NUCB International College

NUCB International College is located in Nisshin, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on the Nagoya campus of Nagoya University of Commerce & Business. The campus address is 4-4 Sagamine, Komenoki-cho, Nisshin, Aichi 470-0193. It is near Koen-nishi Station (about 7 minutes by car) and Komenoki Station (about 13 minutes by car), with Nagoya Station accessible via a route that includes the Higashiyama Line to Fushimi, the Linimo to Koen-nishi, and a Meitetsu Bus connection from Komenoki.

NUCB International College offers a Pre-IB year (Grade 10) followed by the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) for Grades 11 and 12. A Bridging Programme runs from early April to the end of June to help students transition from Year 9 to Year 10 before the high school program.

NUCB International College is a private, co-educational, full-boarding high school. The campus includes the International House dormitory, with residential life supervised by House Directors and dorm staff.

As of 2025, NIC has students from 32 nationalities, with international students representing about 50% of the student body.

An Individualised Support Plan (ISP) is prepared for each student to address academic and personal needs, with periodic reviews and a coordinated support team. NIC also offers the Approaches to Learning (ALS) program to develop self-management, social, communication, thinking and research skills, along with Subject Support Lessons and Residential Teacher support in the dorm; on-site nursing and counseling services are available.

NIC is affiliated with Nagoya International Junior and Senior High School, a day school in Nagoya, Japan.

There is no formal religious affiliation. NIC operates as a secular institution, and a prayer room is provided in the boarding house for personal use.

School generally starts around 8:30–8:45 and ends around 15:25–16:10, depending on the timetable. Lunchtime is part of the schedule, and there is after-school study time in the boarding house.

NUCB International College provides a bus service for boarding students. Buses operate from Koen-Nishi Station on the Linimo Line, from Komenoki Station on the Meitetsu Toyota Line, and from Akaike Station on the Tsurumai Line to the NIC campus. Travel times vary by route (about 7 minutes from Koen-Nishi, ~13 minutes from Komenoki, ~25 minutes from Akaike); Nagoya city center to campus takes about 40–45 minutes by train and bus.

NUCB International College offers a two‑qualification pathway: the Japanese high school diploma and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP); most subjects are taught in English. A Bridging Programme is available for students finishing Year 9, running April to June, to prepare for the high‑school and IB study with differentiated instruction. Bridging Programme curriculum includes English A: Academic Writing (CEFR C1/native or Japanese B option), English B, History and Geography, Mathematics, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Visual Arts and Music. The Pre‑IB Programme (Year 10) leads to the IB Diploma Programme in Years 11–12 and also covers Japanese national curriculum requirements so graduates receive both the IB Diploma and the Japanese high school diploma. The IB Diploma Programme is a two‑year course (Grades 11–12) with six subjects from Groups 1–6, plus the core components EE, TOK and CAS; one subject must be taken from Groups 1–5, and the sixth subject can come from Group 6 or from Group 4 as a second subject; all non‑listed subjects such as PE and Health are compulsory for graduation. NUCB emphasizes the case‑method approach and small classes; NIC is an IB World School offering a bilingual IBDP option and leadership education.

NUCB International College supports social and emotional learning (SEL) through its Pastoral Support framework, notably the Well-being Programme for students in Grades 10–12. The Well-being Programme includes Saturday workshops, in-house activities and excursions, run by the Guidance and Well-being team to reflect students' situations and to develop transition, social and self-management, and examination preparation skills. Mindfulness workshops counter psychological stress and improve focus, and empathy-focused activities help students build healthy relationships. The programme also includes reflection on life domains such as education, boarding, leisure, mental health, physical health, and relationships as part of SEL. Counseling services on campus are available as part of the SEL framework to support mental health and personal development.

NUCB International College uses an Individualised Support Plan (ISP) for each student to identify and support those who show signs of struggling academically or personally. A team is mobilized to drive the ISP and monitor progress, with periodic assessments to inform updated support strategies. There is a private counseling room on campus and health support available through the Health Center. The school does not publicly disclose information regarding the kinds of Special Educational Needs it can support or whether it is a specialist SEN institution. Overall, NIC provides general SEN-support structures through ISP and counseling rather than a dedicated SEN department.

All subjects apart from language classes are taught in English. Non-native English speakers are eligible to enroll, and NIC offers a Bridging Programme (BP) to support English language development before entering the high school programme. The Bridging Programme is differentiated by level, with advanced English studying English for academic writing and intermediate English focusing on pragmatic communication. English is the common language in classrooms and dormitories, with BP designed to prepare some students to study Japanese as needed. Entry language targets are published for BP levels, with proficiency expectations guiding admission.

The Well-being Programme is designed to proactively support students from Grade 10 to Grade 12, featuring Saturday workshops, in-house activities and excursions run by the Guidance and Well-being team. Mindfulness and life-skills workshops help students manage stress, reflect on their experiences, and develop practical strategies such as time management and exam preparation. There are on-campus counseling services and a Health Center with a clinical psychologist or nurse, providing mental health support as part of the school's wellbeing framework. House Supervisors provide daily life support and regular individual counselling as part of a safe boarding environment. Weekly well-being activities and monthly excursions are also part of NIC's mental wellbeing offerings.

NUCB International College emphasizes a Safe Boarding Environment with House Supervisors who are trained in psychological and health management to provide daily support and regular individual counselling. The campus employs a qualified nurse and counsellor, and students have access to the Japanese health system when needed. Pastoral Support and the Well-being Programme contribute to safeguarding by addressing students' welfare, mental health and social development, with on-campus counseling available as part of safeguarding and student protection. The boarding context and programs are described as safe and supportive in NIC's communications.

