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Specialist professionals not classified elsewhere

How to become a School Counsellor

Also called: Student counsellor, School adviser

Uses specialist knowledge of clinical psychology to advise and support students, parents and staff in schools.

Main tasks

Workers in this job say a master's degree or university is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

To become a school counsellor you are usually expected to be a certified public psychologist or a clinical psychologist. To become a clinical psychologist you must graduate from university and then complete a designated postgraduate course, or complete a professional graduate school course in clinical psychology, and pass the qualifying exam (*1). Certified public psychologist is a national qualification. You can use the title after taking the required subjects at university and postgraduate level, or taking the required subjects at university and then gaining a set period of work experience, and then passing the exam and being entered on the register (*2). Once qualified, you can work as a school counsellor if you apply to a local board of education or a private school when they advertise and are hired. You need specialist knowledge of clinical psychology and the analytical and assessment skills that come from it, the questioning skills to help people open up, and good listening skills. You must also respond quickly and accurately to outside partner organisations and be good at coordinating a team. On top of that, you need writing skills for reports, school counsellor newsletters and letters to students, and an understanding of confidentiality. *1 From the Japanese Society of Certified Clinical Psychologists: How to become a clinical psychologist *2 From the Japan Psychological Training Center: About the certified public psychologist exam

Ways in

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Questions people ask

How do I become a School Counsellor?

To become a school counsellor you are usually expected to be a certified public psychologist or a clinical psychologist. To become a clinical psychologist you must graduate from university and then complete a designated postgraduate course, or complete a professional graduate school course in clinical psychology, and pass the qualifying exam (*1). Certified public psychologist is a national qualification. You can use the title after taking the required subjects at university and postgraduate level, or taking the required subjects at university and then gaining a set period of work experience, and then passing the exam and being entered on the register (*2). Once qualified, you can work as a school counsellor if you apply to a local board of education or a private school when they advertise and are hired. You need specialist knowledge of clinical psychology and the analytical and assessment skills that come from it, the questioning skills to help people open up, and good listening skills. You must also respond quickly and accurately to outside partner organisations and be good at coordinating a team. On top of that, you need writing skills for reports, school counsellor newsletters and letters to students, and an understanding of confidentiality. *1 From the Japanese Society of Certified Clinical Psychologists: How to become a clinical psychologist *2 From the Japan Psychological Training Center: About the certified public psychologist exam

How much does a School Counsellor earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥5,833,100 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Specialist professionals not classified elsewhere, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a School Counsellor?

Usually. In this job's census occupation group, 67% of workers are university graduates.

Will AI change the work of a School Counsellor?

Generative AI could change some tasks in this job, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026