Photograph pending

Canadian Academy (Kobe) — Over a Century of History in the Kansai IB Scene

Hyogo, Japan

Founded 1913 as Canadian Methodist Academy — one of the few Kansai international schools offering a boarding option alongside its full IB continuum.

Researched by William Prep from published sources. Not yet verified by the school. — Last reviewed by William Prep: 2026-09-24

Canadian Academy began in 1913 as Canadian Methodist Academy with 13 students, was renamed to its current name in 1917, and moved to Rokko Island in Kobe's Higashinada-ku in 1994. It reportedly runs the full IB continuum (PYP/MYP/DP) from PreK through Grade 12.

At a Glance

Founded	1913 (as Canadian Methodist Academy) (not independently confirmed)as of: 2026-09-24
Boarding	Available (optional, ¥3,500,000/yr)2026-27 · as of: 2026-09-24
Curriculum	Full IB continuum (PYP/MYP/DP) (not independently confirmed)as of: 2026-09-24
Est. First-Year Cost (day student)	≈¥4.10M2026-27 · as of: 2026-09-24

One of the Few Kansai IB Schools Offering a Boarding Option

The school's own fee schedule lists an annual ¥3,500,000 boarding fee, separate from day-student tuition. Unlike UWC ISAK Japan in Nagano, which requires boarding for everyone, Canadian Academy lets families choose between day attendance and boarding.

William Prep’s Analysis

For families in the Kansai region weighing international boarding options, Canadian Academy offers a real alternative to relocating near a day school. But the boarding fee stacks on top of tuition rather than replacing it, so the total cost runs well above the day-student figure — worth budgeting for explicitly rather than assuming boarding is a modest add-on.

Fees: A Real First-Year Total of About ¥4.10M (Day Student)

Canadian Academy's own 2026-27 fee schedule lists three one-time charges: a ¥90,000 application fee, a ¥400,000 registration fee, and a ¥600,000 capital contribution fee. On top of that, an annual ¥300,000 building & development fee applies alongside grade-banded tuition (¥2,710,000 for Kindergarten B/Grade 1–5). Added together, a genuine first-year total for a day student comes to roughly ¥4,100,000. Boarding students add a further ¥3,500,000 on top.

University Entrance Eligibility in Japan

School-accreditation route	No not publicly confirmedWhether Canadian Academy holds any of the six MEXT-recognised accreditations was not confirmed this session.
Student-qualification route (IB, etc.)	Yes

Whether Canadian Academy itself holds a MEXT-recognised accreditation was not confirmed this session. A student completing the full IB Diploma qualifies via the individual-credential route regardless.

Fees & Estimated First-Year Cost

academic year: 2026-27

Application Fee	¥90,000
Registration Fee	¥400,000
Capital Contribution Fee	¥600,000
Building & Development Fee	¥300,000
Tuition (Pre-K/Kindergarten A)PreK-KA	¥2,100,000
Tuition (Kindergarten B, Grade 1-5)KB-G5	¥2,710,000
Tuition (Grade 6-8)G6-G8	¥3,170,000
Tuition (Grade 9-11)G9-G11	¥3,240,000
Tuition (Grade 12)G12	¥3,370,000
Boarding Fee (annual, optional)	¥3,500,000
Estimated First-Year Total	¥4,100,000

Includes: application, registration, capital, facilities, tuition — Excludes: Excludes the optional boarding fee (¥3,500,000/yr, only for boarding students) and the learning-support program fee (only for students requiring it). This uses Kindergarten B/Grade 1-5 tuition as the base (day student).

What Makes This School Distinctive

Over a century of history, with an optional boarding programme

Founded 1913, accepts both day and boarding students

The school's own fee schedule itemizes boarding as a separate annual charge from day tuition.

A meaningful option for families outside commuting range of the Kansai region.

Admissions

Cycle

未確認 not publicly confirmed

What Japanese Families Should Know

Who Might Find This School a Good Fit

Might suit — Families outside the Kansai region considering a boarding arrangement

Might not suit — Families trying to minimize costs (day tuition itself runs at a level broadly comparable to similar Tokyo schools)

William Prep’s Analysis

What stood out in researching Canadian Academy is that boarding is a genuine add-on to tuition, not a replacement for it. A family that skips checking the combined total risks underestimating what boarding actually costs here.

Questions to Ask the School

1.Does Canadian Academy itself hold a WASC or other MEXT-recognised accreditation?
Why this matters: Not confirmed this session.
2.What does boarding actually look like — room arrangements, supervision, which grades can board?
Why this matters: Not confirmed this session.

Sources & Verification

Tuition and Fees — Canadian Academyprimary source · as of: 2026-09-24Fetched directly. 2026-27: application ¥90,000, registration ¥400,000, capital contribution ¥600,000 (one-time), building & development ¥300,000/yr, tuition by grade, boarding ¥3,500,000/yr, re-enrollment deposit ¥300,000 for returning families.
Search synthesis on Canadian Academy history — Multiple (incl. Wikipedia, US Dept. of State fact sheets)third-party source · as of: 2026-09-24Founded September 13, 1913 as Canadian Methodist Academy (13 students); renamed Canadian Academy in 1917; moved to Rokko Island, Kobe in 1994. Full IB continuum (PYP/MYP/DP), PreK-Grade 12, day and boarding. Not independently confirmed against canacad.ac.jp's own history page this session.
大学入学資格について — 文部科学省 (MEXT)official source · as of: 2026-09-23Sets out the routes to 大学入学資格: MEXT-designated schools; graduates of 12-year programmes at institutions accredited by WASC, CIS, ACSI, NEASC, Cognia or COBIS; holders of the IB Diploma, Abitur, Baccalauréat, GCE A-Level, International A-Level or European Baccalaureate; 高等学校卒業程度認定試験 (age-18 gated); and individual university review at 18+.

Last reviewed by William Prep: 2026-09-24

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