Aoba-Japan International School - Hikarigaoka Campus vs Tamagawa Academy (K12) and University
Aoba-Japan International School - Hikarigaoka Campus and Tamagawa Academy (K12) and University are both in Tokyo, about 25 km apart. Both schools offer IB programmes, and Tamagawa Academy (K12) and University also offers Japanese. Published annual fees are ¥1,862,500 - 3,074,500 at Aoba-Japan International School - Hikarigaoka Campus and ¥1,756,500 - 2,085,630 at Tamagawa Academy (K12) and University, which puts Aoba-Japan International School - Hikarigaoka Campus roughly 28% higher. Aoba-Japan International School - Hikarigaoka Campus takes pupils from 3 to 18, and Tamagawa Academy (K12) and University from 5 to 18. Aoba-Japan International School - Hikarigaoka Campus is the larger school, with around 790 pupils to Tamagawa Academy (K12) and University's 219.
Located in Nerima City, northwest of Tokyo's 23 wards. It is about 30 minutes from downtown Tokyo and a 15-minute walk from Hikarigaoka Station on the Oedo Line. Address: 7-5-1 Hikarigaoka, Nerima-ku, Tokyo 179-0072. The campus features open-plan classrooms, a sports pitch, a pool, and a gymnasium.
Location
The Tamagawa Academy (K-12) and Tamagawa University are on a single campus in Machida, western Tokyo, Japan. The campus spans about 59 hectares of landscaped grounds and is about an hour from central Tokyo. The official address is 6-1-1 Tamagawa Gakuen, Machida, Tokyo 194-8610. The campus is accessible by the Odakyu Odawara Line, with Tamagawagakuen-Mae Station a three-minute walk from the main gate.
Education runs from kindergarten through graduate school on a single campus, with the middle and upper divisions offering International Baccalaureate programmes. The Tamagawa campus therefore provides a continuous K–12 and university pathway on-site.
School type
School type
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School type
The school is co-educational and operates as a day school. This is reflected in external school profiles describing Tamagawa as a co-educational day program on one campus.
Pupil nationality mix
Pupil nationality mix
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Pupil nationality mix
Publicly available data on the exact nationality mix is not published. The admissions materials indicate support for overseas returnees and international students, and the IB offerings include English-language instruction and options such as Chinese in DP, reflecting an international student presence.
Additional learning support
Additional learning support
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Additional learning support
SEN guidance in the Middle and Upper Divisions is not described as a formal, blanket policy; learning needs are addressed on a case-by-case basis, and families may need to arrange long-term specialist support if higher-level needs are present.
Country affiliation
Country affiliation
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Country affiliation
There is no formal country affiliation; Tamagawa Academy and Tamagawa University are private institutions located on the Tamagawa Gakuen campus in Japan.
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation
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Religious affiliation
There is no formal religious affiliation. Zenjin Education is the guiding philosophy, and religion is incorporated as one of the six aspects of human culture taught within the school, not as a denominational affiliation.
School day structure
School day structure
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School day structure
A typical school day starts at 8:20 with a homeroom, followed by a sequence of periods through the day, with a lunch break from 12:30 to 13:10. The schedule includes a second half of periods, a short afternoon break, and club activities after school ending around 18:00.
Bus service details
Bus service details
Bus service for Early Years students throughout Tokyo with multiple pickup locations.
Bus service details
A dedicated school bus service is not described in the access information. The campus is primarily accessed by train, with Tamagawagakuen-Mae Station (Odakyu Odawara Line) located a short walk from the campus.
Fees
Fees
Fee details
Fee details
Application & Entrance Fees - Application fee: JPY 25,000, payable at the time of application. - Registration (enrolment) fee: JPY 320,000, payable at the time of registration/acceptance. - Building development (capital) fee (one-time at registration): JPY 320,000, payable at the time of registration/acceptance.
