Schools/Tokyo/
ISI Takadanobaba Career Pathway Campus
Tokyo
·Takadanobaba
ISI Takadanobaba Career Pathway Campus
ISIキャリア外語アカデミー高田馬場校
Job-hunting support
1 min from the station
Students from 47 countries
About the school
ISI Takadanobaba Career is the ISI campus for students who want to work in Japan, with business Japanese from beginner level, career advisers and meetings with employers. It is 1 minute on foot from Takadanobaba Station.
Founded2023
Students from45+ countries
Course length1 or 2 years
IntakesApr · Jul · Oct · Jan
What makes it different
Japanese for work and help finding a job
One of the few campuses in Japan fully focused on careers: business Japanese from beginner level, classes with companies, internships and company visits. Career advisers and homeroom teachers help with your job search — from a Japanese CV to interview practice.
Career Japanese
Japanese for work and business
From beginner level, lessons gradually move to business Japanese: emails, meetings, presentations and communication at work. There are 8 levels in total, from beginner to advanced.
Job-hunting support
Career advisers at the school
Help with CVs, interviews and finding vacancies comes from the school’s own staff, not an outside agency, and you can go to them at any time.
Company links
Internships and meetings with employers
Classes with companies, internships, company visits, job fairs and seminars on work visas. ISI graduates work at Rakuten, Amazon Japan, Pokémon, Dentsu and other companies.
Flexible length
1 or 2 years
If you start in April, July or October you can choose a 1-year or 2-year course; if you start in January, the course is 2 years. Classes are in the first (8:50–12:00) or second (13:00–16:10) shift.
ISI Takadanobaba Career (ISIキャリア外語アカデミー高田馬場校) is a specialised ISI campus for international students who want to find a job or build a career in Japan. Unlike the academic campuses, the focus here is on practical Japanese for the workplace: business communication, communication at work and the skills you need to get hired.
Takadanobaba is one of Tokyo’s main student areas, with Waseda University, many colleges and language schools, and inexpensive cafés and shops. The campus is 1 minute from JR Takadanobaba Station, so it is easy to get to classes, interviews and company visits.
The campus opened in April 2023 and has places for 1,280 students; students currently come from 47 countries and the average age is 29 (April 2026). The building has a self-study area, a library, consultation rooms, a Japanese tea-ceremony room and a prayer room. You need your own laptop — many assignments are done on a computer.
Programs
Career Japanese Course
For university graduates who plan to work in Japan after language school. Japanese from beginner level, then business Japanese, business etiquette and project work with companies. Job-hunting preparation: a Japanese CV, interview practice, one-to-one advice and internships. For intakes from April 2027: 1 year ¥1,055,000, 6 months ¥597,500.
Whole course, 2 years¥1,970,000
Short-term Career Japanese Course
For students coming without a student visa. You study in the same classes as long-term students, but career support and internships are not included. The school issues an invitation letter for a short-term visa if you book 8 weeks or more (¥20,000). Fees from April 2027: 2 weeks ¥101,950, 3 weeks ¥131,050, 4 weeks ¥160,150, 5 weeks ¥170,250, 6 weeks ¥195,550, 7 weeks ¥220,850, 8 weeks ¥230,950, 9 weeks ¥237,250, 10 weeks ¥258,750, 20 weeks ¥487,500.
Whole course¥101,950 – ¥487,500
Private lessons
¥6,000 to ¥8,000 per lesson (depending on the number of lessons) plus ¥20,000 for matching you with a teacher. Textbooks are extra.
Class schedule
20 lessons a week, up to 20 students per class. The school assigns your shift based on the placement test.
First-year costs
Application fee¥40,000
Enrollment fee¥100,000
Tuition, first year¥760,000
Other fees, first year¥155,000
Total, first year¥1,055,000
Whole course, 2 years — ¥1,970,000
Payment terms and extra costs
Scholarships and discounts
ISI Principal’s Award — ¥50,000
For students who have studied at ISI schools for at least 1 year, with excellent grades and attendance and strong motivation. Awarded 4 times a year.
ISI Attendance Award — ¥30,000
For students on a student visa after a year at ISI with no absences and no late arrivals.
