Tokyo

If a later move is likely, ask how the school prepares children to transfer. For older pupils, check subject availability, examination courses and the qualification awarded. Ask for a review of previous coursework before accepting a proposed grade placement.

• The American School in Japan: an American programme with AP courses in high school. Younger children may attend the Roppongi Early Learning Center rather than Chofu. Our ASIJ profile covers the programme, admissions and costs.
• The British School in Tokyo: investigate the British curriculum and the campus for your child’s year. When transferring during an examination course, ask which subjects and examination specifications can continue.
• Nishimachi: offers Kindergarten through Grade 9 in Moto-Azabu. Families considering a longer stay should ask about the transition to high school as well as Japanese-language provision.
• Malvern College Tokyo: located in Kodaira. Its admissions page still describes the Diploma pathway as planned, so year groups and programmes operating at a given start date vary.
• Other candidates: investigate Seisen, St. Mary’s, International School of the Sacred Heart, K. International School Tokyo, Tokyo International School and Aoba-Japan. Admissions by age and sex, religious education, programme authorisation and learning support differ between them, and between age groups within a school.

The JCIS member directory provides links to these schools. Directory membership is a starting point for research, not a recommendation for an individual child.

The following examples use official schedules. They cover different grades and services, so their totals should not be read as a price ranking.

• ASIJ: annual tuition ranges from ¥3,143,000 to ¥3,826,000. A new Grade 1 pupil using the bus pays ¥6,013,000 for tuition, application, registration, building maintenance, annual capital assessment and transport. Meals, required devices and separately billed trips are extra. See the ASIJ schedule.
• BST: tuition is ¥2,960,000 for Primary, including Nursery and Reception; ¥2,980,000 for Years 7–9; and ¥3,070,000 for Years 10–13. Add ¥100,000 annual capital development and one-time charges of ¥40,000 application, ¥500,000 enrolment and ¥680,000 educational resources. A new Primary pupil’s listed tuition and charges total ¥4,280,000. Lunch, SEN support and some activities and examinations are extra. See the BST schedule.
• Nishimachi: annual tuition is ¥3,129,000, with ¥200,000 education enhancement and ¥200,000 school growth fund fees. New applicants also pay ¥30,000 application, ¥300,000 registration and ¥825,000 building maintenance. These listed charges total ¥4,684,000 for the first year, before any separately billed extras. See the Nishimachi schedule.

If an employer pays, confirm the allowance limit and whether joining charges, transport and support are included, and whether a Corporate Contribution Program arrangement applies.

Nishimachi’s Moto-Azabu location, ASIJ’s Chofu campus and Malvern’s Kodaira campus imply different journeys; the campus depends on the grade, and planned campus changes alter the picture.

ASIJ’s published annual bus charge is ¥390,000, and its policy does not require it to serve homes outside existing routes. Route coverage and charges differ at other schools.

Waiting time, traffic, transfers and collection after activities all add to the school-morning journey. For younger children, ask about supervision and handover. For siblings, compare both campuses and dismissal times.

A central apartment does not necessarily mean a short school journey. Weigh the child’s travel time alongside space at home, the parent’s commute and access to friends and activities.

Malvern publishes phased admissions for 2027–28. Phase 1 runs 17 August–16 October 2026, with results expected by 17 December 2026. It also accepts rolling applications. See its admissions procedure for later phases and requirements; these dates do not apply to other schools.

Get the school calendar, age cutoff and grade placement in writing. When moving between Japanese and international programmes, ask how completed study maps to the receiving school’s academic year. Do not assume an automatic six-month delay or advance.

Before paying, read withdrawal and midyear billing terms. BST requires a complete term’s written withdrawal notice or fees in lieu. Nishimachi bills tuition by quarter and charges the whole quarter when a pupil attends any part of it.

Ask to see how Japanese classes are organised for beginners and fluent speakers, including reading and writing. Malvern’s published admissions policy describes daily Japanese grouped by ability; provision differs at each school, and location in Japan does not by itself mean immersion.

For English-language or learning support, ask who will work with your child, how often, at what cost and how progress will be reviewed. Establish whether support is available in the intended grade. Malvern describes provision for low to mild learning needs subject to its capacity; that is not a promise of support for every applicant.

Discuss bullying, safeguarding, counselling and how parents raise concerns, along with lunch, outdoor time, homework and participation in activities. These details can reveal more about a child’s likely day than an overall reputation.

Reviewed on 5 September 2026 using official school schedules and admissions pages, the Tokyo government portal and JCIS directory. Fee calculations use 2026–27 figures; Malvern’s application example is for 2027–28. School availability can change after publication.

Our editorial standards explain how evidence is assessed. Send a correction if you find an outdated figure or policy.