International Schools in Tokyo 2026/27: Fees, Curricula and Areas
Quick Answer: Tokyo international school tuition for 2026/27 runs from about JPY 1.5 million in half-day kindergarten to JPY 3,826,000 in the senior years, plus one-time fees that reach JPY 1,525,000. Japanese public schools are free to foreign children and cost families an average of JPY 366,599 a year at elementary level, but lessons are in Japanese. Here is how the two compare.
A Tokyo international school place for 2026/27 costs between about JPY 1.5 million and JPY 3.83 million a year in tuition alone, before one-time charges that can reach JPY 1,525,000. The American School in Japan publishes JPY 3,826,000 for Grades 9 to 12 in 2026/27; the British School in Tokyo publishes JPY 3,070,000 for Years 10 to 13. The free alternative is the Japanese public system, which MEXT opens to foreign children on the same terms as Japanese children, and where the total parental outlay averages JPY 366,599 a year at public elementary level. This guide covers the main schools, the wards families live in, the published fees, the public option and what Japanese law actually requires. Browse the Tokyo and Japan listings.
Which schools are the main options, and where are they?
Tokyo's international schools cluster in a handful of wards. Minato is the densest: Nishimachi International School and Tokyo International School sit there, and the British School in Tokyo has its Azabudai campus in Minato with a second site in Setagaya. Setagaya holds St Mary's International School, a Catholic boys' school running the IB Diploma, and Seisen International School, an IB girls' school. Shibuya has the International School of the Sacred Heart.
Further out, the American School in Japan occupies a large campus in Chofu with an early learning centre in Minato, K International School Tokyo is in Koto, Christian Academy in Japan is in Higashikurume, Lycee Francais International de Tokyo is in Kita, and Malvern College Tokyo is in Kodaira. Aoba-Japan International School runs several campuses, and Saint Maur is in Yokohama rather than Tokyo. Where you live decides more than it does in most cities, because a Chofu or Kodaira commute from central Tokyo is an hour each way for a young child.
What are the published 2026/27 fees?
Annual tuition from each school's own 2026/27 schedule, checked September 2026.
| School | Ward or city | Lowest year group | Final year |
|---|---|---|---|
| American School in Japan | Chofu | JPY 3,143,000 (Nursery to Pre-K) | JPY 3,826,000 (Grades 9-12) |
| Nishimachi International School | Minato | JPY 3,129,000 (flat, all years) | JPY 3,129,000 (school ends at Grade 9) |
| British School in Tokyo | Minato and Setagaya | JPY 2,960,000 (Primary) | JPY 3,070,000 (Years 10-13) |
| St Mary's International School | Setagaya | JPY 2,860,000 (Elementary) | JPY 3,050,000 (High School) |
| International School of the Sacred Heart | Shibuya | JPY 2,560,000 (Kindergarten) | JPY 2,880,000 (Grade 12) |
| Seisen International School | Setagaya | JPY 1,500,000 (Kindergarten half day) | JPY 2,700,000 (Grades 9-12) |
The spread between the top and bottom of the market is narrower than in Hong Kong or Singapore, roughly JPY 900,000 a year between Sacred Heart and ASIJ at the senior end. What separates the bills is the one-time charge. ASIJ asks JPY 50,000 to apply, JPY 300,000 to register and a non-refundable building maintenance fee of JPY 1,525,000, then JPY 250,000 a year as a capital assessment. BST asks JPY 40,000 to apply, JPY 500,000 to enrol and JPY 680,000 for educational resources, all non-refundable, plus JPY 100,000 a year in capital development fees. Nishimachi charges a flat JPY 3,129,000 at every grade, which suits families of younger children and penalises those arriving for the final years. For how these components normally work, see international school fees explained.
What does Japanese law say about foreign children and school?
Compulsory education in Japan is an obligation on guardians under Article 17 of the School Education Act, and MEXT's own guidance is explicit that it does not extend to foreign nationals. Its schooling procedures Q&A states that Article 17 is interpreted as having effect in Japan in relation to Japanese nationals, so its provisions do not apply to the guardians of foreign-national children, and that foreign children may therefore attend Japanese schools, ethnic schools or what it calls international schools.
The same page sets out the other half of the rule. There is no compulsory-enrolment obligation on the guardians of foreign children, but where they wish to attend public compulsory-education schools, MEXT says that in light of international human rights covenants the child is accepted free of charge in the same way as a Japanese child. Municipal boards of education are told to publicise this and to issue enrolment guidance from the resident register. Most Tokyo international schools are classified as miscellaneous schools rather than schools under Article 1 of the School Education Act, which is why the accreditation a school holds matters for university entry; how accreditation works explains the bodies involved.