IHNO scholarship — ¥10,000–¥30,000 a month
For students on a student visa who work part-time conscientiously; the amount depends on the hours worked each month.
Intakes
April Main intake
April 2027: 1-year or 2-year course. Applications close on 31 October 2026 or when places are filled.
July Summer intake
July 2027: 1-year or 2-year course. Apply by the end of February 2027.
October Autumn intake
October 2027: 1-year or 2-year course. Apply by the end of May 2027.
January Winter intake
January 2028: 2-year course only. Apply by the end of August 2027.
The school applies for your Certificate of Eligibility; with the visa this takes about 4–6 months. Places are limited — apply early.
Student visa. For a long-term course you study on the Student status of residence: the school applies for your Certificate of Eligibility, then you get the visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate. Student visa for Japan · Which documents do I need?
Working while you study. With permission, up to 28 hours a week: Part-time work for students
Housing
ISI dormitory · mixed
International House Toda
from ¥55,000 / monthsingle or twin rooms, separate floors for men and women
5 minutes on foot from Toda Station (JR Saikyo Line). Kitchen, dining room, study room and gym.
ISI dormitory · men only
International House Shakujii-Koen
from ¥55,000 / monthsingle or twin rooms
10 minutes on foot from Shakujii-Koen Station, about 10 minutes by express train to Ikebukuro. The commute to school takes 30–40 minutes.
ISI dormitory · women only
International House Musashi-Seki
from ¥55,000 / monthsingle or twin rooms
9 minutes on foot from Musashi-Seki Station, with a direct Seibu-Shinjuku Line connection to Takadanobaba. Kitchen, dining room and study room.
ISI dormitory terms
Rent: twin room ¥55,000 a month, single room ¥75,000–¥109,000 a month. One-off fees: entry fee ¥40,000, equipment ¥30,000, cleaning ¥10,000–¥20,000. Rent is paid per term (3 months): from ¥245,000 for a twin room and from ¥315,000 for a single room. Utilities and internet are included, plus 10% tax. Furniture, appliances and bedding are provided.
Other options
Guesthouses, weekly apartments and homestay
Guesthouse from ¥106,800 for 4 weeks, weekly apartment from ¥141,500 for 4 weeks, homestay with a Japanese family (breakfast and dinner) ¥219,000 for 4 weeks.
Photos and videos
Location
4-23-32 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-0075 — 1 minute on foot from the Toyama exit of JR Takadanobaba Station (4 minutes from the Seibu-Shinjuku Line station)
Questions about ISI Takadanobaba Career Pathway Campus
How is ISI Takadanobaba Career different from ISI’s academic campuses?
ISI’s academic campuses focus mainly on entry to Japanese universities and colleges. Takadanobaba Career is for students who plan to work in Japan: more business Japanese, communication at work, and CV and interview preparation. Long-term students get career advice and internships.
What education do I need?
The general ISI requirement is 12 years of school; students with 11 years of school are accepted if they are 18 or older. Under the 2027 admission rules the career campus also requires a university or master’s degree or a degree from a Japanese two-year college (except for students who plan to work on a Specified Skilled Worker visa). Without a degree we recommend ISI’s academic campuses: after a Japanese college or university your chances of a work visa are much higher.
Can I start with no Japanese at all?
No. For a student visa the school requires about 150 hours of Japanese study or N5. Your level is confirmed by an online test and an interview with a school representative when you apply.
How much does the first year cost?
¥1,055,000 for intakes from April 2027: application fee ¥40,000, enrollment fee ¥100,000, tuition ¥760,000, materials and maintenance ¥155,000. You can pay every six months (the first 6 months are ¥597,500). The whole 2-year course is ¥1,970,000.
Does the school help me find a job?
Yes. Long-term students get help choosing a direction for their job search, writing a Japanese CV, interview practice and one-to-one advice. The school shares vacancies, holds meetings with companies and job fairs, and internships are possible. ISI advises job hunting with N2 or higher — with N3 the choice of jobs is much narrower.
Where can I live, and can I work part-time?
The school offers ISI dormitories (from ¥55,000 a month, paid per term), guesthouses, weekly apartments and homestay. On a student visa, with permission, you can work up to 28 hours a week (8 hours a day in school holidays).
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