International School or Study Abroad? The True Value of High School Study Abroad That Cannot Be Gained by Simply Learning 'Safely' in Japan

“I want my child to receive a global education. But I’m just too worried about sending them abroad alone all of a sudden...”

When faced with such concerns, another option that comes to mind for many parents is enrolling in an “international school” within Japan.

“If they attend an international school while living at home, they can safely acquire an English-speaking environment and avoid the risks of studying abroad, right?”

Thinking that way is a parent’s natural expression of love, wanting to protect their child.

So, which is the right choice for your child’s future: an international school or studying abroad?

In this article, I would like to calmly analyze the “realistic counterarguments (disadvantages)” regarding studying abroad, while discussing the “true benefits of studying abroad” that can never be gained by simply learning safely within Japan.

Why hesitate to study abroad? Three realistic risks that stand in the way

Behind the appeal of international schools lie the following “counterarguments (strong concerns)” regarding studying abroad. These are by no means wrong perspectives; they are very realistic risks.

① Isn't there a high possibility of failing to adapt to the local environment and suffering a setback?

The idea that “if you throw them into a foreign culture, they will naturally develop a strong spirit” is a slightly overly romanticized view.

When sensitive middle or high school students are separated from their parents and placed alone in an environment where the language and culture are completely different, there is always a risk of being plagued by intense loneliness and homesickness.

If the student cannot adapt in time, there is even a danger that they will be forced to drop out and return home, leaving deep scars on their self-esteem.

② Won't they fall behind in their Japanese studies and be at a disadvantage for university entrance exams?

Since they are completely removed from Japanese classes while studying abroad, they will definitely fall behind the Japanese curriculum.
In particular, a decline in Japanese language skills, such as classical Japanese and Chinese literature, is unavoidable.

Also, since a one-year study abroad program does not grant a local graduation certificate, it may be necessary to repeat a year or adjust credits at a Japanese high school after returning.

This reduces the preparation time for domestic general entrance exams, putting the student at a significant disadvantage.

③ Even if you pay the high costs, aren't there no benefits to match?

If you choose to study abroad for all three years of high school to graduate, it is not uncommon for the total cost to exceed 9 to 15 million yen.

Considering such a financial burden, what if the student cannot adapt and suffers a setback...?

Given that risk, there is also criticism that “it is safer and more rational to steadily improve academic ability within the reach of parents through Japan’s public education or international schools.”

So, is it better not to study abroad in high school after all? Thinking about the “true benefits of high school study abroad”

The three concerns mentioned above are based on the premise of “existing domestic tracks (safe adaptation, general entrance exams, and cost).”

Certainly, an international school might allow them to improve their English skills while minimizing these risks. However,

when viewed from the perspective of “overwhelming experience” needed to survive in the unpredictable era ahead, the greatest value of studying abroad is actually hidden within these very “risks” itself.

True benefit of high school study abroad ①: The sense of crisis from loneliness and setbacks awakens “overwhelming independence and initiative”

Even if you attend an international school, there is a warm meal waiting at home and support from your parents. However,
when studying abroad, loneliness and homesickness are not “risks to be avoided,” but “essential processes” for growth becomes the reality.

You are placed in a situation where no one will help you, and you must think and act for yourself.
This “sense of crisis” is what gives birth to a strong sense of independence and responsibility that would never grow in the greenhouse-like environment of Japan.
The experience of overcoming language and cultural barriers on your own becomes a great, unshakable confidence that will last a lifetime and dramatically improves your problem-solving skills.

The True Merit of High School Study Abroad (2): The Expansion of 'Career Options' That Far Outweighs 'Falling Behind in Entrance Exams'

It is true that learning for standardized paper tests will lag behind, but in this day and age, that is not necessarily a negative.
Studying abroad not only dramatically improves practical English skills, but also allows students to learn about diverse values and cultivate a global perspective.

This overwhelming experience and 'capacity for accepting diversity' become extremely powerful selling points in the comprehensive selection (AO entrance exams) adopted by many universities in recent years.

Diverse options that one would never have thought of before studying abroad, such as advancing to overseas universities or using the returnee quotas at top domestic universities, explode in number, and as a result, significantly raise the potential of one's career.

The True Merit of High School Study Abroad (3): Cross-Cultural Experience During a Young and Flexible Period Becomes an 'Irreplaceable Lifetime Asset'

Admittedly, there is the hurdle of costs.
However, the greatest value is that during the flexible high school years before values become fixed, students can leave the 'safety zone of Japan' and acquire the attitude of accepting diversity within a completely different culture and set of values.

If there are people who think, 'No, you don't really need something like that. You can learn by being tossed about by society after you become an adult,' regarding this 'growth' that cannot be described in a single word, then this discussion will likely remain parallel forever.

It's the value of 'it's fine to be the same as everyone else,' isn't it?

But think about it.

In the first place, at the point you think, 'I want to put my child in an international school,''you want them to receive an education different from the children around them,' and 'you want them to have an experience that will become a future asset (you want them to acquire skills),'you are supporting them with that thought, right?

If so, don't you think, 'I want them to become a stronger, bigger, and more robust adult'?

This story is abouta real social experience that is difficult to completely replicate at a domestic international school where they commute from their parents' home.

In a future where AI and globalization are advancing, this investment in self-transformation during this period can be said to be an extremely rational choice that brings a large return (acquisition of a worldwide network, initiative, and non-cognitive skills) that exceeds the monetary amount.

I have witnessed the growth of thousands of children who are studying (or have studied) abroad with my own eyes, so I understand that meaning well.

Choosing 'safety' or challenging 'self-transformation'

International schools are a wonderful option for acquiring high language skills and an international sense while staying in Japan.

If you want to 'learn safely without taking risks,' they can be the best environment.

However, if you wish for your child to acquire the 'toughness to carve out their own life, not on a rail laid by someone else,' then there is definitely value in crossing the ocean, even if it means taking on the risks of loneliness and conflict.

If it were just about 'learning English,' you could do it anywhere (to put it extremely, you could do it without attending an international school), but being able to 'survive in an English environment and change yourself from the roots' is an irreplaceable magic that only studying abroad possesses!

'Which environment is better for my child, an international school or studying abroad?'

'I understand the merits of studying abroad, but I'm still worried about the path after returning home and the risk of failure.'

If you are hesitant about your choice like that, why not talk to Study Abroad Papa directly once?

I have supported a total of over 5,000 junior and senior high school students and their parents over the past 8 years.
Some people decide to study abroad, and some choose to advance their education domestically.
I don't even have the slightest thought of 'forcing them to study abroad!' (laughs).

Everyone has an environment that suits them.
I sincerely want to respect that.

However,if you cannot 'know the options correctly,' you cannot make a 'choice that suits you.'Even I, who am saying this, was convinced that 'going to a Japanese high school was the only option' until I started thinking about my daughter Erin's high school study abroad.

In order for children to lead lives they will not regret, I want you to gather information thoroughly while you can, and although my contribution may be small, both Erin and I will support you.

First, please let us hear your frank anxieties and hesitations in a free counseling session.

Also, please take a look at the book I wrote about the 'reality' of high school study abroad, 'Overseas Study for Junior and Senior High School Students.'

It is packed with hints to help you clearly resolve the anxieties and questions in your heart.
It is also useful for comparing with international schools.

We are also holding various events to help you gather information ⬇︎