The British School in TokyoTuition, Admissions & Curriculum
William Michihiko Akiyama
William Prep
Tokyo, Japan
A two-campus school — Azabudai Hills for ages 3–11, Showa for 12–18 — and one of the largest British-curriculum schools in Japan.
Last reviewed by William Prep: 2026-09-24
BST is one of the largest British-curriculum international schools in Japan, reportedly enrolling over 1,300 students from 65-plus nationalities across two campuses: Azabudai Hills (ages 3–11) and Showa (ages 12–18, on the Showa Women's University site).
At a Glance
| Campuses | Azabudai Hills (3–11) / Showa (12–18) (not independently confirmed)as of: 2026-09-24 |
| Curriculum | National Curriculum for England → IGCSE → IB/WASC/BTEC choice (not independently confirmed)as of: 2026-09-24 |
| Enrolment | 1,300+ (65+ nationalities) (not independently confirmed)as of: 2026-09-24 |
| Est. First-Year Cost (Y10–13) | ≈¥4. 39M2026-27 · as of: 2026-09-24 |
01Tuition & Fees
Fees: A Real First-Year Total of About ¥4. 39M (Year 10–13)
BST's own 2026-27 fee schedule lists three non-refundable one-time charges: a ¥40,000 application fee, a ¥500,000 enrollment fee, and a ¥680,000 educational resources fee. On top of that, an annual ¥100,000 capital development fee applies alongside grade-banded tuition (¥3,070,000 for Year 10–13). Added together, a genuine first-year total comes to roughly ¥4,390,000. The school explicitly states it does not offer sibling discounts.
academic year: 2026-27
| Application Fee | ¥40,000 |
| Enrollment Fee | ¥500,000 |
| Educational Resources Fee | ¥680,000 |
| Capital Development Fee | ¥100,000 |
| Tuition (Nursery–Year 6)Nursery-Y6 | ¥2,960,000 |
| Tuition (Year 7–9)Y7-Y9 | ¥2,980,000 |
| Tuition (Year 10–13)Y10-Y13 | ¥3,070,000 |
| Estimated First-Year Total | ¥4,390,000 |
Includes: application, enrolment, other, capital, tuition — Excludes: Excludes lunch, uniforms, non-curricular trips, and instrumental lessons. Tuition varies by year group — this uses Year 10–13 as the base.
02Admissions
| Cycle | 未確認 not publicly confirmed |
University Entrance Eligibility in Japan
| School-accreditation route | No not publicly confirmedWhether BST itself holds one of the six MEXT-recognised accreditations is not publicly confirmed. Search results mention WASC as one of three senior-years pathway options for students, which is not the same as the school itself holding WASC institutional accreditation. |
| Student-qualification route (IB, etc.) | Yes |
Whether BST itself holds a MEXT-recognised accreditation is not publicly confirmed. A student completing the full IB Diploma qualifies via the individual-credential route regardless. Eligibility for students who choose the WASC or BTEC senior pathway instead of the IB was not researched in currently available public information.
What Japanese Families Should Know
Questions to Ask the School
1.Does BST itself hold one of the MEXT-recognised institutional accreditations (WASC, CIS, etc. )?
Why this matters: Public information does not establish this clearly; confirm it directly with the school.
2.What proportion of students actually end up on each of the three senior pathways (IB / WASC / BTEC)?
Why this matters: Public information does not establish this clearly; confirm it directly with the school.
03Curriculum
Years 12–13 Are Not Just "the IB Years"
BST runs the National Curriculum for England through Key Stage 4 (IGCSE in Years 10–11), then reportedly offers a choice among the IB Diploma, WASC, and BTEC in Years 12–13. "British international school" doesn't automatically mean "IB school" here — which senior pathway a given student ends up on varies.
Key Point
That three-pathway structure has real implications for Japanese university eligibility. A student who completes the full IB Diploma qualifies via the individual-credential route. Which route applies to a student on the WASC or BTEC track instead depends partly on the school's own accreditation status — something to check separately rather than assume alongside the IB pathway.
04School Features
What Makes This School Distinctive
Three senior-years pathways (IB / WASC / BTEC)
Year 12–13 students choose among the IB Diploma, WASC, and BTEC
Many British-curriculum schools funnel every student into the IB after IGCSE; BST reportedly keeps three distinct senior pathways instead.
Planning around an assumption that "British-curriculum school" means "IB school" risks mismatching the pathway a given student actually ends up on.
Who Might Find This School a Good Fit
Might suit — Families already familiar with the English Year-group system, or targeting UK university admission
Might not suit — Families assuming the IB Diploma is guaranteed simply by enrolling
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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