Tokyo public high schools, April 2027 entry: the January recommendation round

Tokyo metropolitan high schools (都立高校, toritsu kōkō) fill part of their places in January, before the written exam, through a selection based on recommendation (推薦に基づく選抜, suisen ni motozuku senbatsu). The board's guidelines for April 2027 describe three kinds.

• General recommendation (一般推薦, ippan suisen).
• Culture and sports special recommendation (文化・スポーツ等特別推薦), for students with outstanding ability in a named activity.
• Science and math special recommendation (理数等特別推薦).

Who can apply

All of these must be true:

• The student is at a junior high in Tokyo on 31 December 2026 and will graduate in March 2027.
• The junior-high principal recommends the student.
• The high school is the student's first choice (第1志望).
• The student lives in Tokyo with a parent or guardian on 31 December 2026 and will keep commuting from Tokyo. The guidelines list exceptions, for example a parent away for medical care or a job transfer. A student living with neither parent needs an extra form (具申書, gushinsho).

A student applying to the in-Tokyo foreign-student selection at the eleven schools listed in the guidelines, or to the IB course, cannot also apply for recommendation.

For the general recommendation the student picks one school and one course or department, and cannot change it afterwards. A culture and sports applicant picks one activity and may also apply for the same school's general recommendation. A science and math applicant cannot apply for any other recommendation.

What happens on the day

• General recommendation: every applicant has an individual interview (個人面接, kojin mensetsu). A group discussion (集団討論, shūdan tōron) is held only at schools that decide they need it. Each school also sets at least one of: an essay (小論文, shōronbun), a composition (作文, sakubun), a practical test, or another test it designs.
• Culture and sports: an individual or group interview plus a practical test, and anything else the school sets.
• Science and math: oral questions on the student's research report, an individual interview and an essay.

How it is scored

Every school turns the report card (調査書, chōsasho) into points, using either the 27 viewpoint ratings or the nine subject grades. A school using the grades does not weight any subject more than another. The interview, discussion, essay and other tests are scored by each school's own standard.

The self-introduction card (自己PRカード, jiko PR kādo) is not scored. It is used as material for the interview. The reason written on the principal's recommendation letter is also taken into account.

Papers and dates

The papers are the recommendation letter, the application (entered online), the report card, the self-introduction card and a 2,200-yen exam fee for a full-time course. The science and math route also asks for a report on the student's research, no more than two A4 pages. The junior high sends the papers to the high school.

Step	Date
Online entry	Fri 18 Dec 2026 – Mon 18 Jan 2027, 17:00
Papers must arrive (trackable mail)	Fri 8 Jan – Mon 18 Jan 2027
Tests	Tue 26 and Wed 27 Jan 2027
Results	Tue 2 Feb 2027, 8:30 online, 9:30 at the school
Enrolment steps	2 Feb 9:30–15:30 and 3 Feb 9:00–12:00

A student who passes must submit the enrolment pledge (入学確約書) in that window and pay the 5,650-yen admission fee (full-time) within five days counted from the day after results. Without the pledge, the place is treated as given up.

Talk to the junior high first: it decides who it recommends. Check the target school's tests in the guidelines' tables before you apply.