How does the free Japanese system compare?
Public elementary and lower secondary schooling charges no tuition, but it is not costless. MEXT's Survey on Child Learning Expenses for FY2023, published in corrected form on 16 January 2026, puts the total annual parental outlay per child at JPY 366,599 at public elementary school and JPY 542,450 at public lower secondary, covering school costs, meals and out-of-school activities. Against JPY 2.8 million to JPY 3.8 million at an international school, the gap is roughly eight to ten times.
The real barrier is language. Public lessons are taught in Japanese, and a child arriving at nine or ten with no Japanese faces both the curriculum and the language at once. Support varies by municipality rather than being uniform nationally. Families who expect to stay long enough for a child to become literate in Japanese often start in the public system; those on three-year postings usually do not. The leaving qualification matters too, since a Japanese public high school leads to the Japanese university entrance route rather than the IB or A Levels, a choice set out in IB Diploma versus A Levels versus AP.
- Price the one-time fees first. ASIJ's building maintenance fee alone is nearly half a year's tuition and is not refundable.
- Check the top year exists. Nishimachi ends at Grade 9, so a second move is built in.
- Map the commute before the campus tour. Chofu, Kodaira and Higashikurume are a different proposition from Minato.
- Ask what happens to fees mid-year if a posting ends early. Most Tokyo schools bill by term or quarter.
Frequently asked questions
- How much do international schools in Tokyo cost in 2026/27?
- Published 2026/27 annual tuition runs from JPY 1,500,000 for a half-day kindergarten place at Seisen International School to JPY 3,826,000 for Grades 9 to 12 at the American School in Japan. The British School in Tokyo publishes JPY 2,960,000 for Primary and JPY 3,070,000 for Years 10 to 13, St Mary's International School JPY 2,860,000 to JPY 3,050,000, and the International School of the Sacred Heart JPY 2,560,000 to JPY 2,880,000. One-time fees are charged on top.
- Is school compulsory in Japan for foreign children?
- No. MEXT's guidance on schooling procedures states that Article 17 of the School Education Act is interpreted as applying to Japanese nationals within Japan, so its provisions do not apply to the guardians of foreign-national children. Foreign children may attend a Japanese school, an ethnic school or an international school. Boards of education are nonetheless told to publicise public school enrolment so that school-age foreign children do not miss the opportunity.
- Can foreign children attend Japanese public schools for free?
- Yes. MEXT states that although there is no compulsory-enrolment obligation on the guardians of foreign children, where they wish to enrol in public compulsory-education schools the child is accepted free of charge in the same way as a Japanese child, in light of international human rights covenants. Municipal boards of education are directed to publicise this and to send enrolment guidance based on the resident register. Lessons are taught in Japanese, and language support varies by municipality.
- What does Japanese public school actually cost?
- There is no tuition, but families still spend. MEXT's Survey on Child Learning Expenses for FY2023, published in corrected form on 16 January 2026, puts total annual parental spending per child at JPY 366,599 for public elementary school and JPY 542,450 for public lower secondary. That figure covers school costs, school meals and out-of-school activities such as tutoring. It is roughly a tenth of what a Tokyo international school charges in tuition alone.
- Which areas of Tokyo do international school families live in?
- Minato is the most common, because Nishimachi, Tokyo International School and the British School in Tokyo's Azabudai campus are there. Setagaya follows, with St Mary's and Seisen, and Shibuya has the International School of the Sacred Heart. Families choosing the American School in Japan often live near Chofu in the west, or accept a long commute from central Tokyo. Koto, Kita, Kodaira and Higashikurume each have one significant school.
- What are the one-time fees at Tokyo international schools?
- They are substantial and mostly non-refundable. The American School in Japan charges JPY 50,000 to apply, JPY 300,000 to register and a building maintenance fee of JPY 1,525,000, then an annual capital assessment of JPY 250,000. The British School in Tokyo charges JPY 40,000 to apply, JPY 500,000 to enrol and JPY 680,000 for educational resources, plus JPY 100,000 a year in capital development fees. Budget for these separately from tuition.
- Are international schools in Japan recognised for university entry?
- Most Tokyo international schools are classified as miscellaneous schools rather than schools under Article 1 of the School Education Act, so eligibility for Japanese university entrance depends on the school's accreditation or the qualification the student holds rather than on the school type alone. Families should confirm the position with the specific school and the specific universities in question before committing, particularly if a Japanese university is the likely destination.
