Fukuoka International SchoolTuition, Admissions & Curriculum
William Michihiko Akiyama
William Prep
Fukuoka, Japan
Founded in 1972 when a US Air Force base school closed, FIS earned WASC accreditation in 2007 and completed the full IB continuum in 2020.
Last reviewed by William Prep: 2026-09-24
FIS opened in 1972 when the US Air Force base school at Itazuke closed, using land and buildings supplied by the Japan Baptist Mission. It earned WASC accreditation and IB Diploma authorisation simultaneously in 2007, added PYP in 2014, and added MYP in 2020 — becoming, by its own account, the first school in Kyushu to run all three IB programmes.
At a Glance
| Founded | 1972as of: 2026-09-24 |
| WASC Accreditation | Obtained 2007as of: 2026-09-24 |
| IB Authorisation Timeline | DP (2007) → PYP (2014) → MYP (2020)as of: 2026-09-24 |
| Est. First-Year Cost (K–G5) | ≈¥3. 00M2026-27 · as of: 2026-09-24 |
01Tuition & Fees
Fees: A Real First-Year Total of About ¥3. 00M (Kindergarten–Grade 5)
FIS's own 2026-27 fee schedule lists three one-time charges: a ¥52,000 application fee, a ¥350,000 acceptance fee, and a ¥500,000 development fee (new students only). On top of that, an annual ¥200,000 facility fee and ¥4,800 accident insurance fee apply alongside grade-banded tuition (¥1,891,000 for Kindergarten–Grade 5).
academic year: 2026-27
| Application Fee | ¥52,000 |
| Acceptance Fee | ¥350,000 |
| Development Fee (new students only) | ¥500,000 |
| Facility Fee | ¥200,000 |
| Accident Insurance Fee | ¥4,800 |
| Tuition (Early Years)Early Years | ¥1,855,000 |
| Tuition (Kindergarten-Grade 5)K-G5 | ¥1,891,000 |
| Tuition (Grade 6-8)G6-G8 | ¥2,044,000 |
| Tuition (Grade 9-10)G9-G10 | ¥2,195,000 |
| Tuition (Grade 11-12)G11-G12 | ¥2,286,000 |
| Estimated First-Year Total | ¥2,997,800 |
Includes: application, enrolment, capital, facilities, other, tuition — Excludes: Excludes the extension learning fee (¥10,000 elementary / ¥5,000 secondary), the Grade 12 graduation fee, and Week Without Walls costs (≈¥50,000–¥120,000). This uses Kindergarten–Grade 5 tuition as the base.
02Admissions
| Cycle | 未確認 not publicly confirmed |
University Entrance Eligibility in Japan
| School-accreditation route | Yes |
| Student-qualification route (IB, etc.) | Yes |
WASC accreditation is confirmed directly against the school's own page. A student completing the full IB Diploma qualifies via either route.
What Japanese Families Should Know
Questions to Ask the School
1.What are the outcomes for students who have gone through the school since MYP authorisation?
Why this matters: Public information does not establish this clearly; confirm it directly with the school.
2.What are the current visa-status requirements for admission?
Why this matters: Public information does not establish this clearly; confirm it directly with the school.
03Curriculum
IB Authorisation Came in Reverse Order — DP First, PYP Seven Years Later
FIS's IB authorisation ran opposite the order most continuum schools follow. It got the Diploma Programme (for high schoolers) first in 2007, then added PYP (early years) in 2014, and MYP (middle years) only in 2020. For most of its history, in other words, FIS was a DP-only IB school, not a continuum school.
Key Point
Whether a school currently runs the full IB continuum and how long it has run it are two different facts, and both matter for judging institutional maturity. In FIS's case, MYP authorisation is only a few years old — worth treating the three-programme track record as still being built, not as a long-established pattern.
04School Features
What Makes This School Distinctive
Kyushu's first school with all three IB programmes
Completed the PYP/MYP/DP set with MYP authorisation in 2020
The school's own Our Story page documents the DP (2007) → PYP (2014) → MYP (2020) authorisation sequence.
The three-programme structure is still relatively new — worth understanding that its track record is still accumulating, not established over decades.
Who Might Find This School a Good Fit
Might suit — Families in the Fukuoka/Kyushu area seeking a full IB continuum
Might not suit — Families prioritizing a long-established continuum track record (MYP authorisation is only a few years old)
Explore Other Schools
- Linden Hall SchoolDazaifu (Elementary) / Chikushino (Junior/Senior High)
- American School in Japan (ASIJ)Chōfu
- Tokyo Metropolitan Kokusai High School (Kokusai-kō)Meguro-ku
Let’s Talk About Your Child’s Learning
Worried whether your child is on the right track? Start with a free consultation, and we’ll map out concrete next steps tailored to their situation.
Book a Free Consultation