissions

Am I eligible to apply?

Students must have completed junior high school (Grade 9) by August of the year of admission. For example, for admission in September 2023, students must have finished the third year of junior high school (Grade 9) by August 2022.

What is the Bridging Programme?

For students who enter in September, there is a preparation period of approximately one year between the entrance examination and the start of the College Programme. In order to bridge the gap and make the most of this period of time between junior middle school graduation and high school entry, NIC offers the residential Bridging Programme (preparatory course for college programme). This programme not only helps students improve their language skills (English and Japanese) but also ensures a smooth transition to boarding education. Many students in the first cohort of students who participated in the programme have remarkably improved their language skills from the time of application.

Do you accept transfer students?

A small number of domestic and international students can be accepted until Grade 11, when the IB curriculum begins, so please contact the school directly if you wish to apply.

When I am supposed to arrive in Japan?

New students are expected to start boarding in late August. Those who have been accepted will be informed of the date and details of the new students' boarding dates. Orientation is scheduled for the first week of September.

How can I apply?

Applicants are requested to complete the application process online. The application process is easy to complete from your laptop or smartphone.

How can I check the result of the admission?

All applicants will be notified of the pass/fail result by email. Please note that we are unable to respond to enquiries regarding pass/fail results.

How can I submit my admission documents?

Domestic customers should send by registered post or similar, while overseas customers should use EMS, FedEx, DHL, UPS or other traceable postal services.

What level of English is recommended to take classes in English at NIC?

The approximate language proficiency requirements at the time of admission are as follows, but to ensure that language proficiency at the time of application does not hold you back, the submission of a language proficiency score is optional from the 2023 entrance examinations.

I have never been to Japan and I do not speak Japanese. Can I still study at NIC?

Japanese language proficiency is not required. Both in the classrooms and the dormitory, English is the common language. The Bridging Programme could be a great opportunity for you to study Japanese to ensure that you can explore comfortably outside our campus in Japan.

What prior knowledge is required for the online examination?

The test is the Cognitive Ability Test 4 (CAT4), an online cognitive ability test (about 2 hours and 35 minutes). The test consists of verbal, non-verbal, quantitative, and spatial reasoning questions in English. Memorizing words or using mathematical formulas will not help you score well, but rather you will be required to understand and process the questions correctly. In the actual test, you will be given instructions and practice questions, so that you can fully understand the format of the questions before you take the test.

When and where will the interview be held?

Interviews are conducted with the candidate and the parent/guardian respectively. The interview is conducted in English with the student and in English or Japanese with the parent/guardian, whichever language is preferred. You can choose between online (Zoom) or face-to-face interviews, making it possible to take the test from outside the country.