Manila Japanese School

Families comparing international schools in Manila who are relocating from Japan, or who want their children to keep pace with the Japanese system, will find Manila Japanese School a specific and well established option. This profile sets out what GlobalSchoolGuide Editorial has verified about MJS: its curriculum, where it sits on fees, its admissions rhythm and the community around it. We are independent and no school pays to be listed, so this is a reference for relocating parents rather than a prospectus.

Manila Japanese School was founded in 1968 and has built more than five decades of history serving the Japanese community in Metro Manila. It enrols several hundred pupils across its early childhood, elementary and junior high divisions, with the curriculum organised in line with the Course of Study issued by Japan's MEXT and lessons delivered mainly in Japanese by staff dispatched from Japan. The school is located in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, the central business district that hosts much of the city's Japanese corporate presence. For wider context on what comparable schools charge, see our guide to international school fees in Manila.

Curriculum and academics

Manila Japanese School teaches the Japanese national curriculum exactly as a school in Japan would, so the textbooks, the teaching sequence and the standards match the home system. This continuity is the whole point for its families: a child can move from Japan to Manila and back without losing ground or facing a different examination structure. English conversation classes run twice a week in the elementary division and once a week in junior high, and the school adds local Philippine cultural education, swimming that takes advantage of the tropical climate, and the club and sports activities familiar from Japanese schooling. Parents should understand that this is not an English medium international school. Families who instead want an English language route to a globally portable qualification usually look at the IB curriculum offered by several of the city's other internationals, which is the more common path for households that do not expect to return to Japan.

Manila Japanese School fees

Manila Japanese School is a community school supported by the Japanese expatriate community rather than a commercial international school, so it sits well below the city's tier one internationals on cost. Charges tend to reflect the running of the school and may include an entrance or membership contribution alongside termly tuition. The exact structure differs from the commercial schools, so families should confirm the current schedule directly with the school. For families weighing the wider market, our overview of international school fees in Manila and our roundup of the cheapest international schools in Manila both help set expectations.

• Entrance contribution: a one off entrance or membership fee may apply on first enrolment
• Tuition: billed termly, generally lower than the commercial internationals
• Extras: meals, materials, transport and activities billed in addition

Admissions

Manila Japanese School follows the Japanese academic year, which begins in April rather than the August start used by most other Manila internationals, and admits on a rolling basis subject to places. Because the school exists to serve children who are continuing within the Japanese system, the natural intake is families arriving on corporate or government postings from Japan. A working level of Japanese is expected, since teaching is conducted in Japanese. Families relocating from Japan should contact the school as soon as a move to Metro Manila is confirmed, both to secure a place and to align the transfer of records with the different start month.

Location and who goes there

Manila Japanese School is in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, the planned central business district at the heart of Metro Manila. The location places it close to the corporate offices and residential developments where many Japanese expatriate families live, which keeps commutes short for its core community and reflects the concentration of Japanese business in BGC, Makati and the surrounding districts. The campus supports the full range of Japanese school activities, including the swimming programme the school highlights as a benefit of the climate.

The community is overwhelmingly Japanese, made up of families posted to Manila by Japanese companies and institutions, which is exactly what families seeking continuity with home want. This is a school chosen for cultural and linguistic continuity rather than for an international mix, and that focus is its strength. Families who expect to settle in the Philippines for the long term, or who want their children educated in English, will usually compare it against the broader list of international schools in Manila in our directory before deciding.

Reviews

No verified reviews yet. GlobalSchoolGuide collects first hand parent reviews so relocating families can judge schools on evidence rather than marketing. If your family has attended Manila Japanese School, you can add your experience through our school reviews page. We publish reviews unedited except for moderation.

Frequently asked questions

If MJS is on your list, it helps to see it next to the other names families shortlist in the city. Our overview of international school fees in Manila and the full directory of international schools in Manila are good next steps before you book visits.