Tohoku International SchoolTuition, Admissions & Curriculum
William Michihiko Akiyama
William Prep
Miyagi, Japan
One of the few geographically accessible options for international education in the Tohoku region, located in Sendai's Izumi-ku.
Last reviewed by William Prep: 2026-09-24
TIS was reportedly founded in 1950 as "Sendai American School" to educate missionary families' children. It was later renamed Sendai Christian Academy, then back to Sendai American School, before settling on its current name, Tohoku International School, in 1997. It enrols roughly 100 students.
At a Glance
| Founded | 1950 (renamed several times, current name since 1997) (not independently confirmed)as of: 2026-09-24 |
| Enrolment | ≈100 (not independently confirmed)as of: 2026-09-24 |
| Curriculum | IB Diploma (Grade 11-12, reported) (not independently confirmed)as of: 2026-09-24 |
| Fees | ¥990,000-¥1,690,000/yr by grade (reported) (not independently confirmed)2026-27 · as of: 2026-09-24 |
01Tuition & Fees
Fees: A Range by Grade
Third-party sources report 2026-27 tuition ranging from ¥990,000 at Kindergarten to ¥1,690,000 at upper grades. Grade 11-12 (IB Diploma) reportedly adds a ¥150,000 facility fee, ¥40,000 heating/AC fee, and ¥100,000 DP text/test fee on top of ¥1,400,000 tuition. The school's own tuition page (tisweb. net/tuition_fees/) didn't return readable content in currently available public information, and no application or registration fee amount was found.
academic year: 2026-27
| Tuition (Kindergarten)Kindergarten | ¥990,000 |
| Tuition (Grade 11-12, IB Diploma)G11-G12 | ¥1,400,000 |
| Facility Fee (Grade 11-12, annual)G11-G12 | ¥150,000 |
| Heating/AC Fee (Grade 11-12, annual)G11-G12 | ¥40,000 |
| DP Text & Test Fee (Grade 11-12, annual)G11-G12 | ¥100,000 |
02Admissions
| Cycle | 未確認 not publicly confirmed |
University Entrance Eligibility in Japan
| School-accreditation route | No not publicly confirmedWhether TIS holds any of the six MEXT-recognised accreditations is not publicly confirmed. |
| Student-qualification route (IB, etc.) | Yes (not independently confirmed) |
Whether TIS itself holds a MEXT-recognised accreditation is not publicly confirmed. The IB Diploma offering itself is inferred from reported related costs, not confirmed directly against the school's own curriculum page.
What Japanese Families Should Know
Questions to Ask the School
1.Does the school formally offer the IB Diploma? What is the authorisation status?
Why this matters: Public information does not establish this clearly; confirm it directly with the school.
2.What are the exact application and registration fee amounts?
Why this matters: Public information does not establish this clearly; confirm it directly with the school.
03Curriculum
04School Features
One of the Few Options in the Tohoku Region
This batch covers TIS as a representative of the Tohoku region, previously unresearched. For families near Sendai considering international education, the geographically realistic options are limited, and TIS is reportedly one of the longest-established among them.
Key Point
At roughly 100 students, course selection and extracurricular breadth are likely more limited than an urban school of comparable reputation. But given the geographic reality — few if any alternatives elsewhere in Tohoku — this is less a choice among options and more "this is effectively the option if international education in Tohoku matters to the family. " Worth understanding that framing going in.
What Makes This School Distinctive
One of the longest-established international schools in the Tohoku region
Founded in 1950 to educate missionary families' children
Multiple third-party sources consistently report the founding circumstances.
One of the few geographically realistic options for families in Tohoku seeking international education.
Who Might Find This School a Good Fit
Might suit — Families near Sendai seeking a geographically realistic international-education option
Might not suit — Families expecting the course and extracurricular breadth of a large urban school
Explore Other Schools
- American School in Japan (ASIJ)Chōfu
- Tokyo Metropolitan Kokusai High School (Kokusai-kō)Meguro-ku
- UWC ISAK Japan (ISAK)Karuizawa
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