1. Start dates for transfer students
Term 1 Enrollment: April 8th, 2026
Term 2 Enrollment: August 27th, 2026
Enrollment After Winter Break: January 13th, 2027
2. Number of Students to be Admitted
Grades 7~10: Approximately 15 students per class
3. Eligible Applicants
Applicants must be of the following age/grade at the time of application:
G7 Born between April 2, 2013 and April 1, 2014
G8 Born between April 2, 2012 and April 1, 2013
G9 Born between April 2, 2011 and April 1, 2012
G10 Born between April 2, 2010 and April 1, 2011
New Students: Born between April 2, 2014 and April 1, 2015
We may request you to submit your child’s birth certificate for age verification.
Students who meet either criteria 1 or 2, or 3 will be eligible to take the entrance examination as a Special Limited Overseas Returnee Student.
- 本人の海外生活経験が合計３年以上で、英語での教育課程を3年以上履修している者。
また、日本の小学校に通った経験が1年以内の者。 - The applicant: – has lived overseas for three years or longer in total, AND – has been enrolled in a course school in which classes were taught in English for a duration of three years or longer, OR – has been enrolled in a Japanese elementary school for one year or less.
- ※The term Japanese elementary school refers to an educational institution that is organized or operates according to the National Curriculum Standards and Guidelines. It may include not only domestic public and private elementary schools but also state-accredited Japanese Schools abroad.
- Even where the applicant has not satisfied the prerequisite for having lived abroad for three years or more, he/she may still be eligible to apply to sit the entrance examinations so long as the applicant has completed a third year of studies at an overseas school (which may include nursery school and kindergarten). For example: The applicant would complete his/her three-year overseas studies requirement by September, but returns home in July and then travels a month abroad in August, his/her overseas period would total 2 years and 11 months. This would mean the three-years living abroad requirement has gone unsatisfied. Nonetheless, the applicant will be still be eligible to take the entrance examinations
- The applicant meets either of the following two prerequisites regarding his/her school and language environment while attending school abroad or within Japan.
A The applicant must have been enrolled in an English-speaking local school or an international school abroad, where they primarily studied in English, and have completed at least three years of that curriculum.
*Note: Attendance at a supplementary Japanese school does not affect eligibility.
B The applicant is enrolled in a full-day Japanese school, but the language used at home is English. For example: The applicant has at least one parent whose native language is English, and English is the main language used in the home.
- The applicant must have at least one parent whose native language is English, and the main language used at home is English.
- The entrance examination date for new students will be the same as the dates for the general entrance examination.
- The transfer student examination date will be scheduled after the school receives the application and a letter of recommendation from your child’s current school. Then a date will be arranged after mutual consultation.If the school deems it necessary, we may ask the entrant to take supplementary Japanese programs after entering (additional fees apply).
4. Documents to be Submitted:
Applicants must submit the following documents when applying:
- Progress Reports
Progress reports/school reports from the past three years, including the current year.
- Study Records
Most recent standardized test results if applicable
MAP Growth Test、SSAT、TOEFL iBT、TOEFL junior、実用英語検定
- School recommendation
School recommendations will be shared directly with Kansai International Academy from the school your child is currently attending.
We will ask for the names and contact email addresses of people who know your child very well, such as the homeroom teacher, principal and/or counselor.
- Assessment Chart (if applicable)
Please provide an assessment chart if your child has received any assessments from a specialist such as a developmental psychologist.
- Birth Notification
Please provide a report card of the school your child is attending with their birth date, and a scan data or a photo data of your child’s health insurance card.
- Photos
Digital photos of the applicant, and parent 1 and 2. *(taken within the last three months / a snapshot is not allowed / shows the applicant/parent pictured alone / no hat ) In case of circumstances, one of the parents/guardians is acceptable. Please note that the person indicated here will be required to take the interview.
5. Applications
We accept applications online. The application process is as follows:
- Please register your email from the application page on the Kansai International Academy website.
*We will use the email address you have registered to contact you about the details regarding the entrance examination as well as the results. Please whitelist the domain to receive emails from the KIA email address (@faculty.kansai-intlschool.jp). Please note that unless whitelisted, there is a chance that our emails may not reach you, as it may get filtered out from your regular inbox.
- We will send you details such as the necessary documents and entrance examination fee payment to the email you have registered.
Please submit the following documents and make the payment.
- Entrance Examination Fee
Please transfer the entrance examination fee to the designated bank account.
Kansai International Academy Elementary School (Kobe): ¥25,000
*We do not refund any fees incurred during the application process, including the entrance examination fee, under any circumstances.
Name of bank: Japan Post Bank
Account number: 00990-4-177363
Account holder’s name: 株式会社関西国際学園
Payer: name of the applicant *Please enter the name of the applicant for the name of the payer
From transfers from banks other than Japan Post Bank (A transfer fee will be charged)
Branch number: 099
Branch name: 〇九九
Account type: Current account
Account number: 0177363
5. Entrance Examination Details
- Examination Date
We will arrange the examination date based on the enrollment date for each family.
- Entrance Examination & Interview
Applicant Assessment (English)
The entrance examination interview will be conducted with the applicant in English and Japanese.
The entrance examination interview with the parents/guardians will be conducted in the language of your choosing.
数学（英語および日本語/数学検定などの学年相当の標準学力テストの成績証明書の提出により免除）
日本語（国語： 読解・作文）
*検定試験、標準学力テストの学年相当の基準については願書提出時にご相談ください。
*If you are living abroad at the time of the entrance examination, it may be held online.
- Selection Method
We will make a holistic judgment based on the submitted documents (school report/past study records/official transcript) and the interview.
- Notification of Acceptance
We will contact you via email by the specified date. We do not respond to inquiries about the examination or its results.
6. Enrollment Process
- Enrollment Process
If you have received an acceptance notification, please pay the enrollment fee via the designated website by the specified date. Please note that payment can only be made via credit card.
We do not offer any refunds on enrollment fees regardless of circumstances.
- New Student Orientation (For parents/guardians)
During the orientation, parents will complete applications for uniforms, gym clothes, and other necessary items. Parents/guardians of accepted applicants are required to participate in the orientation.
*For students entering mid-year, the schedule will be arranged individually to accommodate their enrollment date. - Payment of Tuition and materials
We will provide details about the tuition at the orientation for new students.
7. Tuition Fees for Special Limited Overseas Returnee Students (Partial)
| Enrollment Fee | ¥270,000 |
| Tuition Fee | ¥1,069,200 |
| Facility Fee (first year) | ¥160,000 |
| Facility Fee (from second year onwards) | ¥21,000 |
| Study Abroad Support Fee During the study abroad period (from September of G9 to August of G10) | ¥44,550 |
Other fees are to be the same as those listed in the tuition for the general entrance examination.
【Sibling entrance fee discount】Enrollment fee: ¥150,000
*This includes a sibling or siblings who entered within the same year. The applicant must have a sibling enrolled in G1-G12 during the same academic year, and who has also been admitted as a Special Limited Overseas Returnee Student.
