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Doshisha International — Kyoto's Only A1-Designated School, Two-Thirds Returnees

Kyoto, Japan

Established in 1980 specifically to receive returnee students, with a junior high added in 1988 — built around the regular Japanese curriculum, not the IB.

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

Doshisha International was established in 1980 by the Overseas Children's Education Promotion Foundation specifically to receive returnee students; a junior high was added in 1988. Reportedly Kyoto Prefecture's only school with the A1-group designation (established with the primary purpose of accepting returnees), with roughly two-thirds of its students being returnees with overseas living experience.

At a Glance

Established	1980 (High School), 1988 (Junior High)as of: 2026-09-24
Designation	Overseas Children's Education Promotion Foundation A1-group designation (only one in Kyoto Prefecture)as of: 2026-09-24
Returnee Proportion	≈ two-thirdsas of: 2026-09-24
Curriculum	Regular Japanese curriculum (no IB) (not independently confirmed)as of: 2026-09-24

What "A1-Designated" Actually Means

The Overseas Children's Education Promotion Foundation's A1 group is a category for schools established specifically to receive returnee students. Doshisha International is the only school in Kyoto Prefecture with this designation, with over 30 years of returnee-education specialization behind it. Returnees and domestic students share the same classrooms.

William Prep’s Analysis

"Returnee-focused school" might bring to mind a Shibumaku/Shibushibu-style model — a strong Japanese prep school with infrastructure for high-English-proficiency returnees. Doshisha International is a different, longer-established model: a formally A1-designated returnee-education specialist school. The two aren't the same thing, and a family comparing them would benefit from understanding that institutional distinction.

Fees: Only Senior-High Tuition Was Confirmed

This session confirmed 2025 senior-high tuition (¥495,000/yr) and an educational enhancement fee (¥84,000, terms 2-3), but the entrance fee and junior-high fees weren't found — a dedicated fee page on the school's own site wasn't located this session.

University Entrance Eligibility in Japan

School-accreditation route	Yes (estimated)
Student-qualification route (IB, etc.)	No not publicly confirmedThe school does not appear to offer the IB or another curriculum that would trigger the individual-credential eligibility route.

Domestic university eligibility is presumed via ordinary graduation as an Article 1 school, though the registration itself wasn't confirmed this session. There may be an internal progression track to Doshisha University, but this wasn't confirmed this session.

Fees & Estimated First-Year Cost

academic year: 2025

Tuition (Senior High, annual)SHS	¥495,000(not independently confirmed)
Educational Enhancement Fee (Senior High, terms 2-3)SHS	¥84,000(not independently confirmed)
Entrance Fee	not publicly confirmed
Tuition (Junior High, annual)JHS	not publicly confirmed

What Makes This School Distinctive

Kyoto Prefecture's only A1-designated school

Established in 1980 with the primary purpose of receiving returnees

Stated directly on the school's own returnee-admissions page.

A structurally different kind of "strong with returnees" school compared to others researched in this batch.

Admissions

Cycle

未確認（帰国生・国内生それぞれ複数の入試制度あり） (not independently confirmed)

What Japanese Families Should Know

Who Might Find This School a Good Fit

Might suit — Returnee families wanting strong institutional support within the regular Japanese curriculum

Might not suit — Families planning specifically around an IB Diploma track

William Prep’s Analysis

What stood out about Doshisha International is how much variation sits inside the loose category of "returnee-focused school." A formal A1-group designation gives this school a distinct institutional footing worth understanding on its own terms, not folding into a generic returnee-school bucket.

Questions to Ask the School

1.What are the entrance fee and junior-high tuition amounts?
Why this matters: The school's own dedicated fee page wasn't located this session.
2.Is there an internal progression track to Doshisha University? If so, what are the conditions?
Why this matters: Not confirmed this session.

Sources & Verification

帰国生徒の受け入れ — 同志社国際中学校・高等学校primary source · as of: 2026-09-24Fetched directly. High school established 1980 as a returnee-student reception specialist school (海外子女教育振興財団 A1群指定 — the only such Kyoto-designated high school); junior high added 1988. Roughly two-thirds of students are returnees with overseas living experience, studying alongside domestic Japanese students. No mention of the IB.
Search synthesis on 同志社国際 fees — Multiple (search aggregation)third-party source · as of: 2026-09-242025年度の高校授業料¥495,000／年、教育充実費¥84,000（2・3学期分）という数字が検索結果にありますが、入学金や中学の学費を含む全体像は今回確認できていません。学校公式サイト（intnl.doshisha.ac.jp）の学費専用ページは今回特定できませんでした。

Last reviewed by William Prep: 2026-09-24

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