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United School of Tokyo

Japan, Tokyo

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees ¥1,700,000 - 2,000,000
Ages 3 - 14 years
Pupil numbers 230
Type Co-educational
Opened 2014
Bus Service Yes
Availability Are there places?
Academic offering
Curriculum American Curriculum
Taught languages Japanese, Mandarin, Spanish
Typical class size 14
Strengths STEM, Outdoor Education, Service and Sustainability
Clubs Academic and Intellectual, Arts and Creative, Social and Hobbies, Community and Service, Leadership and Professional
Stages Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle School
Introduction

United School of Tokyo (UST) is an international school in Shibuya, founded in 2014 by parents and teachers, serving children ages 3 to 14 across Kindergarten (K1–K3), Elementary (G1–G5) and Middle School (G6–G8). Classroom instruction is conducted in English and the school references American Common Core standards for benchmarks. UST highlights small classes and notes 16 students per class and a total of ~220 students. Japanese is taught daily, with additional language options mentioned for older students. Beyond lessons, UST runs an extracurricular program with 30+ classes across sports, performing arts, visual arts, games/activities and STEAM. A distinctive feature described under school life is its Social Responsibility work, including projects like eco drives and a partnership-building effort with an elementary school in Cambodia.

151-0063 Tokyo, Shibuya, Tomigaya, 2 Chome−21−10

The Essentials

United School of Tokyo has 230 pupils, typical class sizes of 14, instruction in English.

Location

United School of Tokyo is located in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, in the Tomigaya district. The campus address is 151-0063 Tokyo, Shibuya-ku, Tomigaya 2-21-10, Central Tomigaya Building. It has convenient access to several stations: Komaba-Todaimae on the Inokashira Line is a 5-minute walk away; Shibuya Station is a 15-minute walk or a 7-minute bus ride (bus stops include Tokyu Bus 55 and Keio Bus 61, alighting at Todai Ura); Yoyogi-Hachiman on the Odakyu Line is about a 12-minute walk; and Yoyogi-Koen on the Chiyoda Line is about a 13-minute walk.

Stages

UST serves children aged 3 to 14 across three divisions: Kindergarten (K1–K3), Elementary (G1–G5), and Middle School (G6–G8).

Type

Private, international, co-educational school.

Pupil Nationality Mix

The student body represents 40+ nationalities, reflecting a genuinely international community; no official public ratio of local versus international students is published.

Additional learning support

Learning support and ESL services are available. ESL and learning support fees include a pull-out service (3,850 yen per session) and in-class support (2,750 yen per session) per week.

Country affiliation

The school follows an American curriculum based on the American Common Core standards (American Curriculum).

Religious affiliation

No religious affiliation is indicated in the official materials.

School day structure

Regular school day start times are not published; extended care is available from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm. The school provides an organic lunch service during the day.

Bus service

UST operates four bus routes serving central Tokyo. Annual round-trip bus fees are 300,000 yen and annual one-way bus fees are 200,000 yen; payments can be made annually or by term. For specifics on stops and schedules, contact the school.

Fees

Annual tuition at United School of Tokyo ranges from JPY 1,700,000 to JPY 2,000,000 for 2026/27.

One-time joining fees (new students)
- Application Fee: JPY 25,000.
- Registration Fee: JPY 400,000.
- Development Fee: JPY 400,000.
- Total one-time joining fees (new student): JPY 825,000.

Annual fees & tuition (2025–2026) — by division (amounts shown per term where applicable and annual total)
- Kindergarten (K1–K3):
- Maintenance Fee (annual): JPY 300,000.
- Fall Tuition: JPY 560,000.
- Winter Tuition: JPY 455,000.
- Spring Tuition: JPY 385,000.
- Annual total: JPY 1,700,000.

- Elementary School (Grades 1–5):
- Maintenance Fee (annual): JPY 300,000.
- Fall Tuition: JPY 645,000.
- Winter Tuition: JPY 520,000.
- Spring Tuition: JPY 445,000.
- Annual total: JPY 1,910,000.

