Kobe Bilingual School

KOBILS operates across two campuses in Kobe's Tarumi Ward. The Elementary and Kindergarten programs are housed at Momoyamadai 7-1-25, Tarumi, Kobe, with a separate Momoyamadai Nursery School at 4-4-13 Momoyamadai in Tarumi. The Tarumi area is on the west side of Kobe, and maps are provided for both campuses to help with arrival and access.

KOBILS offers a full-time bilingual program for children aged 3–12, split into Kindergarten (ages 3–6) and Elementary (ages 6–12). The Kindergarten site runs on weekdays (Monday–Friday) with age-appropriate English immersion and some Japanese instruction, while the Elementary program follows a CfE/Japanese curriculum mix for students aged 6–12.

KOBILS is a co-educational day school. It provides afterschool/daycare options and related programs, with no boarding facilities mentioned.

The school uses mixed-grade classes and level-specific learning in English and Japanese, supporting diverse learning needs within the bilingual framework. There is no explicit, publicly listed SEN program, but in-house differentiation and level-based groups are described as part of the curriculum features.

There is no formal country affiliation. The curriculum blends elements from Scotland's Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) with Japan's Kokugo and other components.

No religious affiliation is indicated in the school's program and materials.

The school day runs 9:00–15:30, Monday to Friday. Kindergarten and Elementary have similar daily schedules with incorporated language and subject blocks and a lunch period.

A school bus service is available. For kindergarten routes, a monthly bus fee is listed at ¥6,000; Akashi routes are ¥9,000 per month. Families may also arrange other transit options (walking or car) as part of daily arrival.

Application and one‑time fees
- Application and Interview Fee: ¥20,000.
- Entrance (one‑time) fee: Kindergarten ¥100,000. Elementary ¥200,000 (credit applied if entrance fee already paid for Kindergarten).

Tuition and recurring fees — Kindergarten (age 3–6)
- Tuition: ¥63,000 per month; billed as ¥63,000 × 12 = ¥756,000 per year. Equivalent per school term (annual ÷ 3) = ¥252,000 per term.
- Kyushoku (school lunch): ¥6,500 per month; ¥6,500 × 12 = ¥78,000 per year.
- School bus (standard routes): ¥6,000 per month; ¥6,000 × 12 = ¥72,000 per year. Akashi route: ¥9,000 per month; ¥9,000 × 12 = ¥108,000 per year.
- Annual materials fee: ¥24,000.
- Annual facility fee: ¥60,000.
- Summer school (two weeks) costs are included in Kindergarten tuition.
- Many Kindergarten families use a monthly payment plan.

Tuition and recurring fees — Elementary School (age 6–12)
- Tuition: ¥73,500 per month; billed as ¥73,500 × 12 = ¥882,000 per year. Equivalent per school term (annual ÷ 3) = ¥294,000 per term.
- Kyushoku (school lunch): ¥8,500 per month; billed over 11 months = ¥93,500 per year.
- School bus (standard routes): ¥6,000 per month; billed over 11 months = ¥66,000 per year. Akashi route: ¥9,000 per month; billed over 11 months = ¥99,000 per year.
- Annual facility fee: ¥60,000. Annual materials fee: ¥60,000. Trip fee: ¥35,000.
- Summer school (optional): ¥70,000. Japanese as a Second Language (JSL) program (where taken): ¥300,000.
- One‑time requirement: Students must purchase an iPad. (Cost borne by the family.)
- Application and Interview Fee: ¥20,000 (one‑time). Entrance fee: ¥200,000 for Elementary (less any entrance fee already paid at Kindergarten). Tax is not included in the fees listed.
- Tuition payment plans are available for Elementary families.

Billing schedule and payment terms
- Published fees are shown as monthly rates with annual totals; many families are billed or pay on a monthly plan. Specific term invoicing or exact invoice dates are not published with the fee schedule. The school operates on three academic terms (Term 1, Term 2, Term 3) with term date ranges published in the school calendar.

Boarding fees
- Boarding is not provided as part of this school's programs; no boarding fees apply. The school is organized as day programs for ages 3–12.

Other costs and typical additional charges
- Uniforms: No mandatory uniform fee is published for the Kindergarten or Elementary programs. If a uniform or optional school clothing is introduced, cost is not listed in the published fee schedule.
- Consumables and incidental costs: Materials fee, facility fee, trip fee, lunch, bus, and device (iPad) purchase obligations are listed above and are the main additional costs to budget for. Tax is not included in the listed amounts.

Refund information
- No separate, detailed public refund policy for tuition, entrance fees, or other fees is published alongside the fee schedule and admissions pages. No specific refund terms (for example, for withdrawal, cancellation, or unused services) are listed in the published fee material.

Fee payment options
- The published materials list monthly billing and note that payment plans are available, but do not list specific payment methods (credit card, bank transfer, etc.) or payment processing providers in the publicly posted fee pages. No explicit payment method list is published on the contact or fees pages. Families should expect common methods (bank transfer or school invoicing arrangements) to be used, with formal options confirmed by the school.

Summary of missing or unpublished details
- The published fee schedule provides clear monthly and annual amounts, one‑time entrance and application fees, lunch and bus rates, and listed annual/optional program charges. The published materials do not state an explicit refund policy for tuition/fees, do not provide exact invoice dates for term billing, and do not list accepted payment methods. For billing dates, refund terms, and specific payment instructions, there is no detailed public statement accompanying the fee schedule.

The majority of students are local residents, including Japanese nationals, mixed-race families, and long-term foreign residents. The school states its curriculum is developed with local residents in mind and aims for a bilingual environment, reflecting a diverse community. Exact numbers or nationalities are not published.