Sydney Japanese International School is a bilingual and bicultural school in Terrey Hills, on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. Founded in 1969, it is unusual in running two parallel divisions on one campus: an International Division that teaches the Australian curriculum from Kindergarten to Year 6, and a Japanese Division that teaches the Japanese national curriculum from Year 1 to Year 9. The school is authorised by the Japanese Ministry of Education and registered as an independent school by the New South Wales Education Standards Authority, which makes it a genuine bridge for Japanese and internationally mobile families. It does not run the International Baccalaureate, so families set on the IB Diploma should compare it with the Diploma schools elsewhere in the city.
| Detail | Summary |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and exam boards | Two divisions: the Australian curriculum in the International Division and the Japanese national curriculum in the Japanese Division |
| Stages | Kindergarten to Year 6 in the International Division; Year 1 to Year 9 in the Japanese Division |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Type | Independent bilingual and bicultural non denominational day school |
| Campus | A single campus of about six hectares in Terrey Hills |
| Location | Booralie Road, Terrey Hills, Northern Beaches |
Curriculum and academics
The school is built around two distinct curricula that share a campus and a community. The International Division teaches the Australian curriculum in English from Kindergarten to Year 6, with structured Japanese language and culture woven through the week, so children of any background can grow up bilingual. The Japanese Division teaches the national curriculum of Japan from Year 1 to Year 9, keeping children of Japanese families on their home academic track while they live in Sydney, which smooths the return to schooling in Japan when a posting ends.
Because neither division offers a senior secondary credential, families need to plan the transition to a Year 10 to Year 12 school. Many International Division families move on to other Sydney schools for the senior years, and our roundup comparing international schools in Sydney and their fees is a useful next step for that planning. The shared campus means the two divisions hold joint events and cultural exchange, which is the heart of the bicultural model and a genuine draw for families who want their children to live in both languages.
Beyond the classroom the school makes the most of its large semi rural site for sport, outdoor learning and traditional Japanese cultural activities, giving children an experience that neither a mainstream Australian school nor a school in Japan could offer on its own.
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Sydney Japanese International School fees
Sydney Japanese International School charges fees that differ between the two divisions, reflecting their separate structures and the support each provides. The school publishes a current schedule, and we do not reproduce a figure here because fees are revised each year and we never publish a number we cannot verify against the current schedule. Families should also budget for an enrolment charge, uniforms, excursions and, in the International Division, the language support that underpins the bilingual programme.
To set this against the wider market, our Sydney international school fees guide shows where the various tiers sit, and the dedicated 2026 fees comparison places the school next to its peers. Confirm the current schedule for the division you need directly with the school.
Admissions
Admission depends on the division. The Japanese Division primarily serves families connected to Japan who want their children to keep pace with schooling at home, while the International Division is open to families of any background who want a bilingual Australian curriculum education. The school follows the New South Wales academic year, and places in the smaller cohorts can be limited, so early enquiry is sensible.
Families relocating to the Northern Beaches, or moving to Sydney on a Japanese posting, should contact the admissions team early to discuss which division suits the child, the language support available and the timetable for entry. Because the school is comparatively small, individual year groups can fill quickly.
Location and who goes there
The school sits on a campus of about six hectares on Booralie Road in Terrey Hills, a leafy semi rural pocket on the Northern Beaches with easy access to the surrounding bushland reserves. The location suits families living across the Northern Beaches and the upper North Shore, and the generous site gives the school space for playing fields and outdoor learning that inner city schools cannot match. For the wider picture of curricula and fee tiers across the city, start with the Sydney city hub, and for another internationally focused option compare it with the German International School Sydney and the Lycee Condorcet de Sydney.
Sydney Japanese International School reviews
We do not yet hold any verified parent reviews for Sydney Japanese International School. GlobalSchoolGuide is an independent guide and no school pays to be listed, so we publish a rating only once we have collected 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 school we would value your account of the two divisions, the bilingual programme, admissions and value for money. Share it through our school reviews hub and we will add verified contributions to this page.
Frequently asked questions
How much are Sydney Japanese International School fees?
Fees differ between the International and Japanese Divisions and are revised each year. The school publishes a current schedule, so confirm the latest figures for the division you need directly with the school.
Does Sydney Japanese International School offer the IB?
No. The school teaches the Australian curriculum in its International Division and the Japanese national curriculum in its Japanese Division, rather than the International Baccalaureate.
What year groups does the school cover?
The International Division runs from Kindergarten to Year 6 and the Japanese Division from Year 1 to Year 9, so families plan a move to a senior school for Year 10 onward.
Where is Sydney Japanese International School located?
The school is on Booralie Road in Terrey Hills, on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, on a campus of about six hectares.
Is Sydney Japanese International School a good school?
The school offers a rare genuinely bilingual and bicultural education with two parallel curricula. We do not publish a rating without verified reviews, so we suggest you visit and weigh which division fits your child.
