K. International School Tokyo

Location: 1-5-15 Shirakawa, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0021, Japan. The campus sits on the western edge of Koto-ku near the intersection of Kiyosubashi-dori and Kiyosumi-dori. It is a short walk from Kiyosumi-Shirakawa Station, which provides easy subway access to central Tokyo.

School levels follow four program stages: Primary Years Programme (K1–G5), Lower Secondary Programme (G6–G8), Edexcel International GCSE (G9–G10), and the IB Diploma Programme (G11–G12). This structure supports a continuum from early years through to pre-university study.

K. International School Tokyo is a private, co-educational, non-denominational day school serving students from pre-kindergarten to Grade 12.

The school represents around 50 nationalities; the largest represented nationalities are the United States and Japan, with no single nationality dominating the student body. The exact local-to-international ratio is not publicly disclosed.

Additional learning needs (SEN) support is provided through the Learning Enhancement Academic Program (LEAP), which is designed to assist elementary students with English and Mathematics.

The school has no formal country affiliation; it operates as an international, non-denominational day school.

There is no religious affiliation.

The school day typically starts at 8:45 a.m. and ends at 2:40 p.m. on Mondays, and at 3:20 p.m. from Tuesday to Friday; breaks and lunch times vary by grade level.

A school bus service is available for elementary students, operating on defined routes with limited seats and not guaranteed; secondary students are not eligible. Routes, stops, and fees are reviewed annually, and bus fees are invoiced three times per year.

K. International School Tokyo offers a K-12 program built on the International Baccalaureate framework, with the Primary Years Programme (PYP) for K1 to Grade 5, the Middle Years Programme (MYP) for Grades 6 to 10, and the Diploma Programme (DP) for Grades 11 and 12. In Grades 9–10, the Pearson Edexcel International GCSE pathway is available as an additional qualification option alongside the IB track. Instruction is provided in English and Japanese, with English used across the curriculum. The school holds CIS accreditation and was reaccredited in June 2024, confirming international standards. The learning approach is inquiry-based, emphasizing knowledge, concepts, skills, attitudes, and action across transdisciplinary units.

SEL is supported through KIST's Lower Secondary Programme (G6–G8), which aims to nurture critical thinking, act confidently, and thrive in a changing world, and the school emphasises a safe and caring environment with guiding principles of Respect, Responsibility and Safety.

The school does not publicly disclose information regarding SEN provision or whether it operates as a specialist SEN institution.

Language support for non-native English-speaking students is provided throughout the school to help access the curriculum.

Mental wellbeing is supported through safeguarding measures that aim to provide a safe, secure, healthy, and caring environment for all students.

Safeguarding includes a safeguarding policy, staff training, a designated child protection team, and clear reporting and investigation procedures; the full policy is shared with families via the MyKIST Family platform.

1. Read the KIST Admissions Handbook. The handbook outlines admissions policies, application procedures and school fees, and all applicants are expected to read it thoroughly before applying. This is the foundational document for the process and context for every step that follows.

2. Confirm availability, especially if you are applying outside the main intake. For applications outside the main intake periods, contact the KIST Admissions Office by email to confirm whether there is space before submitting an application. When checking availability, provide your child's date of birth, the nationalities of both parents at birth, the child's current grade (if applicable), the grade you wish to apply for, and your child's general English level.

3. Pay the application fee (non-refundable) by bank transfer. Include your child's name in the transfer to ensure proper identification. Bank transfer fees are the sender's responsibility, and the fee may be quoted in yen or converted to yen for international transfers.

4. Prepare supporting documents. Gather documents required for your child's grade level and upload them with the application, plus arrange any documents that must come directly from your child's current school. Examples include birth certificates or passports, school reports, and any grade-specific references or statements.

5. Submit the online application form. Complete the Application for Admission through the online system; information must be entered by a parent or guardian. Ensure you select the correct school year and that you are entering data in English, as the forms are designed for English submission.

6. Application screening. The school screens completed applications and supporting documents to determine eligibility. This screening typically takes about one week, though it can take longer during peak intake periods (April/August main intake).

7. Notification of screening result. Screening results are sent to applicants by email. Unsuccessful applicants cannot proceed to the next stage, and the application fee is non-refundable in that case.

8. Admissions testing and interviews. Applicants who pass the screening will receive an email invitation specifying the date and time for admissions testing; a parent interview follows for those who pass the testing stage. Invitations are issued at least about one week in advance.

9. Notification of final result. After testing and interviews, the admissions panel makes a decision and typically sends the final result by email within about one week after the last testing/interview component, except during the main August/September intake periods.

10. Payment of school fees and securing a place. Successful applicants are required to pay the non-refundable enrollment fee and other applicable school fees by the due date to secure placement in the class. Fees include the enrollment fee, capital fee, tuition, and other charges as outlined in the admissions materials. The exact fee schedule is provided in the Admissions Handbook and associated documentation.

11. Additional details for timing and documents. The main intake is August, with occasional admissions from January or April if space allows. Applications outside main intake are processed on a rolling basis and scheduled for testing on Thursday mornings when possible; you will be added to the next available schedule. The online application and most supporting documents must be submitted in English.

12. Required documents and explicit submission rules. All applications must be submitted in English, with the required documents uploaded through the online system, and some documents sent directly to the Admissions Office as applicable. The process requires proof of identity, photos, and appropriate school references or statements for certain grades.

13. Contact and inquiries. If you have questions about admissions, you can reach the Admissions Office during posted hours (Mon–Fri) and the general inquiries line is posted in the contact details.

KIST publishes a scholarship option for academically gifted students who require 100% tuition coverage and housing arrangements if necessary. This program is noted in external summaries of KIST fees and scholarships, indicating that such a full-tuition scholarship plus housing may be available to qualifying students. Details about eligibility, application timing, and housing arrangements are not fully published in the accessible materials; interested families should inquire with Admissions for the current year's scholarship process and criteria. The school also notes that tuition and related fees are not funded by the Japanese government and that tuition is adjusted annually; the general policy and the existence of a scholarship option are described in the Admissions Handbook and related summaries.

There is no publicly published waitlist policy for K. International School Tokyo on the official admissions pages that are currently accessible. The standard admissions process described above covers steps from handbook review through final fee payment, and for outside main intakes the school indicates rolling admissions with testing slots scheduled as spaces become available. Because waitlists are not explicitly described in the publicly accessible materials, prospective families should contact the Admissions Office to confirm whether a waitlist or wait pool is used for a given grade and intake period. For reference, outside main intake admissions are described as rolling, with testing offered on Thursday mornings and applicants added to the next available schedule.