Youth For Understanding USA

East and West. Tradition and innovation. Industry and family. Shinkansen (bullet train) and tatami (straw mats). As a YFU student in Japan, you'll discover a land of contrasts.
Learn more about Japan.

Summer Program: Discover Japan

Japan comes to life when you arrive for your six-week stay with your host family and attend a local Japanese high school. Attending traditional tea ceremonies, practicing martial arts, and visiting local summer festivals are just some of the activities that YFU students to Japan may experience during their exchange. School is in session during our summer program in Japan, so students will attend classes at their host high schools. Students have the opportunity to attend and audit classes but are not officially enrolled in the school during their stay in Japan, so students will not receive report cards or evaluations of their performance.

Orientation: All students applying for a summer program must be available for a mandatory 3-day Japan Pre-Departure Orientation, which takes place immediately prior to the departure date. This orientation is a required part of the program aimed at preparing students for experience overseas. All students will participate in a one-day local pre-departure orientation in May or June, and an arrival orientation in Tokyo. All orientation costs are included in program tuition.

Scholarships: Over 150 YFU students studied in Japan last summer on full and partial scholarships! To find out more about scholarship opportunities, please visit our scholarships page.

Tentative 2019 Summer Program Dates:

All programs except Japan-America Friendship Scholarship (JAFS) program: June 25 - August 9

Japan America Friendship Scholarship (JAFS) program only: June 29 - August 13

January Term Program

Explore Japan during the winter months with this unique YFU program option. Students participating in the January term program will live with a volunteer host family, attend a local high school, and get to know Japanese culture and customs through daily life in their community. 

Academic Year and Semester Programs

School: Students will typically be placed in the first or second year at a Japanese high school. Most schools are quite large, averaging 500 to 1,000 students.  You will likely study subjects like Japanese classics or contemporary Japanese language and you may also attend elective classes that include subjects such as art and calligraphy. You can choose to attend club activities after school such as karate or judo. 

Japanese schools are generally conservative and therefore the dress code in Japan may be stricter than you are used to. In Japanese schools, students do not have unnaturally dyed hair or eccentric hair styles. Piercings, earrings, necklaces and rings are not allowed in schools. Students cannot wear makeup, perfume, or have visible tattoos. Female students cannot wear skirts above the knees or high heels. Male students should not have a beard or long hair. Schools in Japan almost always require uniforms. The cost of a school uniform is included in the program tuition. 

Orientations: All students applying for the semester or year program must be available for a mandatory 3-day National Pre-Departure Orientation, which usually takes place in mid-July or early December. This orientation is a required part of the program aimed at preparing students for their experience overseas. All students will participate in a one-day local pre-departure orientation in May/June or during the winter for spring departures. All orientation costs are included in program tuition.

Tuition Includes

-Placement with a carefully selected host family
-Enrollment in a local Japanese high school
-Airport transfers
-Domestic and international travel
-All pre-departure and post arrival orientations
-Pre-program support by trained YFU staff
-Support from a YFU Japan Area Representative while on program
-Comprehensive insurance

Additional Information

Visa Information: Information regarding visas and other immigration processes will be provided upon enrollment. 

Additional Costs: Students are responsible for paying any school fees (including books, transportation, and optional school trips), as well as all fees related to obtaining visas. Program tuition does not include personal spending money.

Important Information:

Due to cultural differences, local customs, and school regulations, vegetarians, vegans, students with strict dietary requirements, homeschooled students, and students who have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD have not been successfully placed in the Japan program. Please note, Japanese schools typically will not allow students to bring any sort of medication into the school. Please check the Japanese Embassy website for more information regarding this topic. Smoking in Japan is illegal for those under the age of 20. Violating this, or any Japan law, may be terms for immediate dismissal from the program.

Students to Japan may be placed with a host family anywhere in the country, including the Okinawa Islands, in either a rural or suburban setting. Students are normally not placed in large urban centers, but often are placed in small towns, where they have an opportunity to become an integral part of their host communities!