Step 0 — Eligibility and entry requirements. Applicants must have completed junior high school (Grade 9) by August of the admission year. They must satisfy at least one of the following: completion of 9 years of formal education, or meeting the high school entrance requirements set by Japan's Ministry of Education, or meeting other criteria outlined in NIC's admission guidelines for grade placement. If you are coming from a non‑Japanese education system, use the grade comparison guidance to determine the appropriate entry point (Year 10 or Year 11). The Bridging Programme is available for some Grade 10 entrants to help with language and transition needs. (Notes: NIC lays out these prerequisites as part of its admissions framework; see NIC's Admissions Guideline for details.)

Step 1 — Entry / online application and fee payment. Submit the online application form and pay the application fee to gain access to the My Page portal. You must complete Step 2 (the CAT4 online examination and document submission) within about two weeks after paying the application fee. The application fee is ¥20,000, and you'll use the My Page portal to track next steps and uploads. (Details on the Step 1 sequence and the fee amount are shown in NIC's admissions pages.)

Step 2 — CAT4 Online Examination. Applicants are required to take the CAT4 online examination. The CAT4 assesses cognitive abilities and is completed via an online link sent to the applicant's email; invigilation is via Zoom for most time zones. You may need a teacher from your current school to supervise if you are in a time zone far from Japan. (This step is described in NIC's Admissions Guideline.)

Step 3 — Submitting application documents. Access your My Page and upload or send the listed documents: Personal Information & Declaration form, Application Form, a 500‑word English essay on motivation and leadership you bring to NIC, academic transcripts and attendance records for Grades 7–9, a recent portrait photo of the applicant, and a current family photo. International applicants should provide a copy of their passport or residence card, a financial statement showing the ability to support the applicant, and references from two non‑family referees. Optional documents include English proficiency evidence and annual tax statements. (The document list and submission process are described in the Admissions Guideline and FAQ.)

Step 4 — Interview. After the documents are reviewed, NIC will contact applicants to arrange a final interview. The interview may be conducted online (Zoom) or face‑to‑face on campus, and may involve both the student and a parent/guardian. If the CAT4 results and documents do not meet NIC's minimum requirements, an interview will not be scheduled. (Interview details are in the Admissions Guideline.)

Step 5 — Application result. Applications are evaluated comprehensively based on the documents, CAT4 results, and the interview. Applicants are notified of the pass/fail decision within about two weeks after the interview. (This timeline is specified in NIC's Admissions Guideline and Schedule pages.)

Step 6 — Enrolment and CoE/visa steps. If accepted, enrollment is confirmed by paying the admission/enrolment steps within the stated window (the online process and the 14‑working‑day acceptance window are described in Step 1). NIC will begin the Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) application process for non‑Japanese visa or passport holders. Students typically arrive on campus in late August and are assigned a dormitory, followed by an orientation session, with classes starting in Week 1 of September. (Enrollment capacity is 75 students for Grade 10; see the Schedule and FAQ for fuller context.)

Step 7 — Bridging Programme (BP) option. For applicants entering Year 10, NIC offers a Bridging Programme between the entrance examination and the start of the college programme. BP runs from early April to the end of June, with courses tailored to language needs (English and Japanese) and transition goals. Entry into the BP is restricted to Year 10 entrants and cannot be used to skip to Year 11; participation may be required in some cases. (BP details are described in the Admissions Guideline; BP specifics are also outlined in the FAQ.)

Step 8 — Start of the program. Classes commence in the first week of September after orientation. The year aligns with the European/North American academic calendar for Grade 10–12, with NIC offering a dual Japanese and international diploma pathway upon graduation. (Class start timing is noted in the Schedule section of Admissions.)

Scholarships are available at NUCB International College and are awarded based on eligibility without a separate application. Domestic and international students are eligible for scholarships, which may include merit-based awards and other financial considerations. The Academic Scholarship offers substantial tuition relief (up to 90%, 60%, or 30% of the first‑year tuition) with a maximum of three new students per year; a Housing Scholarship provides a yearly grant (¥360,000) to top housing performers (maximum of three students per year); an Affiliation Scholarship offers 50% off the admission fee for students connected to NIC's affiliated paths; and a Sibling Discount provides 10% off tuition for siblings of current or former NIC students. Scholarships are automatic upon meeting eligibility; no separate scholarship application is required. Details published as of March 2021 note that these provisions may be revised. NIC also states that there are no student loans or tuition‑related loan programs, and no admission fee waivers. (See Scholarships page for specifics: Academic Scholarship, Housing Scholarship, Affiliation Scholarship, Sibling Discount; Q&A confirms automatic eligibility-based awards; details and caveats are included in the Scholarship content.)

Waitlist/pool information: NIC operates with fixed intake capacity and rolling admissions. The school targets 75 students per Grade 10 (225 total across the school) and uses admission stages that may or may not open depending on capacity. If capacity is reached, later stages (Stage 2 or Stage 3) may not open. NIC also allows admissions of returning Japanese residents outside official dates and considers transfers up to Grade 11, but there is no published, formal waitlist. Applicants should plan for rolling reviews and potential stage closures rather than a centralized waitlist. (Capacity, timing, and transfer options are described in the Admissions Schedule and FAQ.)