International School of the Sacred HeartTuition, Admissions & Curriculum
William Michihiko Akiyama
William Prep
Tokyo, Japan
Founded 1908 in Shibuya-ku (Hiroo) — a girls' school (coeducational kindergarten only) with over a century of history in the worldwide Sacred Heart network.
Last reviewed by William Prep: 2026-09-24
ISSH was founded in 1908 by sisters of the Society of the Sacred Heart in Hiroo, Shibuya-ku. Kindergarten (K3–K5) is coeducational; Grade 1 onward is girls-only. It belongs to the worldwide Sacred Heart network, present in 44 countries.
At a Glance
| Founded | 1908 (not independently confirmed)as of: 2026-09-24 |
| Coeducation | Coed Kindergarten (K3–K5) only; girls-only Grade 1–12 (not independently confirmed)as of: 2026-09-24 |
| Accreditation | WASC, CIS (reported, unconfirmed) (not independently confirmed)as of: 2026-09-24 |
| Est. First-Year Cost (G1–8) | ≈¥3. 92M2026-27 · as of: 2026-09-24 |
01Tuition & Fees
Fees: A Real First-Year Total of About ¥3. 92M (Grade 1–8)
ISSH's own 2026-27 fee schedule lists three non-refundable one-time charges: a ¥30,000 application fee, a ¥300,000 registration fee, and a ¥600,000 education & building development fee. On top of that, an annual ¥220,000 building/maintenance fee applies alongside grade-banded tuition (¥2,770,000 for Grade 1–8). Added together, a genuine first-year total comes to roughly ¥3,920,000. Students in Grades 5–12 are required to have their own MacBook.
academic year: 2026-27
| Application Fee | ¥30,000 |
| Registration Fee | ¥300,000 |
| Education & Building Development Fee | ¥600,000 |
| Building/Maintenance Fee | ¥220,000 |
| Tuition (Grade 1–8)G1-G8 | ¥2,770,000 |
| Tuition (Grade 9–11)G9-G11 | ¥2,790,000 |
| Tuition (Grade 12)G12 | ¥2,880,000 |
| Estimated First-Year Total | ¥3,920,000 |
Includes: application, registration, capital, facilities, tuition — Excludes: Excludes the required MacBook purchase for Grades 5–12. This uses Grade 1–8 tuition as the base.
02Admissions
| Cycle | 未確認 not publicly confirmed |
University Entrance Eligibility in Japan
| School-accreditation route | Yes (not independently confirmed) |
| Student-qualification route (IB, etc.) | No not publicly confirmedWhether ISSH offers the IB Diploma or another curriculum that would trigger the individual-credential eligibility route is not publicly confirmed. |
The WASC/CIS accreditation is based on third-party reporting, not confirmed against either registry directly in currently available public information. Whether ISSH runs the IB or its own curriculum track is not publicly confirmed either.
What Japanese Families Should Know
Questions to Ask the School
1.Does ISSH offer the IB Diploma, MYP, or PYP?
Why this matters: Public information does not establish this clearly; confirm it directly with the school.
2.What is the current status of the WASC and CIS accreditations?
Why this matters: Public information does not establish this clearly; confirm it directly with the school.
03Curriculum
The IB Question — not publicly confirmed
Seisen is reported to have become Japan's first all-girls IB continuum school in 2020. Whether ISSH runs a similar IB track is not publicly confirmed — and because that directly affects which route to Japanese university eligibility applies, it's worth confirming with the school directly before applying rather than assuming either way.
Key Point
It would be a mistake to assume ISSH runs the same curriculum as Seisen just because both are Sacred Heart-network girls' schools in the same part of Tokyo. They are separately run institutions with separate histories, and nothing here should be read as implying they share a curriculum — this is exactly the kind of assumption that needs checking school by school, not inferred from a shared name.
04School Features
What Makes This School Distinctive
Over a century inside the worldwide Sacred Heart network
Founded 1908, part of the Society of the Sacred Heart's network across 44 countries
April 13 is reportedly celebrated annually as "ISSH Birthday," marking the 1908 opening.
A long history and an international institutional network can translate into a broader alumnae network after graduation.
Who Might Find This School a Good Fit
Might suit — Families willing to confirm the IB question directly with the school before applying
Might not suit — Families choosing schools on the assumption that a full IB continuum is guaranteed
Explore Other Schools
- American School in Japan (ASIJ)Chōfu
- Tokyo Metropolitan Kokusai High School (Kokusai-kō)Meguro-ku
- Tokyo International School (TIS)Minato-ku (Mita)
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