St. Mary's International School

St. Mary's International School is located at 1-6-19 Seta, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 158-8668, Japan. Setagaya is a western Tokyo ward with residential neighborhoods and good rail connections to central Tokyo. The campus is accessible by multiple train lines and the school operates its own bus network to support travel around Tokyo.

The school provides a K–12 program, comprising an elementary school, a middle school (junior high), and a high school, all on the Setagaya campus.

St. Mary's International School is a single-sex, all-boys international school.

Students come from around 45–50 countries, reflecting a strong international mix. The most common nationality is not publicly published, and there is a mix of international and Japanese students.

Student Support Services include Learning Support, Academic Support, English Language Support, a School Nurse, and a Campus Minister. The school aims to accommodate a range of learning differences but notes that it may not be able to support all needs; full disclosure during admissions is requested.

The school is Catholic in affiliation.

Catholic.

Elementary hours are 8:30 a.m. to 3:10 p.m. with buses leaving at 3:20 p.m.; Middle School runs 8:25 a.m. to 3:40 p.m. with a 3:20 p.m. bus and campus-off time by 5:00 p.m.; High School operates 8:25 a.m. to 3:25 p.m. with lunch 11:00–11:55 a.m.

The school operates its own bus network with a fleet of buses serving Tokyo; typical routes include Futako-Tamagawa Station on the Den-en-toshi Line and other connections. After-school buses are used to transport students, with the middle school bus schedule noted as leaving promptly at 3:20 p.m. (the fleet is owned by the school).

St. Mary's International School in Tokyo delivers a holistic, standards-based curriculum across elementary, middle, and high school, rooted in a Catholic values framework and a focus on the whole child.

St. Mary's International School supports Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) through age-appropriate Personal Social Health Education (PSHE) across all grades, and a comprehensive Elementary SEL curriculum (K-5) that includes Child Protection and Bullying Prevention Units, all taught within the school's safeguarding framework.

Student Support Services are listed as Learning Support, Academic Support, English Language Support, a School Nurse, and a Campus Minister; the Admissions Policy mentions a Learning Differences section, but the school does not publicly state that it operates as a specialist SEN institution beyond these shared services.

English Language Support aims to enable students whose first language is not English to overcome language-related difficulties and integrate into mainstream classes; language support is offered for students from RP through Grade 8, with no English language support for Grade 11 and limited support for Grades 9–10.

Mental wellbeing is supported through the SEL/PSHE programs described above, plus pastoral care elements such as the Campus Minister and health support from the School Nurse.

Safeguarding and Child Protection are led by a dedicated Safeguarding and Child Protection Team; there is a secure CPOMS-based reporting system, age-appropriate PSHE health and safety instruction, annual safeguarding training for faculty, staff, and parents, and a designated Safeguarding Coordinator (Hiromi Sawamura) with an anonymous reporting option.

1. Admissions Process
Step 1 — Inquire and arrange a campus visit. Prospective families should start by making an inquiry or signing up for a campus tour. Applications are welcome at any time, and visiting the campus is encouraged to understand the school's environment. Note that there is no parking available for school tours. The school can be contacted via the Admissions team for questions or to schedule a visit.

Step 2 — Prepare and submit the application with supporting documents and fees. Begin by completing the online application and paying the non-refundable application fee of ¥50,000 for each application. The application requires an Application Form, Confidential Information Form, Record Release Form, a copy of the applicant's birth certificate or passport page, a recent family photo, and the applicant's school records for the past two years plus the current year's progress report. For Readiness Program (kindergarten) and Grade 1, a Kindergarten Teacher's Recommendation is also needed; for older grades there are grade-specific recommendations. The application fee can be paid by credit card or wired to the school's account.

Step 3 — The admissions evaluation includes academic records, testing, and interviews. Students are admitted on the basis of transcripts from previous schools, standardized test results, a screening test, and a personal interview with both the prospective student and the parents. The school reviews documentation and test results to determine fit with the English-based curriculum. Some grades also require teacher recommendations and counselor/principal references as part of the evaluation.

Step 4 — Grade-specific screening steps and timelines. For Readiness Program (RP) and Grade 1, there are on-campus activities such as a group observation (RP) and an on-campus screening (Grade 1) followed by on-campus family interviews. For RP, the process includes a teacher recommendation deadline and a family interview window, with admission decisions communicated after the interview period. For Grade 1, the on-campus screening occurs in early November, followed by observations and a family interview in November–December, with admission decisions typically issued in late January.

Step 5 — Admission decision, offer, and enrollment. Admission decision letters are issued on set dates (e.g., February 28, 2026 for RP and January 31, 2026 for Grade 1 in the 2026–2027 cycle). If offered a seat, enrollment requires payment of the Registration fee within two weeks of the offer. The Re-Enrollment Deposit for returning students is non-refundable but credited toward tuition, and a School Bus or other transportation option may be selected with its own fee.

