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Can You Go to Japan After 10th? 5 Routes for Indian Students

By Aditya Dewangan4 min read

Yes, even straight after class 10. Funded exchange programs with Japanese host families, school and embassy exchanges, international schools, and the smart plan I recommend for most students.

If you're in class 10, everyone is asking: 11th, 12th, coaching, NEET, JEE, IIT, what next? There's one option 99% of students miss: Japan, straight after class 10.

"That's not possible." It is. Some routes are fully funded, so you pay nothing. Here are five.

Route 1: funded exchange programs 🎒

Asia Kakehashi Project (AFS Japan)

A scholarship program for high-school students from Asia, run by AFS Japan and funded by Japan's government. You live with a Japanese host family and go to a Japanese high school, alongside Japanese classmates.

  • A host family is a Japanese household (often a couple) that welcomes you into their home, so you live Japanese daily life for real.
  • AFS's local volunteers and staff support you throughout, with cultural orientation and activities.
  • In the last round I checked, it was for students aged about 15 to 18, Indian citizens, with roughly 60% or more in their latest exams and over the past two years. Check AFS Japan's site for the current rules.
  • There are no reservation categories. If you're talented and want it, apply. Knowing some Japanese improves your chances.

JENESYS

A shorter, government-funded exchange (Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths). In the program I looked at, flights from Delhi to Tokyo, accommodation, meals, local transport and insurance were all covered.

Rotary Youth Exchange

Rotary clubs sponsor students, typically aged 15 to 19, for up to a year abroad, usually living with host families. It's not always 100% funded like the two above, but it's a great opportunity. Contact your nearest Rotary Club in India for details.

Route 2: school exchange programs 🏫

If your school has a tie-up with a Japanese school, or is a well-known CBSE school, ask about exchange programs: usually two weeks to a month in Japan, staying with a family, attending classes and learning the culture.

Ask your principal whether the school has an MoU with a Japanese school. Japanese schools actively look for partner schools in India. The Japan Foundation also helps pair schools.

Route 3: embassy and cultural programs 🇯🇵

  • The Embassy of Japan in India runs youth exchange programs, often short trips of one to two weeks, fully funded or heavily subsidised. Watch its website.
  • The Japan Foundation, Indo-Japan chambers of commerce and local Japan clubs in cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru organise cultural events and short trips. Follow them on social media.

Route 4: self-funded high school in Japan 💴

You can do classes 11 and 12 at an international school in Japan, such as the Canadian Academy (Kobe), Osaka International School, St. Mary's International School (Tokyo) or Tokyo International School.

  • It's very expensive. Fees, housing and living costs together can run to many lakhs of rupees a year. Some schools offer partial need- or merit-based scholarships, but not full funding.
  • It suits financially strong families who want an international curriculum (IB or similar) and a long-term life in Japan.
  • The benefits: international exposure, a bilingual environment, and an easier path into a Japanese university.
  • Japanese public high schools cost less, but teach entirely in Japanese, so you'd need a high level first.

Route 5: the smart plan I recommend ✅

This is the plan I genuinely recommend, especially if your family isn't wealthy:

Do classes 11 and 12 in India, and learn Japanese alongside them. Aim for JLPT N3 or N2 by the end of class 12.

That's realistic. One JLPT level takes roughly four to six months of steady study, so in about two years you can be at N2: a globally recognised credential, at a fraction of the cost of Route 4.

What N2 opens up:

  • Scholarships: MEXT (embassy and university tracks), English- and Japanese-taught programs, public and private scholarships. Strong Japanese makes you stand out.
  • Exchange programs: Japanese ability improves your chances in programs like Kakehashi too.
  • Vocational colleges and universities in Japan that teach in Japanese.
  • Creative and technical fields like 3D animation and game development, where your portfolio and Japanese matter a lot.

Every door opens wider with Japanese. Start now. Summer holidays are the perfect head start.

Start today: our free Japanese course and hiragana chart, and if you want a teacher and a batch, Kihon's live classes take you through N5 and N4. Then read if I were 18 for the next step.