Tokyo International School (TIS)

At a glance

Where a detail is not officially published we mark it clearly rather than guess. Always confirm current figures with the school.

Curriculum and academics

Tokyo International School is a small, central IB World School that grew from a preschool of five children in 1994 into an internationally accredited school in the heart of the capital. Teaching is in English and the school follows an inquiry based approach, running the Primary Years Programme through the younger classes and the Middle Years Programme as students move into the secondary years. In recent years the school has been extending its senior provision to complete the Diploma, so families can keep a single framework through to graduation rather than switching schools at sixteen.

The student body is genuinely multinational, with around seventy nationalities represented across a deliberately compact roll, and the school positions its size as a strength in how well teachers know each child. To understand how the programmes connect from the early years to the Diploma, see our pillar guide to the IB curriculum, and our overview of IB schools in Tokyo for the wider landscape of authorised schools in the city.

An IB education in central Tokyo gives children access to a deep pool of international families and the cultural resources of the Hiroo and Azabu districts. For parents who want a coherent international framework and a small community where their child will not be a number, TIS is one of the established options inside the city rather than out in the suburbs.

Tokyo International School fees

Tokyo International School fees sit in the upper-mid to premium band for the city, in line with other international schools in central Tokyo. The published cost is built from several components, so the headline tuition is only the starting point.

• Registration and application: a one off charge at the point of applying.
• Capital or facility levy: a contribution toward buildings and resources.
• Annual tuition: billed per year, often by term.
• Extras: lunch, bus, materials and trips.

For a citywide comparison, our guide to international school fees in Tokyo breaks the market into low, mid and premium tiers. Central Tokyo schools with a full international programme sit among the more expensive options, so it is worth asking how the capital levy and tuition are scheduled and whether sibling arrangements apply. We avoid quoting precise figures because schools revise them each year.

Admissions

The main intake aligns with the August start of the school year, with applications typically opening the preceding autumn. As an IB World School, admission considers prior school reports, an age appropriate assessment and the family interview, with readiness for the programme weighed in the senior years. Because the school keeps numbers deliberately small, popular year groups can fill early, so applying in the autumn window before your intended start gives the best chance of a place.

A campus visit is the clearest way to judge whether the small community suits your child and to meet the teachers who will guide each stage. Mid-year entry can be possible where a space opens outside transition years, so families relocating to Tokyo partway through the cycle should contact the admissions office directly.

Location and who goes there

The campus sits in Minami-Azabu in Minato ward, central Tokyo, having moved there from Tamachi in 2013. It is close to Hiroo and Azabu-Juban, two of the districts where international and diplomatic families concentrate, and is well served by the Hibiya and Namboku subway lines. The location suits families based in central and southern Tokyo who want to avoid a long commute to the larger campuses on the city edge.

The community is small and multinational, which is part of what families value alongside the IB offer. For a fuller picture of districts, commutes and the wider schooling landscape, our Tokyo city guide maps where expatriate families settle and how the schools are distributed across the city.

Reviews

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Frequently asked questions