Visiting Canadian Academy Kobe: What Parents Should Ask

The best way to find out what Canadian Academy is like is to visit, with a list of things you want to see for yourself. Reviews and social media posts only tell you so much, and families who skip the visit are the ones most often surprised after enrolling. This guide covers what to prepare, what to ask, what to look at on the day and how admissions runs afterwards. Check dates and fees with the school itself; they change every year.

Tour places are limited and popular grades fill quickly, so prepare your questions before you go.

Types of Visits

Canadian Academy offers a few ways to see the school and get questions answered:

• Open house / information sessions: a broad overview of the school's philosophy, curriculum, and community. These usually don't go into grade-specific availability, so follow up with admissions directly for that.
• Personalized small-group tours: per the school's own guidance, tours are run in small groups with limited spots, and families are asked to book at least two weeks ahead through the official site. This is a walk-through of the actual campus, including classrooms for your target grade.
• Virtual tours / online consultations: useful for families still overseas, or those who want an overview before committing to an in-person visit.

Official site: canacad.ac.jp (book a visit through the admissions section)

What to Prepare Beforehand

1. Settle on a target grade and start date first: availability varies significantly by grade, so keeping this vague makes it harder to get a specific answer.
2. Narrow your family's non-negotiables to about three: commute time, cost, and Japanese-language support are common priorities, but every family weighs them differently.
3. Write your question list down ahead of time: tour time is limited; recalling questions on the spot is less reliable than having them ready.
4. Consider scheduling tours at Marist Brothers or St. Michael's around the same time: having comparison points from the same period makes the decision easier.

Questions to Ask (For Parents)

Admissions and grade

• Is there current availability in our target grade, and what does the waitlist typically look like?
• What is the school's track record with mid-year transfers or returnee students?
• Is enrollment possible mid-year, and if so, under what conditions?

Academics and language

• How is EAL (English as an Additional Language) support leveled and for how long is it typically needed?
• How much instructional time is dedicated to Japanese, and what kanji support exists?
• What is the IB Diploma completion rate, and how does it connect to university placement?

Daily life and commute

• What bus routes exist (Ashiya, Nishinomiya, within Rokko Island) and what are typical travel times?
• What after-school or extended-care options exist for dual-income families?
• How is lunch/cafeteria service run, and how are allergies handled?

Cost

• What is the full annual cost by grade, including registration and one-time fees like the Capital Contribution Fee and Building & Development Fee? → Tuition guide
• Are there sibling discounts or other fee considerations?

Outcomes

• What are the main university destinations (regions, fields), and is placement data published?
• What support exists for students transferring in during high school, or after graduation?

What to Check on the Day

Some things only become clear by walking the campus, not by asking questions alone.

• Classroom atmosphere: does the dynamic between students, and between students and teachers, match your family's values?
• Facility condition: do the library, science labs, and gym match the impression given by photos or brochures?
• Bus stop location and flow: can you realistically picture the commute from your home?
• Parent community feel: if you get a chance to talk with other parents during the visit, ask for their honest impressions.
• Signage and how much Japanese is visible: a rough proxy for how much contact there is with the local community and language.

The Admissions Process, Roughly

Visiting and applying are separate processes, but having a sense of timing helps you ask better questions on the tour. Per Canadian Academy's own site, the process generally runs:

1. Submit the application (a non-refundable ¥90,000 application fee)
2. Document review
3. Interview (family and prospective student)
4. Admissions decision

For the current school year, admission tends to run on a rolling basis depending on grade availability and interview outcomes. For a future school year, some years carry a priority-review deadline for applications submitted earlier. Exact deadlines and review windows change year to year, so confirm the current cycle directly with admissions. For the fuller planning timeline, see the admissions timeline guide.

Preschool Context (Peter Pan)

Canadian Academy's tuition and fees page says the school has a long-standing relationship with Peter Pan International Pre-School, which runs an English-language program for two-year-olds about a 10-minute walk from campus.

Peter Pan is now on the third floor of THE ENTENTE on Rokko Island, having moved there during Canadian Academy's campus redevelopment (Peter Pan's website).

For more on Peter Pan's own program and location, see the Peter Pan International Preschool guide.

Steps After Visiting

1. Write down priorities as a family right after the visit: accuracy is better while details are still fresh.
2. Compare against other schools (Marist Brothers, St. Michael's). See Best International Schools in Kobe. CA is a large Rokko Island campus, Marist is Catholic-affiliated in Suma-ku, and St. Michael's is a small, central-Kobe school serving only ages 3–11 — location, scale, and affiliation differ substantially.
3. Re-check the full cost picture: compare annual totals including bus fees, meals, and activity costs, not tuition alone.
4. Read the Kobe hub for broader commute and lifestyle context.

FAQ

When should I book a visit? Canadian Academy's tours run in small groups with limited spots, so booking at least two weeks ahead through the official site is the safer default. Book earlier around popular periods, such as before a new school year.

Does attending Peter Pan give an advantage? No guarantee. Canadian Academy runs its own independent admissions process, and preschool attendance is treated as a separate matter.

Can families in Ashiya or Nishinomiya visit? Yes. Come by train or car on the day; the school bus routes are for enrolled students. Confirm your transport plan for the day ahead of time.

How much does applying cost? A non-refundable ¥90,000 application fee is due at submission. If accepted, further one-time fees apply (registration, Capital Contribution Fee, Building & Development Fee). Always confirm current amounts on the official fee schedule.

Can I decide based on a virtual tour alone? You can, but details like the bus commute and classroom atmosphere are hard to judge remotely. Where possible, pair a virtual tour with an in-person visit before or after relocating.

Where should we check fees and deadlines? Fees, places and deadlines change every year. Confirm them on the official site or with the admissions office.