Other annual / recurring school fees (charged with the first tuition invoice unless otherwise stated) - Building maintenance fee (annual): JPY 200,000. - Family Community membership fee (annual, per family): JPY 12,500. - Graduation fees: K5 only JPY 54,000; Grade 12 only JPY 152,000. - School lunch (optional, billed per year): Kindergarten (K2–K5) JPY 159,000; Grades 1–9 JPY 182,000. - Bus service (optional, billed per year): one-way JPY 234,000; round-trip JPY 380,000. The bus fee for the full school year is billed with the first tuition invoice. - DP (IB Diploma) external examination fees (where applicable): charged to relevant students at actual cost; example amount shown previously ~ JPY 120,000 (subject to change depending on IB registration fees and exchange rates). - Pamoja / GLD / other specialist programme fees (where applicable): charged at actual cost to participating students and billed when applicable.
Discounts - Sibling discounts on tuition for families with more than one child enrolled: second child 10% off that child's annual tuition; third child and subsequent children 15% off each subsequent child's annual tuition (applies to full-year students; adjustments made on final tuition payment).
Billing schedule and payment terms - Payment frequency: families may choose one payment or two installments. One-payment due date / or first payment due date: 20 June (new students pay at registration). Two-payment schedule: payments due 20 June and 20 November (new students pay at registration for their first installment). - Bus fees, building maintenance fee and Family Community membership fee are billed in full with the first tuition invoice and are not divided for mid‑year entry. - Mid-year entry: tuition is calculated according to the school's quarter system; attendance for any portion of a quarter requires payment of the entire quarter. - Late payment: arrears are subject to an interest/late charge of 1.20% per month, compounded monthly, on overdue accounts. Continued serious delinquency may result in suspension of attendance or withholding of transcripts/certificates.
Boarding - Boarding is not applicable to the Hikarigaoka campus (campus offers day school only).
One-off and other optional costs - Re-entry fees if a withdrawn student returns: JPY 100,000 (same school year); JPY 150,000 (next school year); JPY 200,000 (second school year after withdrawal); full charge thereafter. Building Development fee is charged in full on re-entry as applicable. - After-school extensions, extracurricular trips, summer school and some activity fees: charged separately and often non‑refundable; specific amounts depend on the programme and are invoiced when applicable.
Refund information (key points) - Application fee, Registration fee and Building Development fee are non‑refundable. - Building Maintenance Fee and Family Community Membership Fee are refundable only if the cancellation/withdrawal notice is received by 31 July; no refund if notice is submitted after that date. - First-semester tuition (and certain support fees) may be refundable only when written cancellation/withdrawal is received by 31 July; after that date refunds are generally not provided. Specific refund calculations and administrative deductions may apply. - Leave of absence: if approved by the Principal and taken by semester, 50% of tuition for the leave period will be waived; other fees are not billed for the leave term but Building Maintenance and Family Community fees are not refunded for leave taken in the second semester.
Fee payment instructions and options - Fees are invoiced through the school's billing process and due by the dates shown on the invoice; the school uses a parent portal for registration and administration. Invoices specify the payment instructions and required payment method(s). - The published fee and payment documents do not list a single mandatory public credit‑card or third‑party payment channel; parents should follow the payment instructions on each invoice (payment method and bank details are provided on the invoice or via the parent portal).
Notes on incidental/variable charges - Where fees are expressed as “actual cost” (for example, IB DP exam fees, Pamoja fees or certain trip costs), the exact amount is charged to participating students and may vary year to year depending on external provider charges and exchange rates.
If any specific line item needs to be displayed in a different currency or formatted differently for your database, the numeric values above are provided in Japanese Yen (JPY).
Fee details
Application / examination fees - K–12 (Tamagawa Academy): entrance examination / application fee for K–12 entrance tests (幼稚部・小学部・中学部・高等部の入園・入学検定料) is JPY 30,000 per test. - Tamagawa University (undergraduate general admissions): standard examination (受験料) for general selection is JPY 35,000 (different schemes such as certain English-external-score options and common-test routes have different amounts).
