Seisen International School

Seisen International School is located at 1-chōme-12-15 Yōga, Setagaya City, Tokyo 158-0097, Japan. The campus sits in the Yoga district of Setagaya, a western Tokyo residential area. Yōga Station on the Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line provides rail access to central Tokyo, and a bus terminal nearby serves the school routes.

The school offers Kindergarten through Grade 12. Kindergarten serves ages 2-5; Elementary covers Grades 1-5; Middle School is Grades 6-8; High School is Grades 9-12.

Seisen is a girls-only international Catholic school. It is sponsored by the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The Seisen community includes students from more than 60 nationalities. The school describes itself as international with no single nationality dominating the student body. Public sources do not publish a precise local versus international enrollment ratio.

The Student Support program provides social and emotional, academic, language and health services, with a focus on addressing individual student needs within available resources. University advising is also offered as part of student support.

No formal country affiliation.

Catholic.

School start times vary by division. Start times are around 8:15–8:30 for most students and end times around 3:00–3:20, with Kindergarten schedules differing. The exact daily schedule is set by division and calendar.

Seisen operates a school bus service with multiple routes. The school lists bus as a service with fees in the Tuition & Fees schedule, and there are documented morning and afternoon bus timings (roughly 7:50–8:20 for the morning and 15:00–15:45 for the afternoon). The bus service has been described as a shared arrangement with partner schools in some sources.

Seisen International School follows an IB continuum from Kindergarten through Grade 12, with Montessori-inspired Kindergarten, IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) for Grades 1–5, and IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) for Grades 6–10. In Elementary, the PYP uses transdisciplinary inquiry to address personal, local and global themes, supported by specialist subjects such as Art, Music, PE, ICT and Library, plus EAL and Learning Support; Japanese and Spanish are offered as language options. From Grades 6–10, the school delivers the MYP with eight concept-driven courses per year and includes a Grade 10 Personal Project. In Grades 11–12, students pursue the IB Diploma Programme (DP), choosing six subjects across groups at Higher or Standard Level, and completing Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay and CAS. The school emphasizes service and leadership within an international Catholic framework and is CIS and NEASC accredited; graduates attend universities worldwide.

Grade levels are capped at around 50 students per grade, and total enrollment is about 700 students with around 99 teachers; this yields an approximate student–teacher ratio of 7:1.

IB Diploma Programme results are reported to families as part of the school's academic profile. The DP requires six subjects across groups at Higher or Standard Level, plus Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay and CAS. The Class of 2024 destinations show graduates entering universities in the USA, Canada, the UK, Europe and Asia, illustrating a global higher-education pathway. Seisen is accredited by CIS and NEASC.

Graduates attend universities worldwide, including institutions in the USA, UK, Canada and Japan. The school provides college counseling and supports IB diploma candidates through the admissions process. DP outcomes and destinations are tracked to inform students and families about university progression. Historically, Seisen graduates have entered universities across North America, Europe and Asia.

Gifted and talented students are supported within the IB framework through access to higher-level (HL) IB courses in the Diploma Programme and the Personal Project in the MYP; the school also runs targeted enrichment initiatives such as Women in Science and Technology to promote advanced study and leadership among high-ability students.

Seisen International School supports social and emotional learning through three School Counselors (one for Kindergarten/Elementary, one for Middle School, and one for High School) who work with the School Nurse and the Learning Support Specialist to provide one-on-one and small-group support, deliver classroom lessons, and help students develop skills for managing stress, building self-esteem, and coping with challenges.

SEN support is provided by the Learning Support Specialist with push-in and pull-out services across KG/ES and MS/HS, supported by the Seisen Support Team (principals, counselors, nurse, and learning support specialists), with an action plan developed and periodic assessments; outside evaluations may be recommended when needs exceed internal resources.

Language support for multilingual learners is offered by Language Support specialists through push-in sessions and small-group classes during language periods, using the WIDA framework to differentiate instruction and support English language development.

Mental wellbeing is addressed through social and emotional learning and counseling, with goals including self-esteem building, effective stress management, and development of positive coping strategies, delivered by the school counseling team.

Safeguarding is governed by a formal Student Safeguarding Policy with a designated Child Protection Officer and Assistant, mandatory reporting for suspected abuse by all staff, a safeguarding handbook, and clear reporting lines aligned to international child-protection standards.

Admissions Process
Step 1 — Inquiry and tour: Submit an inquiry to receive more information and to book a school tour. The Admissions Office will contact you to discuss your child, your family's background, and to coordinate a visit to the campus. English language ability is essential for at least one parent to communicate with the school and to understand written communications. The school uses English as the language of communication, instruction and inclusion.

Step 2 — Application completion: Complete the application as the formal first step in joining Seisen. After the application is submitted, the admissions process moves toward the review and selection stages defined by the school. All applications are considered on a case-by-case basis, with the child's ability to benefit from Seisen's academic programme as the prime criterion. The Head of School reserves the right to accept or reject an application based on space and alignment with the school's mission.

Step 3 — Review: The relevant principal will review the application and the admissions office will contact you with the outcome. This review considers how well the applicant fits the classroom environment, language support needs, and the school's capacity to meet the student's educational requirements. You may be requested to provide additional information or documentation to support the review.

Step 4 — Assessments and interviews: The admissions office will schedule the family interview with the kindergarten principal for applicants advancing to the next stage. For elementary, middle school and high school applicants, the admissions office will schedule assessment tests in mathematics and English. Interviews and tests are used to gauge fit with the curriculum and to verify information provided in the application.

Step 5 — Decision and further interviews: Based on the assessment results, the admissions office will book the family interview with the relevant principal. This step adds a formal discussion about the student's goals, language needs, and support requirements, if any. Final placement decisions are made after reviewing the assessment outcomes and interview notes.

Step 6 — Offer and enrollment package: Applicants eligible for a place will receive an enrollment package. Families should communicate their intent to accept or decline the offer within the package timelines. Space availability and the family's ability to support the School Mission are considered before a place is offered.

Step 7 — Enrollment completion: Enrollment is official upon receipt of the signed letter of endorsement, registration fee payment, parent/guardian commitment agreement, and, if applicable, the summer school agreement. The school will also provide next steps for onboarding and orientation.

Step 8 — Welcome and health information: After enrollment, a welcome email will be sent from the Magnus Health platform requesting student health records and any additional information for new students and parents. You will be guided on submitting health records and other onboarding requirements.

Scholarships
Seisen offers a Corporate Contribution Plan, a corporate scholarship program for foreign-based corporations responsible for expatriate employees' educational expenses. The program is described as a means for eligible corporate sponsors to contribute toward a student's education, and interested families should contact the Seisen Business Office for further information. There is no information indicating individual need-based or merit-based scholarships beyond this corporate program.

Waitlist/Pool
Seisen operates based on space availability. Priority acceptance is given to certain categories (siblings of current students, children of alumni, children of faculty and staff, returning students, and children from Catholic families), but acceptance is not automatic for these groups; the school still assesses fit with the curriculum and the family's support of the Mission. For returning students, acceptance depends on space, and an applicant may need to be placed on a waitlist until space opens up. If space is limited, a waitlist can be used while the school reviews capacity and considers new or returning applicants.