Start with three questions.
The more you research, the more schools, curricula and fee tables there are. So we built this page to let you start wherever your worry is: a three-question check, and seven steps in the order that is hardest to undo.
What is on your mind right now?
WASC, CIS, IB…English isn’t ready yet
Entry & home languageWorried about fees
Totals & hidden costsUniversity pathways
IB, A levels, diplomaAfraid of regretting it
Honest downsidesSchools in my city
Japan & Asia citiesKeep the local school
Add learning onlineWe move countries
Mobile families
Find your approach in 3 questions
1After school, where would you like your child to go?
2How old is your child?
3Is there an international school within reach?
This check is a starting point. Always confirm details with each school.
How to choose an international school: 7 steps
Decide from the top down, and there are far fewer “this isn’t what we expected” moments later.
← Scroll sideways
Each step in more detail
1. Pick the destination. University in your home country, abroad, or undecided? If undecided, choose a route that keeps both doors open. Once the destination is clear, the curriculum and accreditation you need follow from it.
2. Check recognition. Is the school licensed where it operates, and will its records be accepted if your child moves back into a national system? Some countries treat international schools differently in law — in Japan, for example, many are not recognised as schools for compulsory education. This is the hardest decision to reverse, so check it first.
3. Accreditation and curriculum. Look for accreditation from bodies such as WASC, CIS, NEASC, Cognia, COBIS or ACSI, and confirm which grades it covers. Then decide between IB, British (IGCSE and A levels) and American-style programmes.
4. Plan the languages. Ask what English level is required at entry and how long English support lasts. Just as important: how will your child keep reading and writing in the home language?
5. Price the whole journey. Add one-off entry fees, yearly extras, transport, exam fees, fee increases and siblings, and compare totals to graduation.
6. Decide how to attend. A long daily commute wears families down as much as fees do. If there is no school within reach, adding learning online while staying at a local school is a real option.
7. Visit and verify. Ask what the brochure does not say, and put your child’s reaction to a trial lesson at the centre of the decision.
The turning points that are hardest to undo
which system for Year 1
which secondary system
Source: Japan Ministry of Education (MEXT), compulsory education and international schools
More on recognition and moving between systems
“International school” is not a legal category in most countries. Some international schools are licensed as ordinary schools, some hold a separate licence, and some operate without one. What matters for your family is simple: if your child needs to move back into a national school system or apply to a national university, will their years at this school count?
Ask each school how former students have moved back into local schools, and check with the education authority where you live. For families in Japan, we explain the rules in detail in Public, Private, International or Alternative and in our guide to transferring from a local school.
Price the whole journey, not the year
Fees change every year. Always check each school’s current fee schedule.
How to compare costs properly
Always add one-off fees at entry and yearly costs beyond tuition, then multiply by the years your child will attend. Ask how much fees have risen in recent years and whether there is a sibling discount.
Work back from where they want to go
Accreditation bodies to look for
Accreditation is an independent check on a school’s quality. Universities also look at the final qualification: IB Diploma, A levels, or an accredited high-school diploma.
Applying to a university in Japan? MEXT accepts 12-year programmes at schools accredited by these six bodies, as well as the IB Diploma and A levels. Source
Verify “we are accredited” yourself
- On the school’s website, find which body accredits it and which grades are covered
- Search for the school in that body’s official directory
- “Candidate” is not “accredited”. Ask whether it is accredited now
Three curriculum families
International Baccalaureate
Broad, inquiry-led, writing-heavy
- Final qualification
- IB Diploma (last 2 years)
- How they learn
- Cross-subject inquiry, extended essay
- Suits children who
- Like to write, argue and connect ideas
British
Go deep, prove it in exams
- Final qualification
- IGCSE → A levels
- How they learn
- Fewer subjects, studied in depth
- Suits children who
- Want to push their strongest subjects
American
Broad, built up course by course
- Final qualification
- High-school diploma (+ AP)
- How they learn
- Credits, coursework and grades
- Suits children who
- Want activities to count as well
More on pathways and curricula
No curriculum is simply “best”. Choose the one that fits the countries and universities your child may aim for, and the way your child likes to learn. Accreditation sometimes covers only part of a school, so check the grades it applies to.
English is the entry. The home language is what you protect.
What if their English isn’t ready?
Younger years usually have gentler entry requirements; older years expect more English on day one. Ask how many years of English-language support (EAL/ESL) the school provides.
7 ways to prepare → Will they become fluent? →Will the home language slip?
When every lesson is in English, reading and writing in the home language need deliberate time at home. “Weak in both languages” is avoidable with a plan.
Protecting the home language → About double-limited →10 questions to ask on a school visit
The questions the brochure will not answer. Tick them off as you go.
More: 15 questions to ask on a school visit／How to choose an international school: 7 questions
Common regrets, and how to avoid them
Find schools by city
How many schools there are, what they cost, and whether you can realistically get there — city by city.
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No school nearby? Add, don’t move.
Frequently asked questions
What matters most when choosing an international school?
The destination and recognition. Decide first whether your child is likely to go to university at home or abroad, then check whether the school is properly licensed and accredited and whether its records will be accepted if you move back into a national system. These are the decisions that are hardest to reverse.
Can my child join an international school without English?
It depends on age and school. Younger years usually have gentler requirements and many schools offer English-language support after entry. Older years expect more English on day one, so check the entry requirements for the grade you are applying to.
IB, British or American — which curriculum is best?
None is simply best. The IB is broad and inquiry-led, British schools go deep through IGCSE and A levels, and American schools build a broad diploma course by course. Choose the one that fits the universities your child may aim for and the way your child likes to learn.
How much does an international school cost in total?
It varies widely. As one example, 12 years at Seisen International School in Tokyo at its published 2026–27 fees comes to about ¥35 million in tuition, entry fees and facility fees alone, before buses and exams. Compare totals to graduation, not annual fees.
How do I check whether a school is really accredited?
Find out which body accredits the school and for which grades, then search for the school in that body’s official directory. Remember that “candidate” status is not the same as accreditation.
What if there is no international school near us?
Besides moving or commuting long distances, many families keep their child at a local school and add structured learning in English online after school or at weekends. It keeps the local school connection while adding time to learn in English.
No international school within reach? Fees out of range?
There is another way.
NIJIN GLOBAL ACADEMY is an online international school for primary and secondary students across Asia and Oceania, opening September 2027. Children can keep their local school and learn in English with peers from around the region.
