Senri International Schools of Kwansei Gakuin

Senri International School of Kwansei Gakuin (SIS) is located in Minoh City, Osaka Prefecture, in the north of Osaka. It shares its Senri campus with its sister school, Osaka International School of Kwansei Gakuin (OIS). The campus address is 4-4-16 Onoharanishi, Minoh, Osaka 562-0032, Japan. The campus is accessible by Hankyu Bus, with several stops nearby including Senri Chuo and Kita-Senri.

SIS operates the middle school (Junior High) and high school (Senior High) on the same campus and provides a pathway to the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (DP) for grades 11–12. The school sits alongside Osaka International School (OIS) on the same campus as part of the ‘Two Schools Together' model.

SIS is a co-educational, day-school. Boarding is available to some students through the Akebono Dormitory for those who cannot commute.

The on-campus community includes students from more than 35 nationalities, reflecting a broad international presence on the combined SIS/OIS campus. Public admissions data indicate high school enrolment is limited to returnees, which shapes the international composition, but exact local-to-international ratios are not published.

The curriculum emphasizes English development across subjects. SIS uses a trimester-based year (three terms) to support transfers and flexible study patterns; public listings do not publish a separate SEN department, but English-language support is a visible feature of the program.

The school is based in Japan and operates within the Kansai Gakuin Educational Foundation, which encompasses multiple KG institutions in the region. This reflects a Japanese-based organizational structure rather than a country-specific affiliation.

Kwansei Gakuin and its network have Christian roots; KG is described as a Christian foundational education system. SIS itself does not publish a separate religious program, but sits within this Christian heritage.

The SIS/KG system follows a trimester model with three terms (Spring, Fall, Winter), each comprising about 60 teaching days. The structure supports multiple entry points and transfers between terms.

SIS offers a campus bus service operated by Hankyu Bus. Weekday routes include numbers such as 62, 58, 177 and 181, with stops at Senri Chuo, Hankyu Kita-Senri, Onoharajutaku-minami, Minoh-Semba Handai-Mae, and Minoh Kayano among others. Weekend timetables are published as well.

Senri International School (SIS) and Osaka International School (OIS) are sister campuses on the Senri campus of the Kwansei Gakuin Educational Foundation in Osaka, sharing governance and facilities. OIS offers an IB continuum — Primary Years Programme in elementary, Middle Years Programme in middle, and the IB Diploma Programme in high school — all taught in English. SIS follows the Japanese Ministry of Education's Course of Study for Secondary Schools at its junior and senior high levels. The two schools share a campus ecosystem with joint music and arts classes, physical education, sports teams, and student government. IB Diploma Programme requirements include six subject groups plus the core components Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay, and Creativity, Activity, Service, and the DP is available to high school students across the KG network. Overall, the curriculum provides an English-medium IB pathway from elementary to high school at OIS, while SIS aligns with the Japanese secondary curriculum and offers cross-campus collaboration.

SEL is supported at SIS through The SIS Way, which uses the 5 Respects—Respect for Self, Respect for Others, Respect for Learning, Respect for the Environment, and Respect for Leadership—as a compass guiding students' social and emotional development.

The school does not publicly disclose information regarding Special Educational Needs (SEN) provision or whether SIS operates as a specialist SEN institution.

EAL support is indicated by a full-time native-level English teacher and ESL position advertised for SIS, signaling dedicated English language support for learners.

Mental wellbeing support is provided through the Osaka International School Counselling Center, and SIS and OIS share a campus under the Two Schools Together model, enabling wellbeing resources across both schools.

Safeguarding is supported by a shared Child Protection Policy and faculty Code of Conduct between Osaka International School and Senri International School.

1. Admissions tracks and eligibility: Senri International School of Kwansei Gakuin (SIS) offers admissions for middle school and, separately, high school with different entry rules. General students are typically students from domestic elementary schools; international students have specific criteria related to nationality or prior international schooling. High school admissions, however, are limited to returning students (帰国生) and international/general recruitment is not offered for the high school level. This framework defines who can apply and under which track a family should prepare.

