Yokohama International School (YIS) Review

Admissions

Yokohama International School serves the educational needs of the international community in Yokohama and the nearby Tokyo metropolitan area, in particular the children of foreign nationals on temporary assignment for whom the local Japanese education system is not a viable option. YIS does not discriminate against individuals on the basis of race, color, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its admissions policies. The school accommodates students with diverse learning where possible. Applicants with mild social/emotional issues, learning differences or other learning needs are referred to in-house learning support staff for review. Admissions decisions are then made by the YIS principal based on the recommendation of the learning support staff.

Children whose parents are both Japanese nationals may be eligible for admission to Yokohama International School if the student has been educated exclusively or primarily at international or non-Japanese schools overseas or at other accredited international schools in Japan where English is the primary language of instruction. It is a requirement that at least one parent or guardian must be able to communicate comfortably in English.

As part of the YIS’s commitment to educating the children of foreign nationals in Japan on temporary assignment, the school often reserves a certain number of places at each grade level for children relocated to the area on short notice up until Spring Break (late March). Provided that basic eligibility requirements are met, students newly arriving in Japan are admitted on a first-come, first-served basis. When demand exceeds availability, students will be placed in a wait pool until space becomes available.

When the number of eligible applicants exceeds the availability of spaces for a particular grade year, students may be placed in a wait pool until space becomes available. Students with siblings already enrolled at YIS are given priority status within the wait pool, as are children of YIS staff and alumni, and students returning to Japan who have previously attended YIS. The school also considers a number of other factors when determining admission from the waitlist, including whether the student has other viable educational options, his/her level of English and general academic proficiency, and the gender and nationality balance of the class/grade.

Specific admissions and English Language Ability policies by school level are given below:

Early Learning Center and Elementary School:

The Early Learning Center is a mixed-age program composed of 3 and 4 year old children. The 3-year-olds enroll initially for a half-day program, which can be extended to a full-day program at the request of the parent if the child’s teacher recommends this. 4-year-old children generally attend the full-day program. Applicants to the ELC will go through an initial screening and then may be invited to an interview with both parents. 

In reviewing applications for admission to grades K – 5 YSI considers current/prior school records and a confidential recommendation from a classroom teacher countersigned by the principal. Students may also be invited to attend YSI on a trial basis to assess their ability to access the curriculum.

In the ELC and Elementary school children are admitted regardless of their level of English language proficiency, providing there are no other additional learning needs. However, the school does not advise mid-year admission for Grade 5 students with minimal English ability. 

Middle School: 

Children applying for admission to grades 6 – 8 are not normally required to have a formal interview. In reviewing an applicant’s eligibility YSI takes into account the student’s school records alongside two confidential recommendations, one from a current English teacher and the second from a faculty member who knows the student well and countersigned by a principal or head of school. Students may also be required to take an assessment test.

Students entering grades 6 – 8 must generally have sufficient competency in English in order to benefit from YIS’s academic programs. 

High School: 

At the high school level, applicants will normally need to meet with an academic counselor, and potentially an IB DP coordinator, in addition to an informal interview with the high school principal. In reviewing an applicant’s eligibility YIS looks at the student’s school records for the last three years (including official transcript(s) for any other high schools attended), as well as two confidential recommendations, one from a current English teacher and the second from a faculty member who knows the student well and countersigned by a principal or head of school, and a math placement recommendation from a current mathematics teacher.

Given the rigour of the IB DP academic program, applicants for grades 9+ must have a fairly high degree of competency in English. Moreover, in order to obtain a YIS graduation diploma, students must have credits equivalent to four full years of high school English. 

Regardless of the grade level to which you are thinking of applying, YIS encourages all potential students to visit the school and meet with the relevant school principal. 

At any stage if English Language Requirements are not met, the school may require an English assessment or allow a student to enroll on a trial basis. The school may also ask parents to provide supplementary English tutoring at their own expense as a condition for admission.