When seven schools take applications, and the conditions for mid-year entry
| School | How applications and review work | Age cut-off date | Mid-year entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo International School | Review depends on places available. Online application, document submission, review, then result | 31 August | Possible if there is a place. New admission to Grade 12 is not possible |
| British School in Tokyo | Applications for 2027-28 open in mid-November 2026. Review runs from early February to late June, with results from early March through summer | Check the school's Year Group chart | Could not be confirmed on the official page |
| American School in Japan | Applications for August entry open in mid-November. Results start in late February to early March and continue through summer | Kindergarten: five by 1 September | Mid-year transfer not possible for families living in Tokyo |
| K. International School Tokyo | Applications for entry from August to October 2027 open on 17 October 2026 | 31 July | Applications for mid-year entry from November 2026 to June 2027 also open on the same day |
| Aoba-Japan International School | Applications for 2027-28 open on 26 October 2026. Review in January, results in early March | 1 September | Families new to Japan or returning to Japan can apply for second-term entry. Full grades have a waitlist |
| International School of the Sacred Heart | Applications open every September. Cut-off for first-round K3-K4 interviews is 18 December 2026 (K5 has a priority period of 1 September to 20 November 2026); for Grades 1-12 the aim is to complete by early December | 1 September | Welcomed. For students coming from schools with a different calendar, after completing the previous grade |
| Nishimachi International School | Kindergarten applications by 31 October 2026 are included in the January selection. Applications for Grades 1-9 open on 1 November | Check the official page | Places in the current grade are discussed individually. Kindergarten takes families holding overseas passports year-round |
Even at schools that do not clearly state a deadline, places can fill early in some grades. Having no deadline is not the same as being able to join at any time. The location, grades and key application points of each school can be checked school by school in our list of international schools in Tokyo (a Japanese-language page).
Differences in documents, interviews and assessment, and English requirements
| School | Main documents | Interview and assessment | English requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| TIS | Online application and the documents on the checklist | Assessment only if judged necessary and a place has been found | English ability is one of the factors considered, not a requirement, according to the school |
| BST | A reference from the current school and teacher | Once the documents are complete, the applicant joins a waiting pool; interview and assessment if a place is likely | All lessons are in English. The applicant must be proficient in English, and at least one parent must communicate effectively in English |
| ASIJ | Two full years of report cards for Grades 1-12 (one for Kindergarten), recommendations (three for Grades 6-12, two for Grades 1-5), an essay for High and Middle School, standardised tests | No common entrance exam; academic or English screening where needed | One parent must be proficient in English |
| KIST | A confidential school reference from Grade 2 upwards; a personal statement from Grade 8 upwards | Testing follows if the applicant passes document screening | Sufficient English from K2 upwards. From Grade 8, students needing language support cannot be accepted |
| Aoba | A questionnaire, report cards (if available), a teacher recommendation on the school's form, vaccination records | Interview online or in person. Observation or English assessment depending on grade | English is the language of instruction. A support programme is available for elementary and middle school students |
| ISSH | Report cards for the current and past two years, recommendations, standardised tests (if any) | Online maths and English reading and writing assessments (Grades 1-4); maths, English reading comprehension and essay tests (Grades 5-12); then a family interview for those who pass. Kindergarten is screened | One parent must speak and read English. For applicants entering the English Language Arts (ELA) support programme, intermediate English is required after Grade 10 |
| Nishimachi | Explained through the online application system | Could not be confirmed on the official page | English based on the US Common Core standards, and a Japanese programme |
How languages are handled also differs by school. ISSH asks for report cards in English (translated if necessary), while it accepts recommendations in other languages. Check with each school whether translation is needed.
KIST states clearly that it does not answer individual enquiries from applicants who did not get through screening. Reading the Admissions Handbook before you apply is taken as given.
Cut-off dates can shift the grade
Even with the same date of birth, the grade a child enters can change by school. For example, a child born in August may be placed in the higher grade at TIS, whose cut-off is 31 August, but one grade lower at KIST, whose cut-off is 31 July.
Schools may allow exceptions, but some, like KIST, state strictly that no exception to the cut-off date is accepted for K1, and that for Grades 1-10 discussion is limited to one grade up or down. Start by lining up your child's date of birth against each school's cut-off date to see which grade they would be in.
The differences in how Grade and Year are written are set out in our explanation of K-12, Grade and Year.
When should you start? How to think about it by situation
Because there is not one deadline, the starting points are when you want your child to enter and where you live now. The table below sets out a guide. This is not an official deadline; it is an order of preparation derived from official information.
| Family situation | What to do first | Official information it is based on |
|---|---|---|
| Living in Japan and considering entry in August 2027 | In October, book school visits for your candidate schools and decide who to ask for report cards and recommendations | KIST opens on 17 October, Aoba on 26 October and Nishimachi on 1 November. BST and ASIJ open in mid-November |
| Living overseas, with a move to Japan close to being decided | Do not wait for the move to be confirmed; make enquiries first. Check the type of visa and the parent's passport | BST makes a parent holding a non-Japanese passport and a dependent visa a condition. Nishimachi takes Kindergarten applications year-round from families holding overseas passports |
| Want to transfer mid-year | Ask several schools at the same time whether there are places | ISSH welcomes it, Aoba describes second-term entry, KIST takes applications from November to June, and ASIJ does not accept families living in Tokyo |
| Have not yet decided on a school | Book visits first, check the differences in curriculum, and then narrow down | Each school's visit dates are published on its official page. Nishimachi, for example, from 13 October 2026 |
Application timing and space availability change each year. Just before you apply, always check each school's latest official page.
A checklist before you apply
The learning side to check before a transfer
At schools that assess English and maths in selection, any gap between your child's current learning and the content of the receiving school's next year shows up in the first term after entry. Rather than looking for past papers to practise, it is more reliable preparation to check first the differences between your child's current school curriculum and the receiving school's.
The points to check on curriculum differences, including questions to ask schools, are collected in our curriculum checklist for transfers.
In summary
Rather than looking for a single deadline, first check how applications work at each school. The date applications open, the length of review, whether Kindergarten has a separate schedule, and whether mid-year entry is accepted all differ by school.
The dates here are as at 8 October 2026. Before you apply, always check the latest official page, and contact the school's admissions office directly about anything unclear.
Sources
- Tokyo International School | Admissions
- The British School in Tokyo | Applications
- American School in Japan | Admissions Guidelines
- K. International School Tokyo | Admissions
- K. International School Tokyo | Applications
- Aoba-Japan International School | How to Apply
- International School of the Sacred Heart | Admission Process
- Nishimachi International School | Admissions
