Additional Admissions Information

Students | Applying to CA | Programs | Families | Miscellaneous Questions

Students

Who can apply?
Canadian Academy welcomes applications from students everywhere who are willing to work in a rigorous academic environment that also emphasizes important core values and demands active service-oriented participation.

Who attends CA?
Currently, students from more than 28 countries attend CA. While approximately 26 percent of our students hold a USA passport, almost 9 percent of our students live in a family in which at least one member holds a non-US passport. About 49 percent of our students have citizenship from an Asian country with half of these students being from Japan.

How many students attend CA?
We have almost 650 students school-wide with 257 in the Elementary (BBP - 5), 180 in the Middle (Grades 5-8) and 213 in the High (Grades 9-12) schools.

How does the School help with the transition of new students?
Because we welcome more than 100 new students every year, the leadership team, faculty, parents and students at CA put a great deal of time, planning and thought into the ways we can help families to become a part of our community. The Parent Community Association (PTA) holds sessions that allow new families to meet each other and to connect with existing CA families. Our guidance counselors and teachers prepare transition activities and events for new students and create opportunities for new and returning students to talk about their initial experiences at the School, from their anxieties and expectations, to the things that surprised them.

Can CA graduates attend universities anywhere in the world?
Recent graduates from CA have enrolled in colleges and universities in over seven different countries around the world.  CA makes every effort to stay abreast of a wide variety of admission requirements and the college counselor works closely with leadership and teachers in assisting students and parents with their course selection.  We have been very proud of our ability to best help students maximize their potential for university admissions in the college or university of their choice.

Where can students live that attend CA?
All students are expected to live with their parents, guardian or in the dormitory. Any exceptions must have the approval of the headmaster.

Can students who live outside of Japan obtain a visa to attend CA?
Yes. Students whose parents do not live in Japan may stay in Japan on a Pre-College Student Visa. The information and application for a CA sponsored Pre-College Student Visa can be obtained from CA. In addition, CA helps families with the application process for a Pre-College Student Visa.

Applying to CA

When should I apply?
Canadian Academy (CA) accepts applications up to one year prior to the date of entry. To open an application file, please submit the application form and the application fee. Students applying from outside the Kansai area must submit the supporting documents no later than three weeks prior to desire date of enrollment.  Students applying from inside the Kansai are must submit the application form, the application fee and all supporting documents by the last day of February of the year they wish to enroll. Please refer to the dates on the Admissions Timeline section.

How can I apply?
All of the admissions forms can be downloaded from the Admissions Procedures section on this site.

How can we arrange to see the School?
The admissions office schedules individual appointments for families to with the Director of Admissions and tour the school. Please telephone the admissions office at 81-(0)78-857-0100 or email us at admissions@canacad.ac.jp to arrange an appointment.

Do we need to come to CA for an interview and/or admissions testing?
Yes, CA requires an on campus interview and the appropriate student testing before a student can be considered for final acceptance.  In addition, we will be happy to arrange a visit and tour of the school. Please contact Admissions at 81-(0)78-857-0100 or admissions@canacad.ac.jp to make an appointment.

Is there a deadline for application?
Please see the Admissions Timeline section for deadlines.

How long does it normally take before I know if my child has been offered a place at CA?
Most families will hear from the admissions office within a week from the time they have had their admissions testing and interviews.

How can I pay the application fees?
CA can accept checks in Japanese Yen or in US dollars from a personal account, as well as bank checks in either currency. For payment by check in US dollars, please contact the Admissions Office for the correct exchange rate.

Does my child have to join CA on a specific date: the beginning of the school year, for example?
Please see the Admissions Timeline section for dates. 

What age does my child have to be to enter BBP-Grade 1?

What are the criteria for placing my child in Grades 2-12?
Acceptance and grade level placement are subject to evaluation of documents, interviews and testing of applicants. Also taken into consideration are age, emotional, social, and developmental maturity, past school records and other factors deemed relevant by the admission committee.