Tamagawa Academy (K–12) — tuition and mandatory fees by school division and year (2025 academic-year figures shown as published for the current school year) - Kindergarten (幼稚部) — per year (2025): - Entrance fee (入園金): JPY 200,000. - Tuition (授業料): JPY 801,000 (Year: 年少), JPY 808,000 (年中), JPY 815,000 (年長). - Education-related fees (教育諸料): JPY 135,300 per year. - Facility/equipment fee (施設設備金): JPY 130,000. - Total (tuition + other fees, excluding entrance fee): JPY 1,066,300 (年少) / JPY 1,073,300 (年中) / JPY 1,080,300 (年長).
- Elementary School (小学部, JP class typical figures) — per year (2025): - Entrance fee (入学金) for entering grade 1 (where applicable): JPY 220,000. - Tuition (授業料) by grade: JPY 821,000 (1st) → JPY 828,000 (2nd) → JPY 835,000 (3rd) → JPY 842,000 (4th) → JPY 849,000 (5th) → JPY 856,000 (6th). - Education-related fees (教育諸料): JPY 147,300 per year. - Education information fee (教育情報料): JPY 24,000 per year. - Facility/equipment fee (施設設備金): JPY 160,000. - Annual subtotal (tuition + fees, excluding entrance fee): ranges by year; examples: JPY 1,152,300 (1st grade, JP class) and rising each grade per the published schedule. - EP / special program classes have higher tuition and an entrance/procedure deposit (EP-class initial payment differs; see EP-class notices).
- Middle School / High School — General class (2025 figures): - Middle-school (中学部) typical year items: Entrance fee (入学金): JPY 150,000 (for new entrants where listed). Annual tuition (授業料) examples for middle grades: amounts published show annual tuition in the mid–eight-hundred-thousands range (for 10年生/11年生/12年生 notation used on site for grades), with accompanying education fees and facility fees. - High-school (高等部) general class (2025): Entrance fee JPY 150,000; annual tuition examples: JPY 876,000 (10年生/高校1年相当), JPY 883,000 (11年生), JPY 890,000 (12年生); education-related fees and facility fees are added (education-related fees JPY 147,300; education information fee JPY 44,000; facility fee JPY 220,000), producing a typical annual total (tuition + fees, excluding entrance fee) in the JPY 1,287,300–1,301,300 range depending on year.
- IB class (International Baccalaureate stream within the Academy) — per year (2025): - Entrance fee (入学金) where applicable: JPY 150,000 (for entry years listed). - Annual tuition (授業料): JPY 1,361,000 for many IB-year levels (some later IB years slightly higher: JPY 1,363,000–1,370,000). - Education-related fees (教育諸料): JPY 157,300; education information fee: JPY 44,000; facility fee: JPY 220,000. - Annual subtotal (tuition + fees, excluding entrance fee): approximately JPY 1,782,300–1,791,300 depending on year.
How K–12 fees are billed and payment terms (Academy) - K–12 fee components: many fees are itemised as entrance/enrolment fees (入園金 / 入学金), annual tuition (授業料), education-related fees (教育諸料), education information fees, facility/equipment fees (施設設備金), and parent association (父母会) or student association dues. Specific items (e.g., facility fees, PTA fees, student association fees) are typically due at the time of enrollment or in April for the academic year; some items are collected as monthly or termly instalments (examples:学年積立金 or monthly breakdowns noted as collected April–January). - Payment structure options (examples published for K–12 offerings): schools show an option to pay tuition in full or to use staged / instalment schedules (the admissions and fee guidance for entry years indicate all‑in or multi‑term payment choices for initial-year payments and periodic instalments thereafter). Specific divisions publish which items are payable at enrollment (入学手続時納付) and which are invoiced or collected monthly/termly.
