Shanghai Japanese School is a community school for the children of Japanese nationals living in Shanghai. It was founded in 1987 and teaches the Japanese national curriculum in Japanese, so that students stay aligned with the school system at home. It runs two campuses, a Hongqiao campus in the Minhang district for the elementary years and a Pudong campus that also houses the junior and senior high school, the latter added in 2011. It is a distinct option from the city's English medium schools, and you can see how it sits among them on the Shanghai city hub.
| Detail | Summary |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and language | Japanese national curriculum, taught in Japanese |
| Stages | Elementary, junior high and senior high school |
| Founded | 1987; senior high school added in 2011 |
| Accreditation | Operates as a Japanese overseas school; not published as IB or Western accredited |
| Fee band | Below the city's premium English medium tier |
| Campuses | Hongqiao (Minhang, west) and Pudong (east) |
Curriculum and academics
The school follows the Japanese national curriculum, with teaching in Japanese and a calendar and content that mirror schools in Japan. For a family on a corporate posting who expect to return home, that continuity is the main draw, because a child can re enter the Japanese system without losing ground. This is a different proposition from the English medium IB and other international programmes that dominate the rest of the city, and families weighing the two should be clear about which path their child will follow after Shanghai.
The elementary years are taught on the Hongqiao campus, while the Pudong campus carries students through the junior and senior high school. To understand where the school sits on cost against the broader market, our guide to the most affordable international schools in Shanghai sets out the lower end of the range it belongs to.
Work out the real annual cost
Tuition is only part of the picture. Add registration, deposits and extras to see the full yearly figure for any Shanghai school.
Shanghai Japanese School fees
As a community school for Japanese nationals, the school sits well below the premium English medium tier that our Shanghai international school fees guide records for the largest foreign passport schools. Fees are set by the school and supported by the Japanese community in the city, so the headline international rates do not apply here. Confirm the current schedule directly rather than estimating from the wider market.
Even at the lower end, budget for the items beyond tuition that every school charges, such as a registration fee, a deposit and optional bus and meals. Model the full annual figure with our fee calculator so you are comparing like with like across your shortlist.
Admissions
The school primarily serves the children of Japanese nationals, mostly families on corporate postings to Shanghai. Admissions follow the Japanese school calendar and the documentation the school requires of Japanese overseas families, so the process differs from the August intake used by the city's English medium schools.
Because demand tracks the size of the Japanese business community in the city, places in popular year groups can be limited. Confirm eligibility, the intake window and the documents required directly with the school, and prepare your child's records ahead of the move.
Location and who goes there
The Hongqiao campus is in the Minhang district on the western side of the city, close to where many Japanese families live in and around the Hongqiao and Gubei areas, which have long had a strong Japanese community with shops, restaurants and services. The Pudong campus serves families on the eastern side of the Huangpu river. Most students come from Japanese households, which gives the school a close knit community feel.
For families weighing a Japanese curriculum school against an English medium international school, the deciding factors are usually language, length of posting and university plans. To compare the full range of options, including fees and where each community clusters, return to the Shanghai city hub.
Shanghai Japanese School reviews
We do not yet hold any verified parent reviews for Shanghai Japanese School. GlobalSchoolGuide is an independent guide and no school pays to be listed, so we publish a rating only once we have gathered enough verified first hand accounts to be fair to both the school and to the families reading them. We would rather show nothing than show an invented score.
If your family has attended the Hongqiao or Pudong campus we would value your account of admissions, teaching and the move between the Japanese and other systems. Share it through our school reviews hub and we will add verified contributions to this page.
Frequently asked questions
How much are Shanghai Japanese School fees?
As a community school for Japanese nationals, fees sit well below Shanghai's premium English medium international schools. The exact schedule is set by the school and supported by the Japanese community, so confirm current figures directly rather than assuming the city's headline international rates.
What curriculum does Shanghai Japanese School follow?
The school follows the Japanese national curriculum, taught in Japanese by Japanese teachers, so that students can move smoothly between it and schools in Japan. It is not an English medium international school.
Who can attend Shanghai Japanese School?
The school primarily serves the children of Japanese nationals living in Shanghai, mostly families on corporate postings. Confirm eligibility and documentation with the school before applying.
Where are the Shanghai Japanese School campuses?
The school runs a Hongqiao campus in the Minhang district on the western side of the city for the elementary years, and a Pudong campus on the eastern side that also houses the junior and senior high school.
Is Shanghai Japanese School a good school?
It is a long established school that keeps Japanese students aligned with the curriculum at home, which suits families who expect to return to Japan. We publish ratings only from verified reviews, so weigh curriculum fit and a campus visit.
