Hakuba International School is a new international boarding school (opened in 2022), located in the beautiful Hakuba Valley in the Japanese Alps. Our school is dedicated to answering the driving question: What kind of education enables people and the planet to flourish? Our focus is on personal and environmental well-being, combined with deeper learning methods to develop leaders who can solve the world’s most complex problems.
We are an intentionally small school, serving approximately 40 students in grades 7-10 during the 2024-25 school year, and adding one grade per year until 12th grade, reaching an eventual full size of 150 students. For more about our school’s background and methods, please visit www.hakuba-is.jp.
About Internships at HIS
As a young school that is quickly growing and evolving, we see internships as a chance to welcome colleagues who are themselves quickly growing and evolving, and likely at an earlier stage in their career. Internships are one-year, full-time roles, giving the intern a chance for extended training through practice and application. They may or may not lead to full time, ongoing job offers at the conclusion of the year. All HIS interns live in one of the school dormitories, and approximately half of the internship focus is on supporting the school’s residential program and activities. The other half is specialised in an area where the intern would like to develop their skills, and where the school has a need. The focal areas envisioned for the 2025-26 school year are: (1) Videography, (2) Admissions, Marketing & Social Media, (3) Publications & Yearbook, and (4) Outdoor & Environmental Education.
Internship Roles
Requirements: All interns are expected to have a completed college or university degree and be fluent in English. Japanese language skills are not required but are a plus.
Key Responsibilities:
Residential Support: Interns live in one of the two HIS dormitories, and for approximately half of their working hours are considered members of the residential team. Work may involve designing and leading activities for students, providing supervision during breakfast or evening hours as part of the team schedule rotation, helping students with homework, maintaining House rules, and generally taking part in maintaining a safe, clean, and pleasant boarding facility.
Focus Area: In addition to the residential component, each intern is asked to select, during the application process, a particular focal area. The school currently envisions 4 focal areas for the 2025-26 internship program, but interns are invited to propose other areas as well. These four are (1) Videography, (2) Admissions, Marketing & Social Media, (3) Publications & Yearbook, and (4) Outdoor & Environmental Education. Prior experience is not required, but please demonstrate why this area is of interest to you, and any exploration you’ve already undertaken, in your application.
Outdoor Adventures: As a school with a major focus on outdoor education and environmental sustainability, we are looking for interns who enjoy the outdoors, and expect everyone to take part in several outdoor camping trips over the course of each school year.
Personal Qualities: We’re looking for someone excited about building a new school, ready for the startup experience, and passionate about a more holistic, humane approach to education. We believe learning is naturally fun and playful, and we try to live that way too. We’re building a team of people who are kind-hearted, open-minded, resilient, and creative. Those who see themselves as serving students best by being authentic, vulnerable, and keen listeners are especially appreciated!
Structure
Compensation: Monthly stipend of JPY 175,000.
Benefits: Interns receive full housing benefits, including utilities, in a school dormitory. All meals are provided on days when students are on campus. Interns also receive a relocation stipend for travel expenses, a laptop, and many professional development opportunities (e.g. Compassionate Systems Framework, Social-Emotional Learning, and others). Interns are also enrolled in the Japanese healthcare system, national pension system, and unemployment and worker’s compensation insurance.
Visas: We sponsor visas for candidates applying from outside of Japan, and our faculty come from many countries around the world. Learn more about our team here!
Timing: This internship will take place for one school year, beginning in early to mid August 2025 and concluding at the end of June 2026.
Hakuba International School is a new international boarding school (opened in 2022), located in the beautiful Hakuba Valley in the Japanese Alps. Our school is dedicated to answering the driving question: What kind of education enables people and the planet to flourish? Our focus is on personal and environmental well-being, combined with deeper learning methods to develop leaders who can solve the world’s most complex problems.
We are an intentionally small school, serving approximately 40 students in grades 7-10 during the 2024-25 school year, and adding one grade per year until 12th grade, reaching an eventual full size of 150 students. We call our faculty members guides, in the spirit of serving by a student’s side to create highly engaging learning adventures. For more about our school’s background and methods, please visit www.hakuba-is.jp.