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K. International School Tokyo (KIST) — The Curriculum Has Changed: No Longer a Full IB Continuum
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.
Researched by William Prep from published sources. Not yet verified by the school. — 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 |
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.
William Prep’s Analysis
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. This isn't a judgment on the curriculum's quality, just a structural correction: it matters specifically to families looking for an MYP-authorised middle school, and it's a correction to what the legacy William Prep directory previously stated.
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.
University Entrance Eligibility in Japan
| School-accreditation route | No not publicly confirmedWhether KIST holds any of the six MEXT-recognised accreditations was not confirmed this session. |
| Student-qualification route (IB, etc.) | Yes |
Whether KIST itself holds a MEXT-recognised accreditation was not confirmed this session. 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.
Fees & Estimated First-Year Cost
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.
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.
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 this session. Recorded as reported (Tier 4), not confirmed.
| IB average | 42 (not independently confirmed)academic year: 2024-25 |
Admissions
| Cycle | 未確認 not publicly confirmed |
What Japanese Families Should Know
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)
William Prep’s Analysis
The most valuable part of researching KIST was checking the commonly-repeated description of a well-known school against what it actually publishes today. Given the site was only renewed in April 2026, articles written before that will keep describing an outdated curriculum for a while — which is exactly why this kind of periodic re-check matters, not just for lesser-known schools.
Questions to Ask the School
1.Does KIST hold accreditation from any of the six MEXT-recognised bodies (WASC, CIS, etc.)?
Why this matters: Not confirmed this session — directly determines whether the school-accreditation eligibility route applies here.
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: The figures currently shown come from third-party search results, not a school-published report.
Sources & Verification
- School Fees — K. International School Tokyoprimary source · as of: 2026-09-24August 2026–June 2027 schedule: application ¥30,000, enrollment ¥300,000, capital ¥700,000 (one-time); building maintenance ¥200,000/yr + tuition by band; CA fee ¥1,000/yr.
- LSP (Lower Secondary Programme) — K. International School Tokyoprimary source · as of: 2026-09-24Confirms KIST's current curriculum is PYP (K1-G5) → LSP, an original KIST-designed programme (G6-G8, NOT IB MYP) → Pearson Edexcel IGCSE (G9-G10) → IB DP (G11-G12). This is a real structural change from the "full IB continuum (PYP/MYP/DP)" the legacy directory recorded.
- Search synthesis on 2025 IB DP results — Multiple (search aggregation)third-party source · as of: 2026-09-24Reports a 2025 DP average of 42/45, "3rd in the world," 25% of students scoring a perfect 45, 89% scoring 40+. Not confirmed against a KIST-published results page or the IB's own statistical bulletin this session — needs escalation before being treated as confirmed.
- 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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