What the official information confirms
- Position of the school
- An IB World School in central Tokyo
- Grades
- Kindergarten to Grade 12. Grade 12 is announced as opening in the 2026-27 school year
- Programmes offered
- PYP, MYP and DP
- PYPKindergarten to Grade 5
- MYPSecondary years
- DPTwo years from Grade 11
Tokyo International School is an IB World School in central Tokyo. Its official website presents it as a school from Kindergarten to Grade 12, and its Learning page shows that it offers the PYP, MYP and DP.
The PYP runs from Kindergarten to Grade 5, the MYP covers the secondary years, and students move on to the two-year DP from Grade 11.
Grade 12 is announced as opening in the 2026-27 school year.
The school is in Mita, Minato-ku (Takanawa Gateway City Residence). Its official website mentions more than 500 students, around 70 nationalities and its status as an IB World School. The DP is described as being at Candidate school status, so please ask the school for the latest authorisation status of the DP. You can also check the address, grades and key application points on TIS's school profile (a Japanese-language page).
From the PYP to the MYP
The PYP places weight on inquiry-based learning and on agency. TIS's Primary School page also explains that the PYP is offered from Kindergarten to Grade 5, with an emphasis on inquiry and self-regulation.
In the secondary years students enter the MYP. In addition to subject-by-subject learning, they must be able to work with criterion-based assessment and longer-term projects.
For a transfer, it helps to check not only English level but also whether your child has experience of reading a rubric and reflecting on their own learning.
The DP from Grade 11
TIS offers a two-year IB Diploma Programme from Grade 11.
The DP involves six subjects plus the core elements of TOK, the Extended Essay and CAS, so subject choices before Grade 10, academic writing and time management matter.
If you are considering joining from Grade 11, ask the school about the DP subject options and how what your child has already studied connects to them.
What to check for 2026-27 applications
TIS's Admissions page publishes age-based grade placement for 2026-27.
It also states that new admission to Grade 12 is not offered.
Availability and requirements change by grade, so check the current Admissions Guidelines before applying.
How to read the fees
TIS publishes its 2026-27 School Fees. In addition to the one-time Application, Registration and Development Fees, there are Annual Tuition and a Building Fee.
The fees page explains that some activities, uniforms, lunch, IT devices for Grade 6 and above, some social events and private instrumental lessons are not included.
The one-time costs for a new student total ¥1,430,000. For example, a student entering in Grades 6 to 9 would pay about ¥4,930,000 in the first year, combining the one-time costs and the Annual Fee, with bus, uniform, lunch, an IT device and similar costs on top.
Rather than comparing annual tuition alone, look at first-year costs and additional costs separately. Payment is split into three instalments a year: the first is due on 15 May, and the others are set for October and January.
| Item | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Application Fee | New students only, one-time | ¥30,000 |
| Registration Fee | New students only, one-time | ¥400,000 |
| Development Fee | New students only, one-time | ¥1,000,000 |
| Total Annual Fee: K to Grade 2 | Per year | ¥3,300,000 |
| Total Annual Fee: Grades 3 to 5 | Per year | ¥3,400,000 |
| Total Annual Fee: Grades 6 to 9 | Per year | ¥3,500,000 |
| Total Annual Fee: Grades 10 to 12 | Per year | ¥3,600,000 |
| Bus (one way / round trip) | Optional, per year | ¥280,000 / ¥380,000 |
| Beyond the Bell (K to Grade 5) | Optional | ¥260,000 per year, or ¥2,000 per session |
Fees may be reviewed each year. When you apply, check the amounts and what they cover on the latest School Fees page.
Petra Tutors' practical view
What follows is not official school information. It is our practical view when thinking about learning support.
The difficulty at TIS is not necessarily only English grammar.
In the PYP, the key is being able to put ideas about inquiry into words. In the MYP, it is building work to fit the criteria. In the DP, it is subject-specific knowledge together with academic writing and research skills.
Even for "English support", what a student needs in Grade 5, Grade 10 and Grade 11 is different.
A checklist before you transfer
Points to consider when judging fit
Whether the IB way of learning suits a child cannot be judged by grades alone.
It asks a student to pose their own questions, use feedback, manage a long project and improve submitted work against several criteria.
On a school visit or in a meeting with Admissions, it is easier to compare if you ask concretely where your child's current learning style does and does not match.
In summary
TIS is an IB school that links the PYP, MYP and DP. From 2026-27 it is due to offer grades through to Grade 12.
Before applying, check grade placement, English level, the connection to your child's current curriculum, the route to the DP and first-year costs.
Official school information can change, so always re-check the latest pages when you actually apply.
