Top International Schools in Japan

Overview: British National Curriculum, IGCSE · 3–18 · ¥2.8M–¥2.9M

The British School in Tokyo (BST) is Tokyo's largest British international day school, serving approximately 1,400 students aged 3–18 from over 65 countries across two modern central Tokyo campuses. Founded in 1989, BST follows the UK National Curriculum delivered entirely in English, with small class sizes of 20–22 pupils and a strong emphasis on holistic education encompassing music, sport, arts and annual residential field trips for all students from Year 1 upward. The school is non-selective academically yet consistently sends graduates to leading universities worldwide including Oxford, Cambridge, the Ivy League and the University of Tokyo. BST operates the Azabudai Hills Campus (Nursery–Year 6, opened 2023) and the Showa Campus (Year 7–13), both equipped with world-class facilities including swimming pools, sports pitches, art studios and dedicated learning support centres.

Overview: IB PYP, IB MYP · 1–18 · ¥1.9M–¥2.7M

Aoba-Japan International School (AJIS) is a private, non-denominational international school in Tokyo founded in 1976, offering the full IB Continuum (PYP, MYP, DP) across three campuses in Meguro, Hikarigaoka, and Bunkyo. With approximately 790 students from 46 nationalities, AJIS provides English-medium education from age 18 months through Grade 12, emphasising entrepreneurship, innovation, and global leadership. Accredited by CIS and NEASC, the school was the first in Asia to pilot the fully online IB Diploma Programme. Graduates gain admission to top universities worldwide, including UC Berkeley, UBC, Keio, and Waseda.

Overview: IB PYP, IB MYP · 5–18 · ¥2.9M–¥3M

K. International School Tokyo (KIST) is a non-denominational, co-educational private international day school founded in 1997, located one minute's walk from Kiyosumi-Shirakawa Station in Tokyo's Koto Ward. Serving approximately 700 students from over 50 nationalities across Kindergarten to Grade 12, KIST delivers a fully English-medium curriculum built around the IB continuum — PYP, a proprietary Lower Secondary Programme, Edexcel IGCSE, and the IB Diploma Programme. The school is internationally renowned for academic excellence, with the Class of 2025 achieving an average IB Diploma score of 42.0 (vs. the world average of 30.6) and ranking 4th globally by IB-Schools.com, with over 80% of graduates gaining admission to the world's top universities.

Overview: IB PYP, IB MYP · 3–18 · ¥2.2M–¥2.7M

Osaka International School of Kwansei Gakuin (OIS) is a private, co-educational IB World School in Osaka, Japan, serving students from Kindergarten through Grade 12 since 1991. OIS was the first school in Japan to offer all three IB programmes (PYP, MYP, and DP), and consistently achieves IB Diploma results well above world averages—averaging 36–37 points with 100% pass rates. With approximately 270 students from around 35 nationalities, it offers an intimate yet genuinely international community in the Kansai region. The school shares a campus with its sister school, Senri International School, enabling joint sports, arts, and cultural activities. OIS is fully English-medium and serves primarily expatriate families and Japanese returnees.

Overview: IB PYP, IB MYP · 3–18 · ¥2.1M–¥3.4M

Founded in 1924 as Japan's first international school, Yokohama International School (YIS) is a pioneering IB World School offering the full PYP/MYP/DP continuum to approximately 750 students from over 50 nationalities. Located at its state-of-the-art Honmoku campus (opened January 2022, designed by Kengo Kuma), YIS provides an inclusive, inquiry-based education in English. The school is renowned for its diverse community, excellent IB results (98–100% pass rate), and strong university placements globally including Cambridge, Cornell, and top Japanese universities.

Overview: IB Diploma, AP · 5–18 · ¥2.6M–¥2.9M

The International School of the Sacred Heart (ISSH) is a private Catholic girls' school in Hiroo, Tokyo, founded in 1908 and serving approximately 585 students from Kindergarten through Grade 12. Rooted in the goals of the Society of the Sacred Heart, the school provides an English-medium international curriculum with Advanced Placement courses and strong arts, service, and leadership programs. Its leafy urban campus is just one minute on foot from Hiroo Station, offering a serene environment in the heart of Tokyo. The school is accredited by both WASC and CIS and is a founding member of JCIS.