Japanese School Grade Calculator
＋More features: birth dates for a grade, and a full list for that school year
Find the birth dates from a grade
Shows which children are in, for example, Grade 1 of elementary school. Useful when a notice from the school gives only the grade.
All grades and birth dates for that school year
A table from elementary Grade 1 to high school Grade 3 for the school year selected above.
Enter a date of birth and see which grade the child would be in at a Japanese school today. This is based on the Japanese school system: the school year starts in April, and children born from April 2 to April 1 of the following year are all in the same grade (children born from January 1 to April 1 are called hayaumare and go into the grade above). Handy for school procedures and for writing a grade on a form.
How to use
- Choose the year, month and day of birth. The current grade appears immediately below.
- The entrance and graduation years for that school stage, and whether the birthday is a hayaumare one, are shown as well.
- To go the other way and find the birth dates for a grade, open “＋More features”.
How it is calculated
- Where the grades are divided: The school year begins on April 1 and ends on March 31 of the following year (Regulation for Enforcement of the School Education Act, Article 59). A child starts elementary school at the beginning of the first school year that comes on or after the day following the day they turn 6 (School Education Act, Article 17).
- Why children born on April 1 go into the higher grade: Age increases at the end of the day before the birthday (Act on Calculation of Age; Civil Code, Article 143), so a child born on April 1 turns 6 on March 31 and starts school in April of that year.
- Children in the same grade: born from April 2 to April 1 of the following year.
| Stage | Grades | Age at entry |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary school | Grade 1 to Grade 6 | 6 |
| Junior high school | Grade 1 to Grade 3 | 12 |
| High school | Grade 1 to Grade 3 | 15 |
Sources (primary information)
- School Education Act (Act No. 26 of 1947), Article 17 (obligation to send a child to school) — official text, in Japanese
https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/322AC0000000026 (accessed July 26, 2026) - Regulation for Enforcement of the School Education Act (Ministry of Education Ordinance No. 11 of 1947), Article 59 (the school year begins on April 1 and ends on March 31 of the following year) — official text, in Japanese
https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/322M40000080011 (accessed July 26, 2026) - Act on Calculation of Age (Act No. 50 of 1902) — official text, in Japanese
https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/135AC0000000050 (accessed July 26, 2026)
Assumptions and notes
- The grade assumes standard progression. It differs if the child repeats a year, skips a grade or takes a leave of absence.
- Compulsory education is nine years: six years of elementary school and three years of junior high school. High school is not compulsory education.
- When a child transfers from a school abroad, a Japanese school does not necessarily place them in the grade that matches their age. It is decided in consultation with the school and the board of education, taking things such as their level of Japanese into account.
Frequently asked questions
What does “hayaumare” mean?
It means being born between January 1 and April 1. Such children are one grade above children born on or after April 2 of the same calendar year, so they are the youngest ones within their grade.
Why does the Japanese school year start in April?
Because the law (the Regulation for Enforcement of the School Education Act) sets the school year as beginning on April 1 and ending on March 31 of the following year. If you come from a country where the year starts in September, there is a six-month gap, so you need to discuss the timing of the transfer.
Can children of foreign nationality attend Japanese schools?
Yes. Children of foreign nationality are not under the obligation to attend school, but if they wish to, they are accepted free of charge at public elementary and junior high schools (policy of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology). The board of education of the city, ward, town or village where you live handles the procedure.