Tamagawa University — tuition and fee structure (2026-admission / 2025 figures published for the current cycle) - Basic structure shown for each faculty / department: an admission (入学金) component plus annual tuition (授業料), an education/research fee (教育研究諸料), and a facility/equipment fee (施設設備金), plus smaller “諸費” items; initial-year totals and the split (one‑time vs. half-year) are published per faculty. Examples (initial-year totals and standard annual tuition): - Education (全学科): Entrance fee JPY 250,000; annual tuition JPY 1,038,000; education/research fee JPY 245,900; facility equipment fee JPY 200,000; initial-year total (one‑time) approximately JPY 1,796,370; the published “入学手続時納付額（分割）” (if choosing split payment) shows the portion to pay at the time of enrollment. - Arts (例: 音楽学科): Entrance fee JPY 250,000; annual tuition JPY 1,208,000; education/research fee JPY 275,900; facility fee JPY 280,000; initial-year total ≈ JPY 2,085,630. - Engineering / Computer / Management‑science type faculties: annual tuition commonly JPY 1,118,000 with education/research fees and facility fees that produce initial-year totals in the JPY 1.9M–2.0M range for first‑year aggregated amounts. - Year‑to‑year: the university publishes 2nd/3rd/4th year annual totals per faculty (授業料 and other annual recurring fees); these are listed as the standard year‑by‑year charges and vary slightly by year (increments shown in the official fee table).
University billing schedule and payment terms - Payment options: Tamagawa University requires either a lump‑sum payment (一括納付) or an annual two‑installment option (年２回分納). The university instructs that the initial enrollment payment (一括 or first instalment when choosing split) be made by bank transfer at the time of completing enrollment procedures; the published “入学手続時納付額（分割）” shows the exact amount due on acceptance when the split option is chosen. - Refund on admission/withdrawal: the university publishes specific deadlines and conditions for refunding paid initial fees when an admitted applicant withdraws (入学辞退). The university's admission guidance sets concrete deadlines and states the refund is made by bank transfer after the applicant completes the designated online withdrawal procedure; deadlines determine whether the full paid amount or the paid amount excluding entrance fee will be returned.
Boarding / dormitory fees - K–12 (Academy): Tamagawa Academy's K–12 programme is presented as a day school system with commuting access information and typical day‑school arrangements; no K–12 boarding fees are published for the Academy divisions. (K–12 pages detail commuting and daily schedules rather than boarding options.) - Tamagawa University (undergraduate): the university does not present a single, university‑run mandatory boarding fee schedule on the admission pages; instead, the university provides housing support and introduces partner student‑housing operators and student‑apartment options for new students. Dorm / student‑housing fees therefore vary by provider and room type; the university's campus‑life housing pages refer applicants to partner companies and student‑housing services.
Other costs and mandatory incidental charges - School‑supplied items and uniforms / supplies: Tamagawa's campus purchasing department operates a campus store and web store that sells uniforms, gym wear, school bags, shoes, calculators, and other required items; these items and their costs are additional to published tuition and can be purchased through the campus purchasing department (payment methods for purchases include major credit cards, convenience-store payment, and cash‑on‑delivery per the purchasing site). - Year‑level / program‑specific charges: in K–12 many divisions list “学年積立金”, “旅行積立金”, or program‑specific levies (e.g., funds for iPad, class events, school trips, overseas programs) collected as monthly instalments or as one‑time levies; for high/middle school and IB classes these appear as explicitly itemised line items in the fee schedules. These are mandatory additional costs to budget for. - University: some faculties list program‑specific additional costs (e.g., study‑abroad / fieldwork fees for certain years, lab/experiential fees for agricultural/engineering programs, or 留学追加費用 for mandated study‑abroad terms) that are charged in the relevant year or semester; such special‑program additional charges are published on the faculty fee pages.
Refunds / cancellation rules (summary) - K–12: published admission guidance for K–12 entry years shows a refund/return policy for initial payments in many divisions: if an admitted applicant formally notifies withdrawal by the published deadline, amounts other than the entrance fee are returned; conditions and exact deadlines are set in each division's admission instructions. - University: the university's admission notices include specific refund rules and deadlines for admitted applicants who decline enrollment; there are published cutoff dates determining whether the entire paid sum or the paid sum minus entrance fee is refunded, and the refund is made to a specified bank account after the online withdrawal procedure is completed.
