If you are searching for international schools in Nagoya, you have probably run into two questions fast: how much does it actually cost, and how do you know which school fits your child? Here is the honest headline. Annual fees across Nagoya and Aichi range widely — roughly ¥400,000 to ¥3.3 million — and the curricula differ sharply from school to school. And there is one fact that matters more here than in Tokyo or Osaka: only one school offers a full, English-medium pathway from early years all the way through high school. This guide walks through seven real international schools in Nagoya and Aichi, with fee estimates, curricula, and the kind of family each suits — the strengths and the gaps, honestly.
This is not a sales pitch for any one school. By the end, the goal is that you can decide for yourself what to look at when choosing for your own family.
International schools in Nagoya: the landscape and fee ranges
Greater Nagoya sits at the center of Chubu, one of Japan’s largest industrial regions built around Toyota and its suppliers. Many families return from postings abroad, and many international families live here. And yet Nagoya International School (NIS) is essentially the only international school offering a full English-medium curriculum from early years through high school. Most other schools are centered on preschool and elementary years, and English-medium pathways that continue into junior and senior high are scarce. Compared with Tokyo or Osaka, the honest truth is that the depth of choice here is thinner — worth knowing before you start.
On fees, preschool and early-years programs run roughly ¥400,000–¥1.3 million a year, while full international schools from elementary up run roughly ¥1.1 million–¥3.3 million. On top of that come enrollment fees (about ¥150,000–¥1 million), facility and maintenance levies, and bus costs. Don’t judge by tuition alone — look at the total, and at how many years you can sustain it. For how the costs break down, see our guide to international school tuition costs. If you want to compare with cities that offer more options, see international schools in Osaka and international schools in Tokyo. Note: fees are based on public information as of July 2026 — always confirm the latest on each school’s official site.
7 best international schools in Nagoya and Aichi
Below are seven real schools from Nagoya City, wider Aichi, and neighboring Gifu, chosen to balance curriculum and price. This isn’t a ranking of “best to worst” — the right answer changes with your child and your circumstances. Pay special attention to one thing: how far, in age, each school lets your child keep learning in English.
1. Nagoya International School (NIS)
Founded in 1964 in Moriyama-ku, NIS is Chubu’s flagship international school. Around 30 nationalities are represented, and it is essentially the only school in central Japan offering the full IB continuum — PYP, MYP and DP — entirely in English, from age 3 to 18. Accredited by CIS, WASC, IB and JCIS, with a strong record of graduates moving on to universities abroad. If your plan is “English all the way through high school” in Nagoya, this is the benchmark.
- Curriculum — International Baccalaureate (PYP/MYP/DP), fully English-medium
- Ages — 3–18 (ELC to G12), Moriyama-ku, Nagoya
- Fee guide — about ¥2.19M–¥3.18M/year (2026-27 official), plus ¥1M enrollment fee and ¥250,000/year facility levy
- Best for — families wanting an English IB pathway through high school, with room in the budget
2. Enishi International School
An IB World School within Nagoya, offering PYP, MYP and DP from early learning through high school. Newer than NIS, it is the other option aiming to carry students through to secondary in English, with a bilingual design that values both Japanese and English. In a city with few such pathways, that continuity is rare and worth noting.
- Curriculum — International Baccalaureate (PYP/MYP/DP)
- Ages — 1–18 (early learning to G12), within Nagoya City
- Fee guide — about ¥1.27M–¥2.4M/year (2026-27 official; DP adds ¥150,000/year — confirm latest)
- Best for — families who want to keep Japanese support while continuing in English through secondary
3. NUCB International Junior and Senior High School
A private “Article One” school in Showa-ku affiliated with Nagoya University of Commerce and Business. Students earn a Japanese junior/senior high qualification while also pursuing the IB MYP and Diploma — a dual track. Because it is an Article One school, fees are comparatively modest. In Nagoya it is a rare landing spot for teens who want to keep a Japanese school record while engaging with English and the IB. Note it differs in character from a fully English-medium international school.
- Curriculum — IB (MYP/DP) plus Japanese secondary curriculum (Article One school)
- Ages — 12–18 (junior and senior high), Showa-ku, Nagoya
- Fee guide — tuition about ¥600,000–¥630,000/year (public database; other fees apply — confirm latest)
- Best for — families wanting to keep a Japanese school record while taking on the IB from secondary
4. Aichi International School (NIPAIS)
A WASC-accredited school in Meito-ku, Nagoya, teaching in English from kindergarten through Grade 6, with distinctive touches such as ICT education and violin instruction in the elementary years. It is part of the UNESCO Associated Schools network. The design serves the early and elementary years well — but, typical of Nagoya, the pathway beyond it (junior high and up) is something you’ll need to plan separately.
- Curriculum — WASC-accredited international curriculum (kindergarten to elementary)
- Ages — 3–12 (kindergarten to G6), Meito-ku, Nagoya
- Fee guide — about ¥1.09M–¥1.33M/year (official — confirm latest)
- Best for — families wanting a solid English environment through the elementary years
5. UPBEAT International School
An IB World School (PYP) with multiple campuses across Nagoya, including Tempaku and Atsuta. It offers inquiry-based learning and a multinational environment from infancy through the elementary years, in convenient city locations. Fees are not published, so ask at a visit — but for families seeking an English environment during the preschool-to-elementary window within the city, it is a popular choice.
