NUCB International College

Step 0 — Eligibility and entry requirements. Applicants must have completed junior high school (Grade 9) by August of the admission year. They must satisfy at least one of the following: completion of 9 years of formal education, or meeting the high school entrance requirements set by Japan's Ministry of Education, or meeting other criteria outlined in NIC's admission guidelines for grade placement. If you are coming from a non‑Japanese education system, use the grade comparison guidance to determine the appropriate entry point (Year 10 or Year 11). The Bridging Programme is available for some Grade 10 entrants to help with language and transition needs. (Notes: NIC lays out these prerequisites as part of its admissions framework; see NIC's Admissions Guideline for details.)

Step 1 — Entry / online application and fee payment. Submit the online application form and pay the application fee to gain access to the My Page portal. You must complete Step 2 (the CAT4 online examination and document submission) within about two weeks after paying the application fee. The application fee is ¥20,000, and you'll use the My Page portal to track next steps and uploads. (Details on the Step 1 sequence and the fee amount are shown in NIC's admissions pages.)

Step 2 — CAT4 Online Examination. Applicants are required to take the CAT4 online examination. The CAT4 assesses cognitive abilities and is completed via an online link sent to the applicant's email; invigilation is via Zoom for most time zones. You may need a teacher from your current school to supervise if you are in a time zone far from Japan. (This step is described in NIC's Admissions Guideline.)

Step 3 — Submitting application documents. Access your My Page and upload or send the listed documents: Personal Information & Declaration form, Application Form, a 500‑word English essay on motivation and leadership you bring to NIC, academic transcripts and attendance records for Grades 7–9, a recent portrait photo of the applicant, and a current family photo. International applicants should provide a copy of their passport or residence card, a financial statement showing the ability to support the applicant, and references from two non‑family referees. Optional documents include English proficiency evidence and annual tax statements. (The document list and submission process are described in the Admissions Guideline and FAQ.)

Step 4 — Interview. After the documents are reviewed, NIC will contact applicants to arrange a final interview. The interview may be conducted online (Zoom) or face‑to‑face on campus, and may involve both the student and a parent/guardian. If the CAT4 results and documents do not meet NIC's minimum requirements, an interview will not be scheduled. (Interview details are in the Admissions Guideline.)

Step 5 — Application result. Applications are evaluated comprehensively based on the documents, CAT4 results, and the interview. Applicants are notified of the pass/fail decision within about two weeks after the interview. (This timeline is specified in NIC's Admissions Guideline and Schedule pages.)

Step 6 — Enrolment and CoE/visa steps. If accepted, enrollment is confirmed by paying the admission/enrolment steps within the stated window (the online process and the 14‑working‑day acceptance window are described in Step 1). NIC will begin the Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) application process for non‑Japanese visa or passport holders. Students typically arrive on campus in late August and are assigned a dormitory, followed by an orientation session, with classes starting in Week 1 of September. (Enrollment capacity is 75 students for Grade 10; see the Schedule and FAQ for fuller context.)

Step 7 — Bridging Programme (BP) option. For applicants entering Year 10, NIC offers a Bridging Programme between the entrance examination and the start of the college programme. BP runs from early April to the end of June, with courses tailored to language needs (English and Japanese) and transition goals. Entry into the BP is restricted to Year 10 entrants and cannot be used to skip to Year 11; participation may be required in some cases. (BP details are described in the Admissions Guideline; BP specifics are also outlined in the FAQ.)

Step 8 — Start of the program. Classes commence in the first week of September after orientation. The year aligns with the European/North American academic calendar for Grade 10–12, with NIC offering a dual Japanese and international diploma pathway upon graduation. (Class start timing is noted in the Schedule section of Admissions.)

Waitlist/pool information: NIC operates with fixed intake capacity and rolling admissions. The school targets 75 students per Grade 10 (225 total across the school) and uses admission stages that may or may not open depending on capacity. If capacity is reached, later stages (Stage 2 or Stage 3) may not open. NIC also allows admissions of returning Japanese residents outside official dates and considers transfers up to Grade 11, but there is no published, formal waitlist. Applicants should plan for rolling reviews and potential stage closures rather than a centralized waitlist. (Capacity, timing, and transfer options are described in the Admissions Schedule and FAQ.)

Scholarships are available at NUCB International College and are awarded based on eligibility without a separate application. Domestic and international students are eligible for scholarships, which may include merit-based awards and other financial considerations. The Academic Scholarship offers substantial tuition relief (up to 90%, 60%, or 30% of the first‑year tuition) with a maximum of three new students per year; a Housing Scholarship provides a yearly grant (¥360,000) to top housing performers (maximum of three students per year); an Affiliation Scholarship offers 50% off the admission fee for students connected to NIC's affiliated paths; and a Sibling Discount provides 10% off tuition for siblings of current or former NIC students. Scholarships are automatic upon meeting eligibility; no separate scholarship application is required. Details published as of March 2021 note that these provisions may be revised. NIC also states that there are no student loans or tuition‑related loan programs, and no admission fee waivers. (See Scholarships page for specifics: Academic Scholarship, Housing Scholarship, Affiliation Scholarship, Sibling Discount; Q&A confirms automatic eligibility-based awards; details and caveats are included in the Scholarship content.)