Programs

What curriculum does the School offer?
CA is an IBO World School authorized to offer the PYP, MYP, and DP.  High School students can elect to take IB courses in a wide range of subjects, and they will also take the SATs in Grade 11 and/or Grade 12. We do not offer AP courses.

Does my child need to be fluent in English to attend CA?
No. Many of our children are not fluent in English when they arrive and our teachers and our other students are skilled in making them feel at home.  As an international school, CA has students representing more than  28 different nationalities. To support this international population, we offer an ESOL program for eligible students.  This program is more extensive at the elementary level with the expectation that students who are in need ESOL support will be less in middle school and minimal in high school.

Does CA have after-school sports and activities?
Yes, the elementary and middle schools have after-school sports and activities programs.  Also, high school students can participate in a variety of after-school clubs. Students in Grade 6 and above can try out for sports teams that compete against other schools.

What degree do graduates earn from CA?
All graduates from CA earn a Canadian Academy high school diploma recognized by the Western Association of Colleges and Schools (WASC) and the European Council of International Schools (CIS). In addition to the U.S. high school diploma, students can pursue the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB) at CA. 

Does CA accept students with special learning needs?
CA does offer a learning support program with limited availability in this program.  To determine if a child meets this requirement, current school records regarding past educational plans and services should be submitted to the admissions office.  The learning support staff will carefully evaluate the reports to determine whether we can offer an appropriate program.  We can also assist by referring families to learning specialists for diagnostic testing, speech therapy and psychological support as appropriate.

Families

Where do CA families live and does CA provide busing to these areas?
More than 50% of the CA families live in the Kobe and Ashiya area. About 23 percent of the families live on Rokko Island where children can bike to and from school. Busing is provided to and from the school to Kitano cho, Aotani and Ashiya areas.

Are parents encouraged to be involved at the school?
Yes! Our Parent Teacher Association (PTA) involves parents in school activities and functions at every grade level. Parents play an invaluable role in organizing special events and fundraisers for our students, and parents are always welcome to volunteer their time and talents in helping out with these special events.

Does CA offer sibling discounts?
CA does not offer any discounts for families with more than one child attending.

Miscellaneous Questions

How long is the school day?
School begins at 08:30am and ends at 15:30. After-school sports and activities for elementary students run from 15:30 to 16:30 on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.  Sports and activities for middle school run from 15:30 to 17:00 on Tuesday and Thursday and for high school on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. On Wednesdays, students are dismissed one hour early to provide professional development opportunities for faculty and staff. 

What is the wait list?
There are times when we do not have enough spaces to accommodate all qualified applicants. Qualified applicants will be offered a place on the wait list and will be considered for admission if a space becomes available. When offering places to students in the wait list, the admissions committee considers a number of elements. Preference is given to siblings, and other factors such as class composition are taken into account.

If a place does not become available during the course of the academic year, the student’s application must be updated by 1 February to be considered for the following academic year. Parents should arrange for current school reports, teacher recommendations and standardized testing (as appropriate) to be sent to the admissions office. Students are asked to complete a new applicant questionnaire.

What is your school calendar?
Our school year generally has students beginning school around mid-August and completing the school year no later than mid-June.  Please click to see the current school calendar

Where do CA teachers come from?
Our teachers come from a wide range of schools around the world and represent different nationalities. More than 65% of our teachers hold a masters degree in their respective teaching areas and the average tenure is six years.

I would like to exchange e-mails with a parent at your school. Can you recommend anyone I can get in touch with?
If you would like to be put in touch with a parent at our school via e-mail, please visit our Parent Teacher Association and email one of our parents. They will be happy to assist you and answer any questions you may have.

Does CA provide any financial support to applicants?
A student must be enrolled in Canadian Academy for at least one year in order to be eligible for any sort of financial aid. Please see the General Information section for more details. 


Can you accept children with learning disabilities?
Children with mild learning disabilities can integrate our program, although all students are in "mainstreamed" classes. Special Educational Needs teachers at CA provide support by using  a differentiated approach to teaching and learning. Private tutors are available for all grade levels, and are contracted by the families individually.  We can also assist with limited learning specialist diagnostic testing, but families make arrangements privately with these outside specialists.