What is HEC?

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The Hokkaido English Challenge is an English competition for all junior high students and senior first year high school students.

It was established by JET Program participants in 1994 as a means of motivating students to improve their speaking skills. HEC’s founders hoped that interaction with Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) would boost the student’s confidence and language abilities.

The test challenges students to use the English they have learned beyond the classroom setting, allowing them more interaction with a native English speaker, while using their abilities creatively.

HEC also hosts an immersive English summer camp for top winners in each junior and senior high division. The top winners for this year’s HEC Test will be invited to join a fun summer camp where they can meet native English speakers as well as other students who love English!

To provide prizes, HEC relies on entry fees and donations gathered from fundraisers.

It is only with the fantastic support from the Hokkaido Association for Japan Exchange and Teaching (HAJET) and Hokkaido’s ALTs that we are able to hold this competition every year.

HEC is accredited by the Hokkaido Board of Education and is sponsored by HAJET.

The two big components of HEC are:

  • The test itself (administered by an ALT and a witness)
  • The HEC Summer Camp! Top test taking students will be invited to camp in July-August.

Upon completion of the test, each student will also receive a Certificate of Completion that can be supplemented towards high school and university applications.

Timeline for 2026-2027
Dates tentative to change.
  • Dec. 1st, 2026: Registration period begins. Talk to your teachers and students about HEC to gauge interest!

  • January: Register your students and start practicing! Look over past tests, read through materials, and make sure both you and your students understand the rules of each section.

  • February: Registration deadline is Feb. 13th, 2027. Practice more with your students. Prepare video/audio equipment, a room, and a witness.

  • March: Tests arrive at schools in early March. Check your recording room and equipment, then go for it! Testing period is early March to March 31st, 2026. Video submissions must be sent by March 31st, 2026.

  • April – May: Judges review tests! Look out for correspondence from HEC Test Committee Chair. The final round of judging takes place in May.

  • Late May: Winners announced!
  • June: Certificates are distributed.
  • July: Prizes are distributed.

The HEC team is very excited to announce the timeline for this year’s Hokkaido English Challenge and HEC Camp!!

The HEC Test is open for all JHS and SHS first-year students in Hokkaido.
New this year, we’ve opened the test for all junior high students. What’s more, we’ve lowered the entry fee to ¥2000 to welcome more takers!

Registration Period: From Dec. 1st, 2026 to Feb. 13th, 2027

🥇 The grand prize winner will receive up to 15000 yen in English related gifts of the student’s choosing.

🥈 The second place winner will receive up to 10000 yen in English related gifts of the student’s choosing.

 🥉 The third place winner will receive up to 5000 yen in English related gifts of the student’s choosing.

Thank you to the ALTs and their students who have expressed interest in doing the English Challenge. We are endlessly thankful for your continued support and we look forward to cooperating with you for another successful HEC year! Be on the lookout for more details about HEC coming out soon.

THE HEC STARTER KIT

HEC is an exciting opportunity for both the ALT and the students. There is a lot of information and steps that need to be done, so it can get overwhelming. But not to worry, we’ve put together this great list that has all the important documents you need to successfully administer the Hokkaido English Challenge right at your schools.

This great list includes:

Links to all these resources as well as further explanation can be found on the Information Page. If you have any questions about how to use these documents or about HEC in general, please contact the HEC Director at hajet.hec.director@gmail.com.