If you are looking for international schools in Setagaya, Tokyo, you have probably found yourself asking two simple questions: how many are actually there, and what do they really cost? Setagaya is one of Tokyo’s leafiest, most residential wards — quiet streets, green space, and a settled family atmosphere that has long appealed to parents who want an international education without the density of central Tokyo. This guide honestly maps every international school genuinely located in Setagaya, from the two established K-12 schools to the preschools and kindergartens, and walks you through real fee ranges, curricula, and how to choose the right fit. It also introduces an eighth option — online learning — for when tuition or the commute becomes the real obstacle. By the end, the shape of the right path for your child should feel a lot clearer.
International schools in Setagaya: the landscape and fee ranges
Let’s be honest up front: Setagaya is not packed with full K-12 international schools the way Minato or Shibuya are. Those central wards cluster around embassies and multinational headquarters; Setagaya’s heart is the calm, green residential belt of Seta, Yoga, and Futako-Tamagawa. As a result, the ward’s offering breaks down into two long-established K-12 schools plus a handful of preschools and kindergartens. The number is modest, but the quality is not — Setagaya is home to two of Japan’s most respected traditional international schools, St. Mary’s and Seisen.
On fees, a full K-12 international school in Setagaya runs roughly 1.6 to 3.05 million yen per year in tuition alone. The boys’ K-12 school sits near the top at about 2.86–3.05 million yen a year, while the coed-kindergarten-to-girls’ school ranges from about 1.6 million yen (half-day kindergarten) up to around 2.7 million yen. Add entrance fees, building/development funds, and bus charges, and a first year can approach 4 million yen. Preschools, by contrast, vary so much by hours and class that most are best treated as “contact the school to confirm.”
Note: fees here reflect information published as of July 2026. Always confirm the latest figures on each school’s official site.
An honest look at the international schools in Setagaya
Here is an honest inventory of the international schools genuinely located in Setagaya. We won’t pad it to seven. The ward has two schools that take children all the way through K-12; the rest are preschools and kindergartens that introduce an international environment before elementary age. Each is very different in character, so read on with “does this fit our child’s age and values?” in mind — not “is it famous?”
1. St. Mary’s International School
Founded in 1954 in Seta, Setagaya, St. Mary’s is one of Japan’s most respected boys’ international schools. It serves kindergarten through Grade 12 on an American-based curriculum, with the option of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP) in high school. Students come from across the world, and its graduate outcomes are strong. If you want a genuine K-12 school in Setagaya, this is one of the first names that comes up.
- Curriculum: American-based curriculum, with IB Diploma (IB DP) offered in high school
- Ages: Kindergarten to Grade 12 (boys, roughly ages 5–18)
- Fee guide: Tuition about 2.86–3.05 million yen/year (2026-2027 official figures; application, registration, and development-fund one-time fees are separate)
- Best for: Families of boys who want a continuous, rigorous K-12 international education with an IB pathway in sight
2. Seisen International School
Located in Yoga, Setagaya, Seisen is a Catholic school with a distinctive structure: its kindergarten is coeducational, and from Grade 1 it becomes an all-girls school. It offers the International Baccalaureate across all three programmes (PYP, MYP, DP), and is known for small classes, individual attention, and a Montessori-informed early years. Alongside St. Mary’s, it is one of Setagaya’s two flagship K-12 schools.
- Curriculum: International Baccalaureate (IB PYP, MYP, DP)
- Ages: Age 2 to Grade 12 (kindergarten coed; girls only from Grade 1)
- Fee guide: Tuition about 1.6–2.7 million yen/year (from about 1.6 million yen for half-day kindergarten up to around 2.65–2.7 million yen for elementary and above; 2026-2027 official figures, one-time fees separate)
- Best for: Families of girls who want IB inquiry-based learning and a Catholic ethos from early childhood onward
3. Sakura International School, Setagaya
In Kamiyoga, Setagaya, this preschool is part of the Kansai International Academy group. It is built around bilingual (Japanese-English), inquiry-based early education, giving young children an environment where they grow both their independent thinking and their comfort with English. Accessible from Yoga Station, it is a popular starting point for an international education before elementary school.
- Curriculum: Bilingual, inquiry-based English early education
- Ages: Mainly early childhood (preschool to kindergarten age)
- Fee guide: Confirm via the school’s official inquiry/brochure request (varies by hours and class)
- Best for: Families who want a gentle, early introduction to English and inquiry before school age
4. Tokyo International School — Gakugeidai Kindergarten / After School
In Shimouma, Setagaya, this kindergarten and after-school program is based on the curriculum of Tokyo International School, an IB World School. It offers a “learning in English,” inquiry-based environment for early childhood through the lower elementary years, and doubles flexibly as an English-language after-school program.
- Curriculum: Inquiry-based English education based on IB-authorized Tokyo International School
- Ages: Kindergarten (ages ~3–6) plus after-school (roughly to Grade 4)
- Fee guide: Confirm via the school’s official inquiry (varies by program and hours)
- Best for: Local families who want an immersive English environment that continues after regular school hours
5. Laurus International School of Science, Den-en-chofu
In Tamagawa-Den-en-chofu, Setagaya, this preschool belongs to a Cambridge-accredited group with a strong STEM (science) focus. Its distinctive curriculum lets young children explore science in English from an early age, and it sits within walking distance of Den-en-chofu Station. A natural choice for families who want to nurture curiosity in science and inquiry early.
