Part of our guide to international schools in Tokyo. Fees last verified: October 2026.
What does the first year at a Tokyo international school really cost? At most established schools, a new student’s first year costs ¥3.3 million to ¥4.7 million in school fees alone, and often ¥0.3–0.6 million more once buses, lunches, uniforms, devices and trips are added. The first year is the most expensive because one-time entry fees of roughly ¥0.8–1.4 million are paid on top of a full year’s tuition.
Below are three worked budgets built from schools’ official 2026–27 fee schedules, followed by the extra costs that catch parents out and a payment timeline. For every school’s fees side by side, see our 2026–27 international school fees comparison.
Worked budget 1: Grade 1 at St. Mary’s International School, with the school bus
- Application fee: ¥50,000
- Registration fee: ¥400,000
- Development fund: ¥1,000,000
- Elementary tuition: ¥2,860,000
- Building maintenance fee: ¥200,000
- School bus, both ways: ¥420,000 (one way: ¥310,000)
- School fees and bus: ¥4,930,000
Second year (no one-time fees, before any fee increase): ¥2,860,000 + ¥200,000 + ¥420,000 = about ¥3,480,000.
Worked budget 2: Year 7 at The British School in Tokyo
- Application fee: ¥40,000
- Enrolment and educational resources fees: ¥1,180,000
- Secondary tuition (Years 7–9): ¥2,980,000
- Capital development fee: ¥100,000
- School fees: ¥4,300,000
Second year: about ¥3,080,000 before any fee increase. Transport, lunches and trips are additional.
Worked budget 3: Pre-K at the New International School of Japan
- Application fee: none
- Entrance fee: ¥330,000
- Building and facilities fee (first child): ¥450,000
- Pre-K tuition (first child): ¥1,960,000
- Resource and program development fee: ¥200,000
- School fees: ¥2,940,000
NewIS also offers reduced tuition for second and later children, which makes a big difference for families with more than one child.
The extras parents most often forget
- School bus: often several hundred thousand yen a year (St. Mary’s lists ¥310,000 one way or ¥420,000 both ways). Many families instead use the train, which is cheaper but means a longer commute for younger children.
- Lunch: some schools include a catered lunch, others charge per meal or expect packed lunches. Ask how lunch works and what it costs.
- Uniforms and PE kit: uniform schools require several sets, plus seasonal items.
- Devices: many schools run iPad or laptop programmes with a device fee or a bring-your-own-device requirement (Seisen, for example, lists an iPad fee separately).
- Trips and outdoor education: overnight trips, especially in middle and high school, are often billed separately.
- Exams and graduation: IB and AP exam fees and graduation fees (Seisen lists ¥20,000 per IB exam subject and a ¥30,000 Grade 12 graduation fee).
- After-school activities and sport: some are free, others charged per term.
- Learning support or English support: some schools charge extra for additional support.
- Summer programmes and holiday camps, if you need childcare during long breaks.
When each payment falls due
- When you apply: the non-refundable application fee.
- Soon after an offer: registration or enrollment fees and development or capital fees, usually within a few weeks, to secure the place. These are generally non-refundable.
- Before the school year: the first tuition instalment, typically due in summer for an August start (Tokyo International School, for example, sets returning students’ annual fee deadline in May).
- During the year: remaining instalments. Schools bill annually, by semester, by term or quarterly — Seisen allows two instalments with the second due by January; Nishimachi bills in four quarters; BST in three terms.
Joining mid-year? Some schools pro-rate tuition by term or quarter. The International School of the Sacred Heart, for example, charges by academic quarter, and attending any part of a quarter requires payment for the whole quarter.
How to budget well
- Budget for the first year and the ongoing years separately.
- Assume fees will rise each year.
- Ask each school for a complete list of fees, including buses, lunch and devices, before you accept an offer.
- Check exactly what your employer covers — tuition only, or one-time fees, buses and extras too.
- Keep enough cash available for the one-time fees, which are usually due quickly and up front.
FAQ
Are one-time entry fees refundable if we leave Japan early?
Usually not. Application, registration and development fees are generally non-refundable. Tuition refund rules vary, so read the school’s financial policy before paying.
Do siblings pay one-time fees again?
Often yes, though some schools reduce them for siblings (NewIS charges a lower building fee for second and later children).
Is the second year much cheaper?
Yes. Without one-time fees, the second year usually costs ¥1 million or more less than the first, before any annual fee increase.
Sources and official fee schedules
- St. Mary’s International School — Tuition and fees
- The British School in Tokyo — Fees
- New International School of Japan — Tuition and fees
- Seisen International School — Tuition and fees
- International School of the Sacred Heart — Tuition and fees
- Tokyo International School — School fees
- Nishimachi International School — Tuition and fees
Fees change every year. Confirm with each school before budgeting. TokyoParents has no commercial relationship with any school listed. See our editorial policy.
Featured image: Bus with school bus written on it – japan – meguro – june 2014 by nesnad, licensed under CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