- Curriculum — International Baccalaureate PYP (inquiry-based)
- Ages — infant to around 12, Tempaku/Atsuta wards and others, Nagoya
- Fee guide — inquire directly (not publicly disclosed; confirm at a visit)
- Best for — families seeking an accessible, multinational PYP setting in the early and elementary years
6. Sunnyside International School (Gifu)
About 20 minutes by train from Nagoya, in Gifu City, Sunnyside became Japan’s first PYP-authorized Article One school (in 2016). For ages 3–11 it blends inquiry-based learning with Japanese culture and emotional development. It’s outside Nagoya City, but within commuting range from the city’s northwest, and sits at the more affordable end. As one of Chubu’s few PYP Article One schools, it’s worth knowing.
- Curriculum — International Baccalaureate PYP (Article One school)
- Ages — 3–11, Gifu City (about 20 minutes from Nagoya)
- Fee guide — about ¥430,000–¥630,000/year (public database — confirm latest)
- Best for — northwest-Nagoya families wanting an affordable PYP within a Japanese school record
7. Kinderkids International School, Nagoya
An English-immersion preschool and kindergarten in Showa-ku, Nagoya, run by a nationwide operator with a track record of introducing English to Japanese-speaking children and supporting beginners step by step. It answers a common need — an English-immersion setting in the early years, on an accessible monthly plan — with the understanding that families move on to other schools, or Japanese schools, from elementary age.
- Curriculum — English-immersion preschool / kindergarten
- Ages — about 1–6, Showa-ku, Nagoya
- Fee guide — about ¥69,000–¥71,000/month (roughly ¥830,000–¥850,000/year) plus ¥160,000 entrance fee (public information as of 2026 — confirm latest)
- Best for — Nagoya families who want an English environment first, in the early years
Comparing types to find your family’s fit
What these seven make clear is a Nagoya reality: your options narrow sharply depending on how far, in age, your child can keep learning in English. Let’s group the choices into three types — large continuum schools, mid-sized and preschool-centered schools, and the increasingly common online international schools — and compare them lens by lens.
As the table shows, on-campus grounds and facilities and a daily English-immersion environment are strengths of in-person schools, while affordability, a light commute, and freedom from where you live are strengths of online. What bites hardest in Nagoya is one question: after elementary, is there an English-medium junior or senior high within reach? Even after an English-rich early childhood, the onward options here are limited. Tuition is a decade-plus investment if it runs through high school — weigh commute, budget and your child’s temperament, and choose something you can sustain. To see how learning can connect to the world online, see how learning works online →.
When cost or commute is the wall — online as an eighth option
If, reading this, you felt “NIS is wonderful but ¥3M+ a year isn’t sustainable,” or “we can find an English preschool, but no English junior or senior high we can commute to in Nagoya” — that wall is very real in Nagoya and Chubu. In that case, in-person isn’t the only answer. We are NIJIN GLOBAL ACADEMY (NGA), an online international school opening in September 2027, operated by NIJIN Inc. Our alternative school in Japan, NIJIN Academy, already has more than 1,000 children enrolled.
NGA aims for learning that doesn’t rank children by test scores, and fees at roughly one-fifth of an in-person international school. It’s for ages 6–18 across Asia and Oceania — in the city or in a suburb with no English school within reach, your postcode doesn’t decide. It’s designed so children can start from a base of Japanese and grow into English gradually, so a beginner is fine. Honestly: NGA hasn’t opened yet, so our track record is still to come, and it isn’t the same as a campus with a schoolyard and science lab. Even so, against Nagoya’s real problem — the missing onward pathway — we believe it’s an option worth weighing.
Frequently asked questions
From what age can children enroll in international schools in Nagoya?
Most schools accept children from preschool or early years, around ages 1–3. Nagoya’s options are especially concentrated at the preschool-to-elementary stage. Entry or transfer from elementary grades is possible, though English requirements tend to rise with grade level. Capacity and admission conditions change year to year, so always confirm directly with each school.
Are there schools in Nagoya where children can study in English through high school?
For a full English-medium curriculum from early years through high school, Nagoya International School (NIS) is essentially the only option. Enishi also aims to carry students through to secondary, but choices are limited compared with Tokyo or Osaka. That’s exactly why it helps to plan the “onward pathway” from the elementary stage onward.
When is the best time to transfer in?
Most international schools start the year in August or September, and term boundaries are the easiest points to transfer. Popular schools may still accept mid-term if a place opens. Because eligible schools are few in Nagoya, once you have a target school, it’s wise to ask about the waiting list early.
Don’t let “because it’s Nagoya” be the reason you give up.
Nagoya and Aichi do offer several paths — from the full continuum of NIS to affordable preschools, and now online. But the depth isn’t what Tokyo or Osaka offers, and the stretch after elementary especially takes planning. There’s no need to rush toward “the most famous school.” Weigh the total cost, the commute, your child’s temperament, and above all how many years you can sustain it — then choose, without hurry, the place where your child can most be themselves. We hope this guide helps you decide.
NIJIN GLOBAL ACADEMY opens in September 2027. We’ll share how the learning works — beyond test scores, affordable fees, small-group dialogue that connects to the world — and first-cohort admissions news, by email first.