- Middle School (Grades 6–8):
- Maintenance Fee (annual): JPY 300,000.
- Fall Tuition: JPY 690,000.
- Winter Tuition: JPY 540,000.
- Spring Tuition: JPY 470,000.
- Annual total: JPY 2,000,000.

Tuition discounts
- Second sibling discount: 5% (applies to tuition only, self-paying families).
- Third sibling discount: 10% (applies to tuition only, self-paying families).

Other fees and typical additional costs
- ESL and learning support (per 45-minute session):
- Pull-out service (1 session/week): JPY 3,850 per session.
- In-class (push-in) support (1 session/week): JPY 2,750 per session.

- Technology requirements and likely costs:
- Grades 3–5: students are required to have an iPad (specification detail available from school office).
- Grades 6–8: students are required to have a MacBook.

- Bus service (annual):
- Annual round-trip bus fee: JPY 300,000.
- Annual one-way bus fee: JPY 200,000.
- Bus fees may be paid annually or by term.

- School trips and activity costs (examples and ranges — family responsibility):
- K1–G8 day field trips: ~JPY 500 per trip on average (varies by destination).
- G3–G8 ski trip: JPY 50,000–70,000 (package-dependent).
- G6–G8 residential trip: JPY 60,000–80,000 (destination-dependent).

- PTA fee: JPY 25,000 (annual).

- Extra-curricular activity fees: vary by activity; fees are charged separately.

Boarding fees
- No boarding fees are listed; the school operates as a day school with no separate boarding provision indicated.

Billing schedule and payment terms
- Term billing/payment deadlines (standard schedule):
- Fall tuition due: April 25.
- Winter tuition due: October 25.
- Spring tuition due: January 25.

- Invoices are issued 7–8 weeks before the end of the previous term. Parents remain responsible for timely payment even when a third party (e.g., employer) is paying. Students with unpaid tuition at the start of a term will not be permitted to attend and the school may reallocate the place.

- Fees for the new academic year must be paid by April 28; failure to pay by that date may result in reallocation of the student's place. Joining fees for new students must be paid within one week of receiving the joining-fee invoice to secure the place.

- Late enrollment: tuition and bus fees for students enrolling after the school year has started are calculated by the school's three academic terms; fees for partially attended terms are not prorated and must be paid in full before the student's start date. Re-enrolling students who previously left are required to pay the Registration Fee; the Development Fee is waived for returning students.

Refunds and withdrawal notice
- The Application Fee (JPY 25,000) is non-refundable once paid. One-time joining fees and annual fees are not refundable. Tuition is not refunded for partially attended terms. Refunds are issued only when the school receives notice in accordance with the school's notice rules and a term has been fully unattended.

- Notice period: a minimum of one complete term's prior written notice is required to withdraw a student. If a parent does not provide at least one full term's written notice, one full term's fees must be paid in lieu of notice. The school will withhold report cards, recommendations, and release of records until outstanding fees are settled.

Late payment policy and penalties
- Late payments without prior notice may result in prohibition from class attendance and/or withholding of grades, transcripts, recommendations, or other school records.
- A weekly late charge of JPY 10,000 applies to delinquent payments.

Payment methods and bank details
- All fees must be paid by bank transfer and paid under the student's name.
- The Application Fee (JPY 25,000) may alternatively be paid in cash at the school office or by bank transfer. For overseas transfers, families must ensure the amount received in JPY equals the invoiced amount after all handling fees; applicants are responsible for all transfer fees.
- Bank information (payable to Kabushiki Gaisha United School of Tokyo, Mizuho Bank, Shibuya Chuo Branch; Ordinary account 1609328; Swift Code: MHCBJPJT) is supplied for transfers.

Important additional notes
- All fees and tuition amounts include sales tax.
- One-time fees are stated as non-refundable once paid.
- Fees and tuition are reviewed annually and are subject to change.
Academics

United School of Tokyo teaches American Curriculum for students aged 3 to 14.

