Numbers and steps for parents in Japan thinking about US high schools and colleges
At NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) colleges alone, the US has more than 1,500 golf teams where students can keep up both study and golf[13]. On the other hand, four years can cost tens of millions of yen including living costs, and there is competition with international students. This guide sets out official numbers and what to do when, under three headings: money, golf ability, and school work and English.
US college sports use many terms that are unfamiliar in Japan. Here are the ones used on this page.
Rather than deciding “go or not” all at once, it is easier to answer three questions in order. Until all three have answers, it is safest to keep preparing in parallel with a path in Japan.
How much can scholarships reduce a four-year cost of about ¥32.18 million to ¥41.38 million (including living costs; US average without scholarships)?
First stepGet the college’s “four-year total after scholarships” in writing before you agree to anything.
D1 college golf takes about 500 men and 430 women as freshmen each year. A quarter to a third of them are international students.
First stepPut the scoring average of players on the teams you want next to your child’s tournament scores.
The NCAA requires a core-course GPA of 2.3 or higher (D1). College admission also requires an English test score.
First stepConvert grades from the third year of junior high onward to a 4-point GPA. Take an English test once.
Dollar amounts are converted at ¥158 per dollar (Bank of Japan, 157.94 yen at 5 pm on 6 November 2026, rounded)[15].
According to the NCAA, of the freshmen who joined D1 golf teams in 2022, 133 men (26%) and 146 women (34%) were international students[12]. From this, D1 takes about 500 men and 430 women as freshmen (excluding transfers) each year. Each team takes only a few players a year, so places on any one team are very few.
Of US high school golfers, 5.7% of boys and 7.1% of girls play in the NCAA; for D1 alone it is 1.9% of boys and 2.8% of girls[11]. It is a narrow gate even for American children, and from Japan you add preparing English and paperwork.
Meanwhile, only 18 boys and 7 girls from Japan appear in the US junior ranking (JGS), and even the youngest is in the first year of junior high (checked 11 November 2026). Many players with good results in Japan are probably not in the ranking US coaches look at.
College golf is also a main road to the pros. About 78% of PGA Tour winners in the last five seasons played college golf[28], and since 2021 the top 25 seniors have earned status on pro tours[27]. The roads the world’s top players took to the pros are covered in the guide “The road to the PGA Tour”, and the roads of Japanese players in “From Japan to the PGA Tour”.
The yearly budget for a US college (tuition, housing, food, books, transport and so on) averages $50,920 at public colleges (out-of-state students) and $65,470 at private colleges (2025–26)[14]. Tuition for international students at public colleges is set by each college, so the out-of-state average is used here as a guide.
Over four years, without scholarships, that is about ¥32.18 million at a public college and about ¥41.38 million at a private one. Even if a scholarship covers half, a public college still leaves about ¥16.09 million for the family (worked example). Full scholarships are not common, so decide as a family first “how much in total we can pay”, and the college search stays on track.
| Item | Details | In yen (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Student visa (F-1) fees | SEVIS $350 + application $185 + issuance $250[16] | about ¥120,000 |
| US public high school (F-1, up to 12 months) | Full tuition $3,000–10,000 (living costs extra)[9] | about ¥470,000 to ¥1.58 million |
| AJGA tournament entry fees | Open and invitational events $295, qualifiers $95 (travel extra)[17] | about ¥50,000 |
| For reference: Japanese private universities | Tuition ¥968,069 + facilities ¥172,550 (per year), admission fee ¥240,365[21] | about ¥4.8 million for four years (fees only) |
Each college’s own estimate of a year’s costs for international students. Even among strong golf colleges, public ones are roughly $50,000–70,000 and well-known private ones over $90,000.
| College | One year (international student) | In yen (approx.) | Breakdown, year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn (public) | $56,975 | about ¥9 million | Tuition 39,658 + living 15,000 + insurance 2,317. Estimate for 2027–28[29] |
| Texas (public) | $71,912 | about ¥11.36 million | Tuition 49,912 + living 22,000 (12 months). 2026–27[30] |
| Oklahoma State (public) | $50,680 | about ¥8.01 million | Tuition 29,440 + room and board 11,780 etc. 2025–26[31] |
| Stanford (private) | about $90,600 | about ¥14.31 million | Tuition 67,731 + room and board about 22,900 (calculated from quarterly amounts). Insurance etc. extra. 2026–27[32] |
The two boarding schools are listed as examples of published prices, not as introductions or recommendations. IJGA, a golf academy in Florida, does not publish its fees on its website.
