Pokémon Academy

Concept: Pokémon Academy (Ciprys)

In Ciprys, to become a trainer, trainers must first gain their Trainer's License. To faciliate this, Ciprys set up numerous Pokémon Academies, the most notable of which is Festivalight City's, to teach core Pokémon knowledge and prepare youngsters to overcome the dangers of the Ciprys region. The entry requirements for the more prestigious schools is fairly high, but drop-out rates are relatively low across all Academies as faculty are eager to receive funding from the Ciprys League and promote young trainers, understanding that the age barrier is a problem that Ciprys has compared to other regions. Once the rigours to qualify were much higher, but as times have changed (like the schooling punishment system, etc. in real life) the regulations have been eased. . . rightly or wrongly. That is partly why Ciprys Gym Leaders are so difficult to beat as a lot of trainers would have failed to earn their License twenty-odd years ago.

Children from ages seven to ten can enter an Academy. Age is not an issue as the applicant's chances of entry are based on their entry test, calculated on Pokemon theory, and if they pass the first stage, a personality assessment in stressed (battle) and unstressed (general first meeting) in the second stage. It will differ slightly from Academy to Academy, but some will reserve the right to access successful candidates over the first month of enrolment to decide whether or not the Academy is right for them.

Students will typically undertake three years of study to earn their License, unless the Academy deems it necessary for a student to retake a year of study for reasons of failed modules or if the student has had to take time out because of an illness, for example, or generally just an extended period of time away if having to return to their family (Chester?).