2. International track eligibility screening (for 国際生): If applying as an international student, you must submit the 国際生入試 受験資格審査申込書 during the designated period and participate in an interview with the student and a parent. If the applicant's circumstances match the second criteria (foreign-born parent or foreign nationality) the parent may also be interviewed. The eligibility screening must be completed to move forward with an application. The interview date is set after submission, and the screening results are conveyed by mail a few days after the interview.

3. General/International track—information sessions and timelines: For families considering the General and International track, SIS runs online information sessions and offers an online or in-person component to help understand the process. An online information session can be attended by prospective applicants, and if you wish to participate in a particular session (e.g., the November 1 online session), you should submit the eligibility form by the stated deadline. The topic coverage includes how the admissions steps unfold and what documents are needed.

4. Returnee/Overseas track specifics (帰国生・海外生入試): SIS lists multiple entrance-exam options for returning students and overseas applicants, including the regular returnee entrance exam (January and June, online) and the overseas entrance exam (November, online), as well as special options that occur in August, November, and March. The school specifies the target groups for these exams and the intended entry points (next term or the term after). Detailed schedules for each year are published and updated, so families should monitor the exact dates and application windows for their chosen path.

5. 2026 admissions schedule (middle school): The 2026 middle school entrance exam is scheduled for January 18, 2026. For those applying, there are options to request the exam guidelines by mail and to have materials shipped if needed; the guidelines for the 2025–2026 cycle are posted for download. There is also mention of a written exam component for certain pathways and a note that exam fees apply.

6. Online application and timelines for eligibility: For certain admission pathways (e.g., the Returnee/Overseas route), SIS provides an online application form (forms.gle) for submission of application materials, with instructions that, once submitted online, mailing of documents is not required. The availability of online submissions and the deadlines are clearly stated in the admissions materials for the year in question. The general/International track materials indicate that the application items and guidelines can be downloaded or accessed online.

7. Entrance exam contents and fees (middle school paths including international/returnee routes): For the 2025–2026 admissions cycle, the examination contents vary by pathway. Returnee/Overseas and Returnee Special exams include components such as a 50-minute composition (in Japanese or English), 20-minute student interview, and 15-minute parent interview; the Returnee Written Exam comprises Japanese (50 minutes), Math (50 minutes), and a 30-minute group interview. The entrance examination fee is 28,000 yen, and payment can be made by credit card (VISA or MASTER CARD).

8. Results, enrollment options, and next steps: For the General and International track, exam results are communicated by mail a few days after the online interview, following the completion of the assessment process. If the International qualification is not recognized, applicants may still apply as General students. SIS lists six entrance exams per year (six for returning students and one for non-returning students), with returnee exams offered online from anywhere worldwide. This structure determines the timeline for notification and the subsequent enrollment steps.

9. Ongoing admissions activities: In addition to the formal entrance exams, SIS hosts online information sessions twice a year and hands-on workshops three times a year, hosted by SIS students. These sessions provide insight into the school, admissions expectations, and student life, and can help families prepare their application and understand the overall process.

Scholarships: SIS offers scholarships and subsidies for enrolled students, and current opportunities are published on the student portal's scholarships page. Details for specific scholarships, including eligibility and application procedures, are provided on the internal scholarships page (external link) and in PDF documents accessible to enrolled students. The scholarships page also references a PDF for internal scholarship information and a set of forms (e.g., Reference Form) to support applications. This content confirms that scholarships exist and are administered through the student portal, with some materials available for download.

Waitlist/Pool: There is no publicly documented waitlist or pool system described in SIS admissions pages. The school lists six entrance exams per year (six for returning students and one for non-returning) and states that returnee exams can be taken online from anywhere in the world, but there is no published waitlist policy or pool process. Families should rely on the announced exam times and application windows for placement, as there is no waitlist description on the admissions pages.