Curriculum

The United School of Tokyo's curriculum is built around systematic skill development delivered through a theme-based program of 5–6 units per year, with four cross-cutting themes: responsibility and caring, global citizenship, environmental impact, and experiential education. In Early Childhood (K1–K3, ages 3–6), the curriculum is theme-integrated and learner-centered, with literacy via daily reading and Jolly Phonics, a Japanese program taught twice weekly in preschool and three times weekly in Kindergarten, and Math focusing on counting, numbers, simple operations, telling time, measurements and shapes; Science and Social Studies emphasize exploration of the environment and community, and Visual Arts, Music, and Technology are integrated. Elementary (G1–G5, ages 6–11) develops the whole child through 5–6 units per year, using Common Core math standards with Math in Focus (Singapore Math) as the main program, and Reading and Writing Workshop models for literacy; Japanese is taught daily according to the Japanese National Curriculum, while Social Studies uses Social Studies Alive!, and Visual Arts and Music follow National Standards for Arts Education. The curriculum also includes Technology and Information Science to build digital literacy, ESL and Learning Support beginning from K2, with pull-out or small-group assistance, and after-school tutoring to support English or other subjects. Field trips and experiential learning are embedded within units, with an emphasis on assessment through varied methods, targets, and feedback, and a commitment to fostering global-minded, environmentally aware, and socially responsible students.

Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

Social and Emotional Learning at United School of Tokyo is supported by a holistic, inquiry-based curriculum designed to address students' social‑emotional needs, and by weekly Guidance classes; leadership and collaboration are fostered through the Student Council.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

UST does not offer specialist support programs for students with learning difficulties or behavioral differences; exceptional admission may be granted if individual requirements can be met within the mainstream classroom, and the school provides Learning support and ESL services within the mainstream.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

EAL support is provided through Learning support and ESL services, and the school offers ability-based daily Japanese language classes; ESL and learning support services have associated fees.

Mental Wellbeing

Mental wellbeing is supported through weekly Guidance classes as part of a values-based, holistic education that emphasizes social-emotional development, complemented by student leadership opportunities.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is governed by a formal Child Protection & Safeguarding Policy; staff must report suspected abuse to designated safeguarding leads promptly, with a case management team and liaison with authorities as required by law.

Admissions

Admissions

1. Check availability and divisions. United School of Tokyo operates three divisions: Early Childhood (K1–K3), Elementary (G1–G5), and Middle School (G6–G8). The annual admissions process opens in October of the year prior to the next academic year, and space must be available for an applicant to be considered. Admissions priorities favor international families with no local educational alternatives, and Japanese families relocating back to Japan from an English-speaking educational setting; all applications are reviewed to determine fit.
2. Tours and interviews. Tours and interviews are scheduled within the admissions window to help families assess fit and to allow UST staff to learn about the applicant and family. For the 2025–2026 academic year, tours and interviews were held from October 20, 2025 to December 5, 2025.
3. Enrollment application deadline. The enrollment application deadline for the 2025–2026 cycle was January 9, 2026.
4. Screening and assessments. Screening and assessments take place from January 12, 2026 to March 30, 2026.
5. Acceptance announcements. Acceptance announcements are issued between March 9, 2026 and April 3, 2026.
6. Joining fees due date. Joining fees are due two weeks after the Acceptance Letter is issued. One-time joining fees total 825,000 JPY (Application 25,000; Registration 400,000; Development 400,000).
7. Fall term tuition due. Fall term tuition is due on April 25, 2026. Tuition can be paid by term or annually; all fees include sales tax, and one-time joining fees are non-refundable.

Scholarships

The United School of Tokyo offers a Scholarship Program that provides a reduction in tuition and joining fees for eligible families. Scholarships are available to students in Elementary and Middle School (Grades 1–8). In addition to regular admission requirements, applicants must demonstrate the need for international education, the family's inability to pay full tuition and/or joining fees, native English proficiency, and high academic potential. The number of scholarships is limited to five per year, and awards are for one academic year but may be renewed subject to satisfactory progress and reassessment of family means. Documents that may be requested include an annual tax certificate, an employment certificate, a housing rental agreement, and bank statements. Scholarships are valid for one academic year.

Waitlist

There is no published formal waitlist or pool system. Admissions operate on space availability; applicants may be considered when seats are open, and the school indicates that students may join at any time during the year if a place is available. Priority is given to international families without local educational alternatives, and to Japanese families relocating back to Japan from an English-speaking setting.

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