How to Apply

A Warm Welcome to the Admissions Page of Seisen International School’s Website!

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about our school, its mission, its community and how you and your family can become a part of this thriving community of learners. 
We know that making choices for the type of education you wish your child to experience is of the utmost importance to you. Here at Seisen International School, we are committed to offering clear, transparent and personalized guidance about our school and its admissions process.
 We look forward to being in contact with you throughout the application phase and listening to what matters to you. Welcoming you to the warm and supportive community that is Seisen International School is our goal.

Grounded in the Catholic Mission of our school, the faculty and staff at Seisen International School believes in a community that is supportive and inclusive of a diverse population of students. 
Seisen International School encourages applications irrespective of the child or family member’s race, national origin, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, or religion. 
Central to acceptance to attend Seisen International School as a family is the sincere support of our Mission as a Catholic International School:

“Seisen International School, a Catholic International School, educates future world citizens to become men and women for others and with others, in the spirit of Jesus Christ. Seisen International School’s mission is to provide a safe environment we a focus on the mult- faceted nature of community wellbeing. We esek to empower each student, through shared responsibility, creativity, and human interdependence, to develop their unique talents and to become competent and compassionate players in our global society, capable of empowering others and of bringing hope and peace to our ever changing  world.”

We believe that the education of our students is based upon a partnership between the home and the school. We believe that effective communication between parents, students and the school, is essential to the students social and emotional wellbeing and academic success. English is the language of communication, instruction and inclusion for our community, while valuing the linguistic diversity present in our community. It is therefore essential that at least one parent can communicate in English with the school and can understand any written communication coming from the school or posted on the parent portal of the school website.

We believe that all students have an equal right to a high-quality education. The school strives to respond to the needs of individual students, within its resources. We work to achieve this by creating a culture of collaboration, problem-solving, empathy, respect, and open-mindedness from the onset of the initial application process. 
 

Applicants must belong to one of the following categories, taking into account prior educational and linguistic backgrounds, and the applicant's ability to function and succeed in our English-based curricula:

1. Children of expatriate families who are moving to Japan where at least one parent can communicate in English proficiently.
2. Children of bicultural families where at least one parent can communicate in English proficiently.
3. Children who are fluent in English and speak English at home.
4. Japanese students who have spent at least two years abroad in an English-medium school. *
5. Local Japanese children who are transferring from an international school and need a minimum of support.**
6. International students transferring from another international school in Japan.**

*The School recognises the benefits of including students from the permanent, local community, however Article 1 of the School Education Law of Japan stipulates that it is the duty of Japanese parents to send their children to Article 1 schools during the compulsory period which covers the years from Grade 1 to Grade 9.
 As Seisen International School does not hold the status of an Article 1 school, Japanese parents must give full consideration to the legal implications before applying for a place at the school. 
Please be aware that a Japanese nationality student continuing her education in our Grades 1-9  program will not meet the expectation of Compulsory Education in a Japanese school. We ask that you take this into consideration when planning your daughter’s education.

**In the interest of continuity of student learning, mid-year transfers between our member schools of the Japan Council of International Schools are not accepted without prior consultation between the Heads of both schools.

Our kindergarten program welcomes families who embrace our philosophy and students who will thrive in it. Due to its popularity, we see a high demand for places which often exceeds the capacity that we can offer on our campus.

We offer a 2-year-old Toddler Program and a 3-6 year-old Montessori/PYP Programme. We give preference to students who enroll for 3 years in our Montessori/PYP Programme. For entry to all kindergarten programs, students must reach the minimum age requirement by September 1st.

We give priority to students whose educational needs are best met in an international learning environment. Japanese students who have spent at least two years in an English-medium pre-school or kindergarten may apply.

All applications are considered on a case-by-case basis. The principles of clarity, consistency and transparency are upheld in all admissions procedures. A child’s ability to benefit from Seisen's academic programme is the prime criterion when making admissions decisions. 
The Head of School reserves the right to accept or reject any application for admission based on space availability and the degree to which the School's educational programme can meet the identified needs of the applicant.

Seisen International School does not endorse any private company offering "advice packages"on how to gain admittance to our school. We  strongly advise prospective families to avoid employing the services of such companies which are in no way representative of Seisen International School. These services are completely unnecessary   for our admissions process. Any enquiries about our school community and our admissions process should be directed to the admissions staff and not to any external companies. 

Seisen International School does not have business partnerships with any local international preschools or kindergartens. 
Student applications coming in from local international preschools and kindergartens will be treated on an individual case by case basis in the same ethical manner as all other applications.

Siblings of currently enrolled students, children of Seisen International School alumni, children of Faculty and Staff, returning students and children coming from Catholic families are given priority placement when applying to Seisen International School.

Please note that a student is not “automatically accepted” if they belong to one of these categories. Only once the child’s suitability to the curriculum and the family’s support of the School Mission has been established, will the application be approved.

In addition, Seisen does not have agreements with any international pre-schools or kindergartens for priority acceptance status. Seisen does not have any official feeder schools.

For returning students, please note that  acceptance is also based on space availability at the time of application and an applicant may  need to be on a waitlist until space opens up.

There is a limited number of spaces in the English as an Additional Language (EAL) Programme for students who meet the qualifications for admission.

Learning Support is available for students who function well in the classroom but have some learning challenges.

The Admissions team will consult with the Kindergarten, Elementary School, Middle School and High School Principals, as well as the Learning Support Specialist, before accepting students with known special educational needs into the academic programmes offered by the School.

Parents must divulge all relevant information regarding their child’s special needs and medical history (including a complete medical report of the child) to allow the leadership team to make an informed and realistic decision about the appropriateness of the child’s placement at Seisen International School. Each applicant is reviewed on an individual basis at the time of application.

The review will look at the resources the child's needs in terms of human resources, financial, material and space resources as well as the parental commitment to supporting their child’s educational programme at home and school.

The school leadership will consult with the Seisen Support Team (SST) - the Counselors, Learning Support Specialist, the school nurse - and the IB Coordinators before accepting a student who requires learning support and/or related services.  A decision will be made whether suitable arrangements for both teaching and assessment can be made to accommodate the student. If a student with special educational needs is accepted into the IBDP program, careful consideration must be given to the candidate’s choice of subjects.
Once the decision to admit a student to the School has been taken, it is our duty to provide all possible support within the limits set by the resources at the School’s disposal.

As stated in our Mission statement we are committed to health and well-being but acknowledge our older campus facilities pose challenges of access. 

Depending on the severity of mobility considerations (e.g. wheelchair access, crutches, etc.), class schedules will be adjusted and classrooms repurposed to keep classrooms for affected students/teachers to floors that are more accessible or that can be modified.

Prospective Students

For any prospective students with severe and long term disabilities a tour for the family / caregivers will be provided prior to an interview, in order to assess the appropriateness of the campus to accommodate their child’s needs.