Financial Aid

Financial aid is intended for families who believe the cost of tuition and fees may present a significant financial challenge. Because every family's circumstances are different, there is no fixed income threshold for eligibility.

Applications are assessed based on demonstrated financial need, family circumstances, and the resources available through the program. Families who feel financial assistance may be necessary to make an NIS education possible are encouraged to apply.

Yes. Financial aid is awarded for one school year at a time, and families must reapply annually if they wish to be considered for assistance in the following year.

Families currently receiving financial aid will automatically receive information about the reapplication process. Returning families should apply during the designated March application window. If this deadline is missed, the application will be reviewed during the next available window.

Newly enrolling families must submit their financial aid application at the same time as their admissions application.

Each year, applications are reviewed based on the family's current financial circumstances, the total demand for assistance, available funding, and the school's financial aid policies. As a result, receiving financial aid in one year does not guarantee an award, or the same level of support, in future years.

Financial aid determination is entrusted to an independent Financial Aid Committee that uses a model to assess income and expenses and then applies professional judgment regarding the special circumstances of individual applicants. The committee is tasked with administering the available funds equitably and responsibly while preserving the confidentiality of applicant families. 

Applying for financial aid does not guarantee that applicants will be eligible to receive it. Conversely, simply being eligible does not guarantee that there will be aid available. The amount of aid offered by the school depends on each family’s financial circumstances, the funds available, and the school’s policies.

The type of documents that are required to be submitted varies depending on:

1. Your family’s employment status
2. The origin of your income/assets
3. The status of any dependents.

For further information, please follow the directions below. In addition, you may be asked to provide additional documentation related to your application. 

(1) Employment Status

• If the parent/guardian is an employee of a company or organization, a Kazeishoumeisho must be submitted (an official income statement issued by the city office in Japan). Note: Gensen choshuhyo (annual income statement issued by the employer) is not an acceptable document to submit.

• If the parent/guardian is self-employed/run a business, both a Kazeishoumeisho (official income statement issued by the city office in Japan) AND Profit/Loss documentation from the past three years are required to be uploaded. Please also note that the business must have been registered in Japan for three years and must also show proof of tax filing with the Japanese National Tax Agency for the past three years. 

(2) Origin of income/assets

• If the parent/guardian has income/assets only in Japan, a bank balance certificate from ALL banks that are issued 1 month from the date the application was submitted must also be uploaded.

• If the parent/guardian has income/assets inside AND/OR outside Japan, similar documents from ALL banks based inside AND outside of Japan must be submitted. Please note that translation is required if the information is not provided in either Japanese or English (self-translation is acceptable). 

(3) Dependents (non-working adults/children residing with the student or receiving support)

• If you have other dependents in Japan only, you need to submit documents to validate your relationships with them. In Japan, dependents are recognized in the Kazeishoumeisho. If your Financial Aid application is identifying someone as a dependent but who is not recognized in your Kazeishoumeisho, then their individual Kazeishoumeisho must also be submitted (if they are over 18 years old).

• If you are supporting dependents/family members outside of Japan, you must submit proof of support payments and proof of a relationship (birth certificate, marriage certificate, etc.)

Your privacy and security matter to us.

We understand that applying for financial aid involves sharing sensitive information, and we want to assure you that protecting your family’s data is a top priority. All submitted documents are kept secure and are only accessible to authorized personnel. In accordance with our Document Retention Policy, files for enrolled families will be securely stored for up to five years after withdrawal from the school, after which they will be safely disposed of.

For families who do not enroll — whether they withdraw from the process, are removed, or have their applications not accepted — all submitted documentation will be deleted at that time.

If you have any questions about how your information is handled, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Funding

Funds come from two sources: the annual operating budget and donations. At NIS, tuition and fees finance roughly 97% of the budget, with the remaining 3% funded through grants and contributions from individuals and corporations to the school’s annual fundraising efforts, the “Annual Giving Fund.” NIS is grateful to the entire community for supporting our Financial Aid program and for making an NIS education accessible to a wider range of families, thereby enriching the quality of education for all enrolled students.
 

Administration

The school’s financial aid policies are set by the NIS Board of Directors and administered by a Financial Aid Committee convened by the board. Processing financial aid applications and managing the program’s records and communications are responsibilities of the Financial Aid Office under the direction of the Head of School. The Financial Aid Office will share applicant information confidentially with the Admissions & Development Office (and vice versa) to support the smooth transition of students and families into the NIS community.