Japanese School in Seoul

The Seoul Japanese School is located in Mapo District, Seoul, in the Digital Media City (DMC) area. The campus sits in the Sangam-dong neighborhood and moved to its current DMC site on September 27, 2010, from Gaepo-dong. The campus is near World Cup Stadium and is accessible by public transport.

The school provides Kindergarten, Elementary, and Middle School programs.

The school is a Japanese international day school serving children of Japanese citizens in Korea. It is co-educational.

Korean language classes are part of the curriculum. No explicit SEN provisions are listed publicly.

The school is affiliated with Japan and follows the Japanese Ministry of Education (MEXT) curriculum.

No religious affiliation.

The school follows a standard Japanese day-school pattern with morning classes and a midday break; exact daily hours are not published publicly. Attendance is via walking, school bus, or public transport.

A school bus service is available and is organized by the Seoul Japanese School Parents Association with school staff support. Buses originate from Ichon in Yongsan District and from Sangam-dong in Mapo District; monthly fees apply; stops are not published for safety.

The Japanese School in Seoul provides Japanese-language education for Seoul's Japanese expatriate community from kindergarten through middle school (幼稚部; 小学部 grades 1–6; 中学部 grades 7–9). The curriculum follows the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) Courses of Study, with core subjects including Japanese language, mathematics, science, social studies, moral education, physical education, and the arts; English is taught as a foreign language and Korean language classes are offered to support local context. The full scope includes project-based learning and standard classroom instruction aligned with Japanese standards, preparing students for continued study in Japan. The school calendar mirrors the Japanese academic year, typically starting in mid-April and divided into three terms. Upon completion of middle school, graduates receive a diploma/certificate recognized as equivalent to Japanese junior high education, facilitating entry to Japanese high schools or other pathways. The campus is located in Mapo District, Seoul, and moved to Digital Media City in 2010.

1. Step 1 — Initial inquiry and eligibility check: The first contact is by phone with the vice-principal to begin the admissions discussion. During this call, you will confirm basic eligibility and receive the Information Sheet for admission inquiries. Having your child's age and current schooling details handy will help the staff determine whether you should proceed to the next step. (Note: fees are not discussed at this stage; this step focuses on eligibility and gathering initial information.)

2. Step 2 — Submit information and eligibility confirmation: Complete and send the Information Sheet for Applicants. The school may ask additional questions about nationality and residency status. If eligibility cannot be confirmed, admission may be screened or declined after review. If acceptance follows, expect enrollment-related fees to be due at that time, and tuition is invoked by grade level (see fees notes below). The school communicates the next steps once eligibility is established.

3. Step 3 — Planning arrival and document submission: When the plan to relocate to Korea is set, inform the vice-principal of your intended arrival date and discuss a schedule for receiving and submitting documents. You will also decide on the initial attendance date and any documents that may need to be emailed in advance if the arrival date is near the start of a term. This step ensures a smooth onboarding timeline and minimizes delays.

4. Step 4 — Preparations in Japan and documentation flow: In Japan, withdraw from the current school and coordinate with the Overseas Japanese Education Foundation to obtain textbooks for the elementary and middle grades, if applicable. Gather required school supplies and refer to the grade-specific admission guides for itemized preparation lists. This step aligns your materials with the destination school's expectations and avoids last-minute gaps.

5. Step 5 — Arrival in Korea and on-site onboarding: After arriving in Korea, visit the school to receive and submit admission documents; the first attendance day can serve as the submission day if all items are ready. If the arrival date is close to the term start, some documents may be emailed in advance to speed processing. For elementary and middle-grade entrants, withdrawal from the current school provides an enrollment certificate and a textbook-distribution certificate; you should obtain sealed copies of the enrollment record and health/dental forms from the current school. The textbook-distribution certificate is used to obtain textbooks from the Overseas Japanese Education Foundation.

Fees (summary linked to admission steps): The enrollment fee is typically around 500,000 KRW and is paid upon acceptance, with initial registration required. Monthly tuition varies by grade: kindergarten generally around 420,000–460,000 KRW, while elementary and middle grades are around 300,000 KRW per month. Additional fees may apply for items such as textbooks, supplies, and events; payments are commonly made by bank transfer. For the 2025–2026 period, these fee ranges are reflected in publicly shared cost breakdowns for the school and its families.

There is no published waitlist or pool system described in the official admissions flow. Admissions are described in terms of eligibility review and space availability, with no separate waiting pool noted.