There is no official “you need to shoot X to get in”. A useful guide is the scoring of strong teams in each division. In the 2025–26 men’s season, the average scores (rounds counted toward team results) of winning or top teams were[18]:
| Division | Average of scores counted toward team results |
|---|---|
| D1 (top teams) | 69.46–69.55 |
| D2 (winning team) | 70.97 |
| D3 (winning team) | 70.84 |
| NAIA (winning team) | 71.84 |
| Junior college NJCAA D1 (winning team) | 71.57 |
| Junior college NJCAA D2 (winning team) | 73.83 |
These are the strongest teams in each division. Most other teams take more strokes (score higher). In practice, as the USGA guide suggests, the reliable way is to look up the scoring average of the top 3–4 players on the teams you want and compare it with your child’s tournament scores[4]. Scores also depend on how hard the course is and whether the event lasts two days or more.
| Advantages | Watch out for | Way back to Japan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| APrepare while at high school in Japan, then go to a US college | Prepare while living with the family. Costs start only at college. | The family has to handle English, a record in US events and contact with coaches from Japan. | Japanese university entrance remains an option in parallel. |
| BGo to a private (boarding) high school in the US | Easier to play US events and be seen by coaches. English comes more easily. | The three high school years alone can cost tens of millions of yen including living costs. Children leave home at about 15. | Studying abroad while enrolled at a Japanese high school may count for up to 36 credits. If the child leaves the Japanese school, preparing for Japanese university entrance is a separate task. |
| CStudy abroad for one high school year, then decide | Public high school tuition is $3,000–10,000. A chance to try US life and English. | Public schools allow up to 12 months. Building a record college coaches notice in one year is not easy. | Return to the Japanese high school and choose again between A and Japanese university. |
Boarding schools for route B come in two kinds: “golf academies” built around daily training (IMG Academy, IJGA and others) and ordinary private boarding schools with a golf team. Visa and cost information for high school study comes from the US State Department[9], and credit rules for Japanese high schools from the Ministry of Education (MEXT)[10]. Rules differ by school, so ask your child’s school.
Japanese schools start in April and US schools in the autumn, so school years do not line up. In the NCAA’s guide for Japan, the third year of junior high is “grade 9”[2].
Enjoy events and build the habit of recording scores and results. Get familiar with English.
Nothing needs deciding at this age. Experiences that make them want to keep playing are the best preparation.
Try events of two days or more (36 holes or more). Try an overseas event once during the summer holidays.
The JGS ranking US coaches watch covers events of 36 holes or more and needs at least four events a year[8].
The grades the NCAA looks at start here. Keep report cards. Take an English test once.
In the NCAA’s guide for Japan, the third year of junior high is grade 9[2].
Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center. Play US events (AJGA etc.) to build a JGS record. Email coaches at the colleges you want.
The AJGA recommends registering in the second year of high school if aiming for D1 or D2[5]. Players can email coaches at any time[4].
D1 coaches can start contacting players (from June 15). College visits and meetings at events (from August 1). Scholarship talks begin.
Mapping to Japanese school years is approximate. Check exact dates with the NCAA[4].
Get an English score and apply. Scholarship agreement. Send proof of graduation to the NCAA.
The National Letter of Intent was abolished in 2024 and replaced by the scholarship agreement[7].
| Division | Golf teams (men / women) | Athletic scholarship allowance (per team) | Contact from coaches |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCAA D1 | 312 / 285 | Colleges that opted into the new rules from July 2025 (House v. NCAA settlement) can give full scholarships to up to 9 roster players. Others keep 4.5 for men and 6 for women[3][22] | From June 15 after grade 10. Visits from August 1 before grade 11[4][5] |
| NCAA D2 | 204 / 191 | 3.6 for men, 5.4 for women[5] | Email and phone at any time. Visits from June 15 after grade 10[4] |
| NCAA D3 | 290 / 247 | No athletic scholarships (academic and other scholarships exist)[5] | Almost no timing limits. College-paid visits from January 1 of grade 11[4] |
| NAIA | — | Up to 5 per school for golf[6] | Check NAIA rules |
Team numbers are the NCAA’s 2025–26 projections[13].
When a coach gets in touch, asking these makes colleges easier to compare. Keep notes of the answers.
* NCAA rules change often. When deciding, check the latest guidance from the NCAA, each college and your child’s school. The number of D1 freshmen is calculated from the NCAA’s numbers and shares of international students. The number of Japanese players in the JGS was checked on juniorgolfscoreboard.com on 11 November 2026. Information as of November 2026.