Where International School Graduates in Japan Go to University (2026)

Correction, 11 October 2026: an earlier version said Tokyo International School (TIS) sends IB graduates to US universities; its first Grade 12 opens in 2026–27. It also listed the University of Tokyo's PEAK program, which has stopped taking new students.

Parents comparing international schools in Japan often ask: "Where do graduates actually go to university?" It's the right question — but the answer depends on more than school reputation. Curriculum choice, student engagement, and application strategy matter as much as the school name.

University outcomes reflect curriculum choice, effort, and school support — not reputation alone

Why Outcomes Vary by School

Curriculum type shapes which universities are accessible:

• AP + American → strong for US applications
• IB Diploma → broad international recognition
• A-Level → strong for UK and Commonwealth
• Bilingual → adds Japanese university options

School size affects the range of destinations — larger schools like ASIJ send graduates to a wider mix; smaller schools may cluster around certain destinations.

Student agency matters most. The same school produces both Ivy League admits and community college attendees.

ASIJ (American School in Japan)

ASIJ teaches an American-style curriculum with AP courses. Its graduates go to a wide range of universities: selective US colleges, Canadian universities, and more and more often the English-taught programs at Japanese universities. The school's established US college counseling and its alumni network across American campuses help with applications. Check the school's own matriculation lists for recent years.

Related: Best international schools in Tokyo · Tokyo IB curriculum

Canadian Academy (Kobe)

Canadian Academy offers the IB Diploma Programme, which universities recognise worldwide. Graduates apply to highly selective universities in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands and Japan. The year group is small, so counseling is more personal than at a large school.

Related: Best international schools in Kobe · CA admissions timeline

BST (British School in Tokyo)

BST follows the British curriculum through IGCSE and A-Level (or equivalent). That points most naturally to UK universities, including Oxford, Cambridge and the Russell Group, and to universities elsewhere that accept A-Levels. The school supports UCAS applications and knows the UK admissions process well.

TIS and IB-Focused Schools

Tokyo International School (TIS) has added the IB Diploma Programme recently, and opens Grade 12 for the first time in the 2026–27 school year, so it does not yet have a record of graduates going to university. For IB schools with a longer record, such as Canadian Academy, the IB Diploma is recognized by universities worldwide, and smaller year groups can mean more individual counseling.

Nishimachi and Bilingual Pathways

Nishimachi typically feeds into other international schools for high school (or Japanese schools for those going the bilingual route to Japanese universities). Confirm current high school articulation.

Related: Nishimachi guide

Japanese University Destinations

Increasingly, international school graduates apply to:

• English-taught programs at Keio, Waseda, Sophia, ICU and others. The University of Tokyo's PEAK program took its last students in September 2026; its new English-taught UTokyo College of Design opens in September 2027
• Japanese-taught programs for bilingual students with strong Japanese literacy
• International Christian University (ICU) — traditionally friendly to international school graduates

Japanese universities are more accessible than a decade ago — but require strong Japanese literacy for most Japanese-taught programs. See Japanese language support.

What to Ask Each School

1. Most recent matriculation list — the last 2–3 years, not a "historical highlights" list
2. College counseling ratio — students per counselor
3. When counseling begins — Grade 9? Grade 11?
4. Testing support — SAT, ACT, TOEFL logistics
5. UCAS support if UK-bound
6. Japanese university pathway for bilingual students
7. AP / IB / A-Level score profiles — average and range
8. Financial aid workshops — for US universities especially

Ask for absolute numbers, not just "top universities." A school that sent 3 students to Harvard 5 years ago is different from one that sends 3 per year now.

Comparison Table

Always verify with each school's official current data.

FAQ

Where do ASIJ graduates go to university? A wide range of US universities plus Canadian, UK, Australian, and Japanese English-taught programs. Check ASIJ's official matriculation list for current placement.

Do Canadian Academy graduates go to top universities? Yes — CA IB Diploma graduates place at highly selective universities globally. Actual placement depends on individual student profile.

Which international school in Japan is best for US universities? ASIJ has established US pathway support. IB schools with a long record, such as Canadian Academy, also send many students to US universities.

Which is best for UK universities? BST for the A-Level pathway. IB Diploma also works well for UK.

Can international school graduates attend Japanese universities? Yes — increasingly common through English-taught programs (Keio, Waseda, Sophia, ICU, and from 2027 the UTokyo College of Design) and Japanese-taught programs for bilingual students.

Does school reputation guarantee admissions? No. Individual student performance, curriculum, and application strategy matter far more than school name.

How early should we plan for university? Ideally by Grade 9. IB and A-Level require course choices at Grade 10 that affect university options.