- Curriculum: Cambridge-based English-plus-science (STEM) early education
- Ages: Mainly early childhood (preschool age)
- Fee guide: Confirm via the school’s official inquiry (varies by class and hours)
- Best for: Families who want to grow a child’s science and inquiry curiosity alongside English, early
6. Grace International School
In the Futako-Tamagawa area of Setagaya, Grace is an all-English preschool grounded in the Montessori method. Serving children from a few months old to around age six, it nurtures independence and kindness within an English-speaking environment. As a licensed-exempt facility eligible for early-childhood education subsidies, it is a practical pre-school-age choice for many families.
- Curriculum: Montessori method (all-English early childhood care)
- Ages: A few months old to around age 6
- Fee guide: Confirm via the school’s official inquiry (varies by class and hours)
- Best for: Families who want a calm Montessori, English-language setting from infancy
Beyond these, Setagaya also has facilities such as Sangenjaya International School in Kamiuma, which accepts a wide age range around English after-school and conversation programs. But in terms of genuine, full K-12 international schools, Setagaya really centers on two: St. Mary’s and Seisen. If you are set on a full-fledged school from elementary age up, it is realistic to widen your search into the neighboring wards of Shibuya, Meguro, Ota, and Suginami. To compare Setagaya alongside the rest of the city, see the full picture of international schools in Tokyo here.
How to find the right fit for your family
Even with the ward’s schools laid out, “so how do we actually choose?” is the honest reaction. It helps to think in three types: (1) established major international schools (St. Mary’s, Seisen), (2) mid-size and newer preschools for early childhood, and (3) online international schools with no commute. The table below shows, honestly, how each type tends to perform on cost, ease of admission, commute burden, and more.
Major schools like St. Mary’s and Seisen are appealing for both environment and outcomes, but tuition and admission bars are high — and in Setagaya, the full K-12 options are limited to these two, split by gender. Preschools give a rich pre-school-age start, but you’ll want to think early about “what happens from elementary school.” And it’s easy to overlook the option that doesn’t assume a commute at all. Is tuition of around 3 million yen a year straining the household? Is the daily drop-off wearing your child down? These are worth facing honestly. If international-school fees feel out of reach, this piece on whether international school is too expensive may help.
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When fees or the commute are the wall — the eighth option: online
Setagaya is a fortunate place, rich in calm surroundings and respected schools. Even so, the fact that only two schools run all the way through K-12, tuition of around 3 million yen a year, and the boys’/girls’-only structure can each become a real wall for a family. If you find yourself thinking “we want an international education, but sustaining this cost for years…” or “our options narrow sharply once elementary school starts,” there is an eighth option that assumes no commute at all: an online international school.
NIJIN GLOBAL ACADEMY (NGA) is an online international school scheduled to open in September 2027. It is run by NIJIN Inc., the company behind “NIJIN Academy,” an alternative school in Japan with more than 1,000 enrolled students. Guided by a philosophy of moving beyond ranking children by test scores, NGA centers on small-group dialogue and aims to help children “come to love themselves and the world.” It is designed for ages 6–18 across Asia and Oceania, wherever they live, and built so children can ease into English with Japanese-language support underneath. It aims to keep tuition at roughly one-fifth of a face-to-face international school.
In fairness, NGA has not opened yet, and its track record is still to come. It cannot offer the on-campus, in-person experience of a physical school in the same way. Even so, for a family weighing options in Setagaya, learning that connects your child to the world — without the commute, at a lower cost — is a path worth considering.
Frequently asked questions
Q. From what age can children enter international schools in Setagaya?
A. Preschools often accept children from just a few months old, and Setagaya is relatively well served at this stage. Seisen admits from age 2 and St. Mary’s from kindergarten, both continuing right through to Grade 12. The first step is simply to narrow to schools that accept your child’s current age.
Q. Can older children still attend a full international school in Setagaya?
A. For genuine K-12 international schools within the ward, the options are essentially St. Mary’s (boys) and Seisen (girls). If you want a coed full school or a different curriculum, it is realistic to widen your search into neighboring Shibuya, Meguro, or Ota — or to consider an online school with no commute.
Q. Is mid-year transfer possible?
A. Most schools have transfer spots, but popular ones rarely have openings, and conditions vary by timing and grade. Entrance tests, interviews, and English-level requirements may apply, so contacting each school about a year before your intended start is the safe approach.
Time spent deciding is time spent caring for your child
There is no single “right answer” in choosing a school. Even in a fortunate ward like Setagaya, what matters is less “can we get in?” and more “can we keep this going, unstrained, for years?” Tuition, commute, your child’s temperament — every family’s situation is different. That is exactly why the time you spend agonizing over this is proof of how seriously you care about your child’s future. Take your time, visit a few schools, and compare them in person. And if you would also like to know about the paths that don’t involve commuting, we would be glad to be quietly on your list.
