School Entry & Graduation Year Calculator
＋More features: adjust for ronin, repeated and leave years, and build the education section
Adjust separately for ronin, repeated years and leave of absence
Builds the table with ronin years, repeated years, leave of absence and graduate school applied separately (it uses the date of birth from the form above).
Build the education section
Enter your school names and this writes the education section of a Japanese résumé, in the Japanese format you can copy straight onto the form, with the adjustments above applied.
Just enter your date of birth and see the years you entered and graduated from each school, in both Western years and Japanese era years, ready for the education section of a Japanese résumé (履歴書 rirekisho). This follows the Japanese school system, where the school year starts in April and ends in March, so it also handles hayaumare (born January 1 to April 1) correctly. Useful if you studied in Japan and are writing a rirekisho or an entry sheet.
How to use
- Pick your date of birth.
- If you had ronin or repeated years, enter how many (they are added to the university entry and graduation years).
- The table appears below in Western and Japanese era years as soon as you choose — no button needed.
How it is calculated
- In Japan, one school year runs from April 2 to April 1 of the next year: everyone born in that window is in the same grade. Someone born on April 1 legally turns 6 on the previous day (March 31), so they belong to the earlier (upper) grade.
- Year of entering elementary school: born April 2 to December 31 → April of the birth year + 7 / born January 1 to April 1 (hayaumare) → April of the birth year + 6.
- After that the tool counts 6 years of elementary school, 3 years of junior high school, 3 years of high school and 4 years of university (entrance in April, graduation in March).
Sources (primary information)
- The rule for when a child starts school is based on Article 17 of the School Education Act (Act No. 26 of 1947) — school starts from the first school year beginning on or after the day following the day the child turns 6 — together with how the Act on Calculation of Ages is applied. (in Japanese)
Assumptions and notes
- University is counted as 4 years. For junior colleges and vocational schools (2 years) and 6-year faculties (medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and so on), read the graduation year accordingly.
- If you had ronin, repeated or leave years, enter the total in the adjustment field (it is added to the university entry and graduation years).
- Special cases such as September entry are not supported.
Frequently asked questions
Why is someone born on April 1 counted as hayaumare?
Under Japanese law, your age increases at the end of the day before your birthday. A person born on April 1 therefore turns 6 on March 31, which meets the “turned 6 by April 1” condition, so they join the earlier (upper) grade.
Should a Japanese résumé use Western years or Japanese era years?
Either is fine, but it is expected that you keep one style throughout the whole document. This tool shows both, so match the format of the employer's form.
How do I write it if I left school without graduating?
The usual wording is “◯年◯月 △△大学□□学部 中途退学” (year, month, school and faculty, then 中途退学 = withdrew), giving the last period you were enrolled. You can take the entry year from this tool.