The NIS Financial Aid process has four “application windows” for applying families. All applications and supporting documents for families applying for consideration will be reviewed during these window periods only. If an application is submitted after the window period, families must wait until the next window opens for the Financial Aid Committee to process the application. 

The window dates for applying for 2025-26 are as follows:

• March 3-31 (intended mostly for current families who are applying for Financial Aid for the 2025-26 school year)
• June 1-20 (intended mostly for newly enrolling families for the 2025-26 school year)
• August 1-20 (intended mostly for newly enrolling families for Q2 of the 2025-26 school year)
• Nov. 10-30 (intended mostly for newly enrolling families for Q3 of the 2025-26 school year)

Only if a family suffers unexpected reversals in their finances that affect their ability to make outstanding tuition payments during the course of the school year will exceptions be made to these window deadlines.

Newly enrolling families must apply for Financial Aid at the same time as they submit the application for admissions, but the Financial Aid application can only be reviewed within those windows - so families are encouraged to consider their application timing for both admissions and Financial Aid. 

The type of documents that are required to submit vary depending on (1) your family’s employment status, (2) the origin of your income/assets, and (3) the status of any dependents. For further information, please follow the directions below. In addition, you may be requested to provide additional documentation based on your application. 

(1) Employment Status

• If the parent/guardian is an employee of a company or organization, a Kazeishoumeisho is required to submit (official income statement issued from city office in Japan). Note: Gensen choshuhyo (annual income statement issued by 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 from the city office in Japan) AND Profit/Loss documentation from the past three years is required to upload. Please also note that the business must have been registered in Japan for three years, and 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 within Japan only, you need to submit documents to validate relationships with the family. 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 Kazeishoumesho 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.)

 

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.

Newly enrolling families must apply for Financial Aid at the same time as they submit the application for admissions.

Families currently receiving Financial Aid will automatically be sent information about re-applying for the next school year. The application window set aside for current families for the 2025-26 school year is March 3-31 and parents will be asked to wait until the next window from June if that deadline is missed. 

NIS will consider applications each year in the light of the specific financial information received that year, and in the light of the volunteer/fundraising/friend-raising activities in which the family has engaged in the previous year. This information will be considered alongside the total demand from all applying families for support in determining whether or not, and to what extent, an aid award will be offered. Please note that the award of aid in one year cannot be seen as a commitment to providing aid to a comparable amount in following years.
 

Financial Aid awards are based on a full year’s enrollment and tuition. Should your child (ren) withdraw during the school year, the scholarship amount will be prorated. 

As part of the process for applying for financial aid, it is assumed that families also wish to apply for aid to cover both the Annual and the One-Time Fees, and in some cases, some portion of a 1:1 support fees. This will be taken into account by the Financial Aid Committee when awarding aid. There is no need for an additional application or documentation

Students receiving Financial Aid are expected to observe accepted standards of social behavior and to progress satisfactorily in their academic programs.  Students receiving Financial Aid who are on disciplinary or academic probation will receive future grants on a semester basis until their probation status is remedied. Future grants may be withheld if their probation persists.
    
Families receiving Financial Aid are expected to perform some voluntary services for the school community on a regular basis.  The Financial Aid  application allows parents the opportunity to list service areas where they feel most qualified to volunteer. Even for families who find it hard to volunteer on campus, there are other ways to help (serving as a parent advocate, etc.). Families are encouraged to speak with the Head of School or the Director of Admissions & Development for more information.

Families who receive financial aid are also expected to act as positive and supportive members of the school's community. Recipients who do not honor this intention and whose actions risk harming trust and understanding within our community will have their aid award withdrawn. 

 

Your Privacy and Security Matter

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 their application is 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 reach out.