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    International school2026.10.077 min readPetra Parent Questions

    What Is International School of the Sacred Heart Like? AP, Girls' Education and Fees Explained

    Petra Tutors Editorial Team

    A historic stone school hall framed by autumn trees

    In short

    Families considering ISSH sometimes bring us a question like this:

    "I heard it is a school with a lot of AP, but I do not understand how it differs from the IBDP. What is learning like in the high school, including being a girls' school?"

    International School of the Sacred Heart is a school with a clear character for families in Tokyo considering an international education for girls. In the High School, the key point is that it is built not around the IBDP but around the school diploma, with Advanced Placement courses chosen individually.

    ISSH is easier to understand if you separate the whole-school curriculum from AP.

    What the official information confirms

    ISSH's Academics page sets out the school structure of Kindergarten, Junior School, Middle School and High School.

    The High School is designed so that students can choose subjects according to their interests and university plans, through the options from Grade 9 and the AP and advanced courses in Grades 11 to 12. You can also check the address, grades and key application points on ISSH's school profile (a Japanese-language page).

    Where AP fits

    ISSH's Advanced Placement page explains that AP courses are one-school-year courses that can be taken individually.

    It is not a system in which students take a set course load as a whole, as in the IB Diploma.

    A wide range of AP courses is currently listed, including English, Mathematics, Sciences, Humanities, Languages, Arts and Research.

    AP Seminar and AP Research are also offered. How AP differs from a school's whole curriculum and graduation credential is set out in our article on international schools in Tokyo where students can study AP.

    What is distinctive about girls' education

    ISSH is a school centred on girls' education.

    The school itself emphasises an environment in which girls explore their own interests and take ownership of their academic trajectory.

    However, being a girls' school does not by itself decide academic fit.

    In choosing a school, you also need to check your child's personality, subject interests, support needs and university plans.

    Admissions

    ISSH uses a rolling admissions process and also accepts transfers during the year depending on space availability.

    For Grades 1 to 12, documents such as school reports and recommendations are needed, and after application review the process may move on to assessment or screening, including in Maths and English.

    The timeline differs depending on the entry date you want, so check the current admissions page when you apply. You can compare how the application process differs from other schools in our guide to application timing and preparing to enter.

    Fees for 2026-27

    In the 2026-27 fees published by ISSH, the Application Fee is ¥30,000, the Registration Fee ¥300,000 and the Education and Building Development Fee ¥600,000.

    Annual Tuition is ¥2,560,000 for Kindergarten 3 and 4, ¥2,680,000 for Kindergarten 5, ¥2,770,000 for Grades 1 to 8, ¥2,790,000 for Grades 9 to 11 and ¥2,880,000 for Grade 12.

    There is also an annual Building and Maintenance Fee. How to compare costs with other schools is set out in our fee comparison.

    The 2026-27 fees published by ISSH. There is also a separate annual Building and Maintenance Fee.
    ItemAmount
    Application Fee¥30,000
    Registration Fee¥300,000
    Education and Building Development Fee¥600,000
    Annual Tuition: Kindergarten 3 and 4¥2,560,000
    Annual Tuition: Kindergarten 5¥2,680,000
    Annual Tuition: Grades 1 to 8¥2,770,000
    Annual Tuition: Grades 9 to 11¥2,790,000
    Annual Tuition: Grade 12¥2,880,000

    The amounts are from the official information for 2026-27. When you actually apply, check the latest fees.

    Petra Tutors' practical view

    If a student needs support in ISSH's High School, we first separate AP from regular courses.

    The expertise needed for AP Calculus, AP Biology and AP English is different.

    Also, support for school assignments and academic writing is not the same as AP exam preparation.

    For that reason, in tutor matching we need to check the grade, course title, current assignment and goals in specific terms.

    What to check when choosing a school

    In summary

    ISSH's High School is an upper-school model close to the American style, combining the school diploma with AP courses.

    AP is a set of individual courses, so its structure differs from the IBDP.

    Admissions, AP offerings and fees change from year to year, so check the latest official information when you actually apply. For a comparison with other Tokyo schools, please also see our school-by-school curriculum comparison.

    Sources

    Learning support for ISSH's AP and High School

    Once we know the school, grade, subjects, current challenges, assessment method and next pathway, we will suggest how to approach support.

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