Accepted payment channels / practical payment notes - K–12 tuition: published materials and admission instructions show that initial enrollment payments and term payments are handled via bank transfer / specified school payment procedures and that multi‑term payment options are available; the admission pages and fee guidance list the amounts due at the enrollment procedure (入学手続時納付額) and the options to pay in full or in instalments. Exact available payment channels (bank transfer, in‑person payment options) are indicated in the admission instructions for the enrolling division. - University: the university instructs that initial payments be made by bank transfer at the time of enrollment and offers either lump‑sum or two‑installment payment schedules; some university notices also reference the university's online enrollment/payment system and the requirement to follow the bank‑transfer instructions provided at acceptance. - Campus purchasing (uniforms, supplies): accepts major credit cards (VISA, MasterCard, JCB, AMEX, Diners), convenience‑store payments, and cash‑on‑delivery for online purchases.
Notes on currency and presentation - All amounts above are reported in Japanese yen and presented with the JPY currency code (e.g., JPY 1,208,000). Figures are drawn from the Academy's published K–12 fee pages and the University's published fee schedule and admission pages for the current admission cycle; exact per‑grade totals and the timing (which fees are payable at enrollment versus billed later) are listed in each division's admission documents and fee tables.
Diving deeper
Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements
Boarding arrangements
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Boarding arrangements
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Uniform requirement
Uniform requirement
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Uniform requirement
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Food options
Food options
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Food options
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House system
House system
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House system
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Governance and ownership
Governance and ownership
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Governance and ownership
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Academics
Academics
Curriculum details
Curriculum details
Hikarigaoka Campus serves Kindergarten to Grade 9. The Early Years (K3–K5) are multi‑age; Primary Years Programme (K3–Grade 6) and Middle Years Programme (Grade 7–9) are implemented within the IB framework, and a Diploma Programme is offered across the network. The Global Leadership Diploma (GLD) provides a specialized high school pathway. The curriculum emphasizes transdisciplinary inquiry, collaborative learning, and the use of technology; after‑school extension programs support broader learning. The campus has open‑plan classrooms, a sports pitch, a pool, and a gymnasium, and serves a student body of over 570.
Curriculum details
Tamagawa Academy operates a fully integrated K‑12 program since 2006, uniting kindergarten through grade 12 on a single campus with levels Kindergarten, First Division (grades 1–4), Middle Division (grades 5–8), and Upper Division (grades 9–12). The International Baccalaureate (IB) program began in 2007, with instruction in English for grades 7–12 and the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) in grades 6–10 and the Diploma Programme (DP) in grades 11–12, offered bilingually in English and Japanese. The primary division runs an English Predominant (EP) program for grades 1–5, with about 60% of lessons in English; each class has two homeroom teachers, and by grade 5 students are expected to reach CEFR level B1. In the IB curriculum, language offerings include Japanese A and B, English A and B, with science and humanities courses aligned to DP requirements, culminating in the IB Diploma. Tamagawa University comprises 17 undergraduate departments across 8 faculties, eight master's programs, a Teaching Profession professional degree, and three doctoral programs; since 2024, the College of Arts and Sciences uses a Double Field System spanning Human, Society, Culture, and STEAM.
Student teacher ratio
Student teacher ratio
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Student teacher ratio
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Exam results
Exam results
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Exam results
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Higher education progression
Higher education progression
Graduates are prepared for admission to top universities worldwide. The school offers university counseling and visits, with alumni gaining admission to leading institutions such as the University of Toronto, University of British Columbia (UBC), UCLA, UC Berkeley, King's College London, University of Warwick, Monash University, Waseda University, and Keio University.
Higher education progression
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Gifted and talented
Gifted and talented
Global Leadership Diploma (GLD) provides a flexible, highly customized senior school pathway with leadership coaching and a portfolio-based approach; GLD graduates earn the Aoba High School Diploma, accredited by CIS and NEASC, and are prepared for admission to universities worldwide.
