Tokyo Korean School

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 Korean School is one of the oldest Korean heritage schools in Japan, opened in 1954 to give the children of Korean families in Tokyo a Korean language education outside the Japanese public system. Korean is the main language of instruction across the elementary, middle and high school sections, while Japanese is taught from the early grades so pupils can function fully in Japan and, where they choose, sit Japanese university entrance examinations. English runs alongside both, which is why the school is best understood as offering a trilingual education rather than a single language route.

In the upper school the programme splits into pathways for pupils heading to Korean universities and those aiming at Japanese ones, with the subject mix adjusted to each route. Because the structure is built around language and heritage rather than an international examination board, it suits families who want their children to keep a strong Korean identity while living in Japan. The closest fit among our curriculum guides is the bilingual schools model, which explains how dual and multi language teaching shapes a child's day, while our Tokyo city guide sets the school in the wider local landscape.

The roll is large for a community school, at around a thousand pupils, which gives the upper years a genuine cohort for each pathway. For Korean families relocating to Tokyo, that scale and the long history are the main reasons to consider it over a smaller heritage programme or a mainstream international school.

Tokyo Korean School fees

Tokyo Korean School fees are not marketed in the way a commercial international school publishes them, because it is a community school affiliated with the South Korean government. In practice the cost to families sits below the premium international schools in the city, but the exact figure depends on the section and on the support the school receives. The components a parent should still ask about include the following.

• Tuition or contribution: the core annual charge, which differs by section.
• Registration: a one off charge when a place is accepted.
• Materials and activities: books, uniform and trips.
• Meals and transport: where the family chooses to use them.

For context on how the wider market is priced, our guide to international school fees in Tokyo breaks the city into low, mid and premium tiers, and our list of the cheapest international schools in Tokyo shows where community and heritage schools sit against the commercial ones. We do not quote a precise figure here because the school does not publish one in the standard form.

Admissions

Admission is handled directly by the school rather than through an international admissions portal. The intake follows the school calendar, and because the school primarily serves Korean families, applicants are usually asked to show the documents that establish that connection alongside the child's prior school records. Families should contact the admissions office early to confirm the current window, the language expectations for the section, and any assessment the school sets.

A visit is worthwhile to understand how the Korean and Japanese pathways work in the upper school and to gauge the language level your child will need from the start. Places in popular year groups can be limited, so early contact is sensible for families arriving partway through the year.

Location and who goes there

The campus is in Wakamatsucho in Shinjuku ward, central Tokyo, well connected by rail and within easy reach of the central and western neighbourhoods where many Korean families live. The setting is urban and central, which suits working parents who want a school close to the city rather than out on the edge.

The community is overwhelmingly Korean, which is the point of the school, and that shared language and culture is what most families come for. For a fuller picture of districts, commutes and the wider schooling options, our Tokyo city guide maps where expatriate families settle and how the schools are spread across the city.

Reviews

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Frequently asked questions