“We’re serious about learning!”
K. International School Tokyo (KIST) is a private, co-educational, non-denominational day school located in Tokyo, Japan. Founded in 1997, KIST is a relatively young school, but has achieved major success in its short history. Accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS), authorized by the International Baccalaureate (IB) as an IB World School, and recognized by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government as an educational foundation, KIST provides a high-quality international education from preschool to Grade 12 to academically motivated students from diverse cultural and social backgrounds. More than 630 students representing over 40 different nationalities are currently enrolled.
KIST is a mission-driven, academically focused, achievement-oriented school that provides opportunities for students to develop academic skills through a continuum of challenging educational programs, as shown below, in preparation for university entrance after graduating from Grade 12.
- IB Primary Years Programme (PYP)—K1 to Grade 5
- IB Middle Years Programme (MYP)—Grades 6 to 8
- IGCSE—Grades 9 and 10
- IB Diploma Programme (DP)—Grades 11 and 12
Click here to find out why KIST focuses on academics…
“We had a great experience in Tokyo. The experience of K. International was particularly enriching. We were privileged to have our son study at your school.”
(Former Grade 3 parent, India)
KIST was the first school in Tokyo and the Kanto region, and the second school in Japan to be authorized by the International Baccalaureate (IB) to offer the three IB programs: the PYP, MYP and DP. The DP, in particular, which is offered during the final two years of schooling at KIST, is recognized around the world as being an extremely challenging program that prepares students for university entrance and life beyond. We believe that the DP is well aligned with the core of our mission “to provide academically motivated children with a high-quality education in order to develop competent, academic and compassionate individuals who make meaningful contributions to our global community” as it:
- focuses on developing research skills, as well as critical, analytical and logical thinking skills that lay the foundation for success in university and our ever-changing global society;
- strengthens communication skills through areas such as writing, presenting and debating;
- imparts high-level knowledge that prepares students for success in their future studies and careers; and
- emphasizes the importance of a volunteering spirit by providing opportunities for involvement in the community.
Our ultimate goal at KIST, therefore, is to provide opportunities for students to acquire knowledge and develop academic skills—with particular emphasis on language and mathematics—at increasingly higher levels in order to achieve success in the DP. To gauge the degree of success achieved, students receive a final score at the completion of the DP, and this is considered to be a strong indicator of their abilities for future university and job applications. Achieving a high DP score provides internationally recognized evidence that students have acquired essential skills and knowledge needed to succeed in our global society to a high level. It also opens doors for students to gain entry to universities of their choice, regardless of their family background or financial situation, and provides a wider range of opportunities to access leading universities where competition for places has become increasingly demanding. For these reasons, we attach great importance to DP results at KIST.
With regards to university entrance, KIST graduates have a proven record of success in gaining acceptance to leading universities around the world, including Japan. In fact, almost 100% of our graduates have been successful in gaining entrance to universities, many with scholarships as based on the high scores they have achieved in their final DP examinations. For students with financial concerns, this may be the deciding factor as to whether they will be able to enter the university of their choice, and is one of the reasons why we place high importance on student effort and dedication to academics right up to the end of Grade 12.
Click here to view KIST graduates’ university acceptances…
As a school that focuses on academics, KIST strives to maintain an environment conducive to learning. Students are expected to focus on their studies and make the most of the learning opportunities provided to them by their teachers in order to gain knowledge and develop skills to increasingly higher levels as they progress through the school. To ensure success for all students, we set high academic standards and performance expectations, and direct significant resources toward supporting students in attaining these. We also believe that parents/guardians play an essential role in education, and expect families to support their children’s learning at home. In order to ensure that students are ready for the challenges of higher grades and programs, and to maintain academic standards across the school, there are specific criteria that students must meet in order to progress through the school. Only students who meet the required standards are permitted to progress.
Click here for more information on grade advancement and program progression…
Being a student at KIST is challenging, but it’s also fun. In addition to their academic responsibilities, students have many opportunities to take part in a wide range of non-academic experiences including excursions and trips, cultural events and festivals, concerts and musicals, extra-curricular clubs and competitive sporting teams. In this way, students are provided with a balanced, holistic education that prepares them for their university life and beyond.
Click here to find out about extra-curricular clubs at KIST…
As we look ahead to the future, we continue to reflect on the quality of our educational services and seek to implement further initiatives and improvements in order to provide an even higher-quality international education for our students. Furthermore, while striving to maintain our position as the highest-ranking school offering the IB DP in Japan, we also hope to increase our position as one of the highest-ranking IB schools in the world and to achieve greater recognition as an institution of academic excellence on an international scale in the future. With the continued efforts of our students, parents/guardians and staff, we believe this goal is well within our grasp.