Gifted and talented
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Academic calendar
Academic calendar
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Academic calendar
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Wellbeing & support
Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning
Social & emotional learning
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Social & emotional learning
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Special educational needs (SEN)
Special educational needs (SEN)
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Special educational needs (SEN)
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English as an additional language
English as an additional language
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English as an additional language
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Mental wellbeing
Mental wellbeing
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Mental wellbeing
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Safeguarding
Safeguarding
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Safeguarding
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Safeguarding policy
Safeguarding policy
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Safeguarding policy
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Facilities
Facilities
Facilities overview
Facilities overview
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Facilities overview
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Sports facilities
Sports facilities
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Sports facilities
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Academic facilities
Academic facilities
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Academic facilities
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Extra curricular facilities
Extra curricular facilities
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Extra curricular facilities
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Parent experience
Parent experience
History
History
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History
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Community
Community
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Community
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Parent teacher association
Parent teacher association
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Parent teacher association
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Extra-curricular
Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual
Academic & intellectual
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Academic & intellectual
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Arts & creative
Arts & creative
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Arts & creative
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Cultural & language
Cultural & language
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Cultural & language
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Social & hobbies
Social & hobbies
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Social & hobbies
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Community & service
Community & service
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Community & service
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Leadership & professional
Leadership & professional
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Leadership & professional
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Lifestyle & wellbeing
Lifestyle & wellbeing
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Lifestyle & wellbeing
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Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
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Language provision
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Bilingual teaching
Bilingual teaching
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Bilingual teaching
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Immersion programs
Immersion programs
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Immersion programs
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Reputation
Reputation
Awards
Awards
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Awards
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Accreditations
Accreditations
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Accreditations
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Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
1. Annual Admissions Cycle. 2026-2027 applications are being accepted for August 2026 entry across all grades and campuses. To be considered in the first round of interviews, the online application should be completed in December 2025, with reviews taking place in January 2026. For 2025-2026, families newly entering or returning to Japan may apply for Semester 2 entry; some grades are already full, and waitlists might be considered. 2. Application Flow. Apply online by completing the form. You will receive an email from Veracross with the link to Aoba's Admissions Portal. If you do not receive the email, contact admissions. Access the Admissions Portal and complete the application checklist, which includes Applicant and Parent Information; Questionnaire; Upload of School Reports (kinder/G1 applicants should also provide if available); Teacher Recommendations (Aoba format); Medical and Childhood Immunization Records; and the Application Fee. 3. Interview and Assessment. Candidates will be invited to an online or on-campus interview. There are sometimes observation sessions or English assessments depending on the grade. The Admissions team reviews all completed applications and contacts families in January. 4. Result. Results are announced in early March. For applications outside of the key application cycle, results usually take about one week after the interview. Upon acceptance, families will be asked to complete Online Enrollment and to pay one-time Registration and Building and Development fees to secure their seat. 5. Eligibility. English is the language of instruction in all grades. Applicants who are proficient in English and who are familiar with international education systems, in particular the International Baccalaureate, stand to gain most from being admitted. Applicants who are not yet fluent in English may benefit from the elementary and middle school education with enrollment in the inclusive in-class support program. Communication with families is in English, so at least one parent/guardian should be able to communicate comfortably with school personnel in English. Visa Support: Aoba does not provide assistance with student visas. Housing Options: Aoba does not offer boarding facilities. 6. Grade Placement. The cutoff date for age placements is September 1. The applicant's birthdate is considered in placements for kindergarten to grade 1. Applicants for G2 and above are placed according to their completed or current grade level and upon consideration of individual circumstances. K2 students (Meguro campus only) may join from 18 months old; K3 students must be three years old and out of diapers before admission.
Admissions
Tamagawa Academy (K-12) and Tamagawa University – detailed information on fees and admissions. All figures reflect the school's published materials for the 2026 admission cycle where shown. Where multiple tracks exist (K-12), procedures differ by grade and program; the notes below group by school level.
Scholarships
Scholarships
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Scholarships
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Waitlist
Waitlist
Some grades are already full, and waitlists might be considered. When openings arise, waitlisted families may be contacted as part of the admissions process.
Waitlist
There is no separate waitlist system published for Tamagawa Academy (K-12). Admissions are handled via rolling entries for specific IB and non‑IB tracks when seats become available, rather than a formal waitlist. For IB, rolling admissions are offered “随時” (as needed). For non‑IB tracks, rolling admissions are also described for certain entry paths. This means seats are filled as they open, rather than via a fixed pool.
