I’m 14 and currently in 8th grade at an online school, taking honors classes. Right now I’m doing normal 8th grade work, but one of my goals is to push ahead toward a 10th grade level because I really want to do a full year or more in Japan once I’m old enough.
I’ve got straight A’s, I’m a competitive swimmer, and I’m planning on getting strong recommendations when I apply. I also have a contact in Japan who could help me adjust while I’m there. On top of that, I’m fluent in Spanish and very well equipped with Romanian (not fully fluent, but pretty strong), which I think helps show I can handle learning and adapting to new languages.
Since I’m trying to do a longer exchange, my plan is to either complete 10th or 11th grade in Japan, depending on how the timing works out.
I’ve been looking into programs like AFS, YFU, and Rotary, but I’m not sure how strict the grade/age requirements are since I’m still in 8th grade right now. Has anyone here done a full year (or longer) exchange in Japan or knows how flexible the programs are? Would I be eligible once I turn 15 if I keep advancing academically?
I'm also mostly trying to figure out if its worth it
by think1355