Step 6 — Post-acceptance steps and forms. After acceptance, families must complete and submit Health Record forms, the Student ID Card Application Form, the School Bus Application Form (if applying for transport), and provide the Final School Report for the current school year. These steps complete enrollment and help the school finalize records.

Notes on fees and payments (embedded in the process): The school lists the following for new entrants: Application Fee ¥50,000; Registration ¥400,000; Development Fund ¥1,000,000; Building Maintenance ¥150,000 per year; Tuition by level: Elementary ¥2,700,000; Middle ¥2,800,000; High ¥2,850,000. Returning students pay a Re-Enrollment Seat Deposit of ¥300,000 and Building Maintenance ¥150,000 plus tuition at the applicable level. Transportation by school bus is available at ¥310,000 one-way or ¥420,000 for both ways. Payments can be made by credit card (for the application fee only) or by bank transfer for the other items; remittances should be made in the student's name with the English spelling of the name and the school ID number. The Re-Enrollment Deposit is credited toward tuition. Cafeteria, accident insurance, and the Corporate Contribution Program are listed as separate items or programs. For full details, view the current Tuition & Fees schedule.

Language of instruction and curriculum: The school operates with an English-based curriculum, and families are expected to support their child's success within that framework. The school does not discriminate in admissions on race, creed, or national origin.

References: Admissions overview, RP / Grade 1 admissions timeline for 2026–2027, application requirements, and the general admissions policy are publicly posted. Fees for new entrants and returning students, as well as transportation and payment methods, are listed in the Tuition & Fees page. The Admissions section notes that inquiries and campus tours are available and that applications are welcome at any time. The language of instruction is described as English-based in the admissions policy. Waitlisted applicants are governed by a separate policy (see the Waitlist section). Faculty and staff contact information is included in the Admissions and Contact pages. Citations: Admissions overview and steps (turn1view0), RP / Grade 1 admissions timeline (turn2view0, turn4search5), Application Requirements (turn4search6), Tuition & Fees (turn5view0).

Waitlist/Pool
2. Waitlist Policy and Process
If a grade level is full, students may be placed on a waitlist. Waitlisted students are expected to continue their education while on the waitlist rather than remaining at home; the waitlisted status is valid only until a designated date set by Admissions. Importantly, waitlist placement is not based on a first-come, first-served basis but rather on the individual screening results. Students on the waitlist will be considered for enrollment as soon as a seat opens at their grade level. The waitlist policy applies to each grade-level as appropriate. References: Admissions Policy (turn4search0).

Waitlist/Pool details (additional context): The policy specifies that the waitlist is used when a grade is full and that the process is driven by screening results rather than order of application. The policy indicates the waitlist is grade-specific and has an expiration date determined by Admissions. References: Admissions Policy (turn4search0).

Scholarships
3. Scholarships
There is no publicly posted scholarship program listed for St. Mary's International School in Tokyo. The site describes the school as a not-for-profit institution and notes a Corporate Contribution Program and fundraising activities, but it does not publish formal need-based or merit-based scholarships in the admissions or fees sections. Families may inquire with Admissions about any possible financial aid or external funding opportunities, but no scholarship details are published on the site. References: Support Us page (turn7view0) and Tuition & Fees page (turn5view0) which reference the Corporate Contribution Program and general fundraising, but no scholarship offerings are listed.

Additional notes for context
- The school teaches in English and uses an English-based curriculum. This is stated in the admissions policy. References: Admissions Policy (turn0search5).
- The school is actively international in focus and emphasizes partnerships with families; inquiries and campus tours are encouraged, with admissions open to both local and overseas applicants per RP/G1 timelines. References: Admissions page (turn1view0) and RP / Grade 1 Admissions (turn2view0, turn4search5).
- The latest published fee structure for new entrants is for School Year 2025-2026, with annual tuition by level and one-time and annual ancillary fees; the 2026-2027 timelines are available for RP and Grade 1 admissions, indicating the school publishes updated timelines for future cohorts. References: Tuition & Fees (turn5view0), RP / Grade 1 Admissions (turn4search5).

If you'd like, I can format this into a printable guide or tailor a calendar with key deadlines based on the grade you're considering.

3) Scholarships
- St. Mary's International School does not publish scholarships on its site. The school operates as a not-for-profit institution and relies on donations and fundraising; there is a Corporate Contribution Program, but no formal scholarship program is listed. Families interested in financial aid or scholarships should consult Admissions for any possible options or external funding, though no SMIS-based scholarship offerings are published. References: Support Us (turn7view0) and Fees page (turn5view0).

2) Waitlist / Pool
- When a given grade level is full, applicants may be waitlisted. Waitlisted students are expected to continue their education while on the waitlist and not simply wait at home. Waitlisted students will be considered for enrollment when a seat opens at their specific grade level. The waitlisted status is valid only until the designated date as set forth by Admissions. Importantly, waitlisted students are not admitted based on a first-come, first-served basis but rather on their individual screening results. Reference: Admissions Policy (turn4search0).