K. International School TokyoTuition, Admissions & Curriculum
William Michihiko Akiyama
William Prep
Tokyo, Japan
A well-regarded IB school in Kōtō-ku — but the common description of it as a "full PYP/MYP/DP continuum" no longer matches its current curriculum.
Last reviewed by William Prep: 2026-09-24
KIST is a Kōtō-ku school best known for strong IB Diploma results. But a look at the school's own site — renewed in April 2026 — shows its curriculum structure differs from how it's commonly described as a "full IB continuum (PYP/MYP/DP). "
At a Glance
| Location | Kōtō-ku (not independently confirmed) |
| Curriculum | PYP → LSP (original) → IGCSE → DPas of: 2026-09-24 |
| IB DP average (2024-25, unconfirmed) | 42/45 (third-party, unconfirmed) (not independently confirmed)2024-25 |
| Est. First-Year Cost (G10–12) | ≈¥4. 2M2026-27 · as of: 2026-09-24 |
01Tuition & Fees
Fees: A Real First-Year Total of About ¥4. 2M (Grade 10–12)
KIST's own fee schedule for August 2026–June 2027 lists three one-time charges for new students — a ¥30,000 application fee, a ¥300,000 enrollment fee, and a ¥700,000 capital fee — plus an annual ¥200,000 building maintenance fee and grade-banded tuition (¥2,970,000 for Grade 10–12). Added together, a genuine first-year total comes to roughly ¥4. 2M.
academic year: 2026-27
| Application Fee | ¥30,000 |
| Enrollment Fee | ¥300,000 |
| Capital Fee | ¥700,000 |
| Building Maintenance Fee | ¥200,000 |
| Community Association (CA) Fee | ¥1,000 |
| Tuition (K1–K3)K1-K3 | ¥3,020,000 |
| Tuition (Grade 1–9)G1-G9 | ¥2,850,000 |
| Tuition (Grade 10–12)G10-G12 | ¥2,970,000 |
| Program Progression Fee (G1, 6, 9, 11) | ¥5,000 |
| Estimated First-Year Total | ¥4,200,000 |
Includes: application, enrolment, capital, facilities, tuition — Excludes: Excludes camp fees (specific grades only), uniforms, and extracurricular costs. Grade band affects the total — this uses Grade 10–12 tuition as the base.
02Admissions
| Cycle | 未確認 not publicly confirmed |
University Entrance Eligibility in Japan
| School-accreditation route | No not publicly confirmedWhether KIST holds any of the six MEXT-recognised accreditations is not publicly confirmed. |
| Student-qualification route (IB, etc.) | Yes |
Whether KIST itself holds a MEXT-recognised accreditation is not publicly confirmed. A student who completes the full IB Diploma (Grade 11–12) qualifies via the individual-credential route regardless. Eligibility for a student who leaves before reaching the DP was not researched.
What Japanese Families Should Know
Questions to Ask the School
1.Does KIST hold accreditation from any of the six MEXT-recognised bodies (WASC, CIS, etc. )?
Why this matters: Public information does not establish this clearly; confirm it directly with the school.
2.What are the most recent IB DP average score, perfect-score rate, and matriculation destinations, from the school's own published data?
Why this matters: Public information does not establish this clearly; confirm it directly with the school.
03Curriculum
Why "Full IB Continuum" No Longer Describes It Accurately
KIST's site was renewed in April 2026, and it now sets out the current structure clearly: K1 through Grade 5 is IB PYP, but Grades 6–8 run "LSP" (Lower Secondary Programme) — a curriculum KIST designed itself, not IB MYP. Grades 9–10 follow Pearson Edexcel IGCSE, and Grades 11–12 run the IB Diploma.
Key Point
In effect, KIST runs IB at the two ends (PYP and DP) with IGCSE and its own bridging programme in between — not the continuous PYP-MYP-DP structure it's commonly described as.
University Pathways
Search results report a 2025 DP average of 42/45, with claims about perfect scores and high-score rates — not directly confirmed against a KIST-published results page or the IB's own statistics in currently available public information. Recorded as reported (Tier 4), not confirmed.
| IB average | 42 (not independently confirmed)academic year: 2024-25 |
04School Features
What Makes This School Distinctive
A custom bridge between PYP and the DP
LSP (Grades 6–8) is a KIST-designed programme explicitly built to prepare students for IGCSE (G9-10) and then the DP (G11-12)
KIST's own LSP page states its purpose is explicitly to prepare students for IGCSE and then the DP.
Families specifically seeking IB MYP authorisation need to understand this distinction before assuming KIST offers it.
Who Might Find This School a Good Fit
Might suit — Families focused on the eventual IB Diploma who aren't attached to a specific middle-years programme name
Might not suit — Families specifically wanting IB MYP authorisation (KIST's Grade 6–8 is not MYP)
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)
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