Waseda Academy

What Waseda Academy does

Waseda Academy (株式会社早稲田アカデミー, TYO: 4718) is a Tokyo-headquartered, publicly listed Japanese cram school (juku) and supplementary education company founded in 1975, operating approximately 190 directly operated and franchise school locations across the Greater Tokyo metropolitan area, including Tokyo's 23 wards, Tama, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, and Ibaraki prefectures. The company serves primarily elementary, junior high, and high school students preparing for competitive entrance examinations to elite Japanese schools and universities, with additional offerings spanning early childhood education (Sunkids), English-language instruction (IBS, English ENGINE), individual tutoring (Waseda Academy 個別進学館), returnee and overseas student services (LOGOS AKADEMEIA, plus direct campuses in Mamaroneck, New York and Acton, London), and medical school preparation (Noda Kurze).

The core technology footprint is non-proprietary and infrastructure-light: the company is fundamentally a classroom-based education provider with no proprietary AI or platform technology disclosed, supported by standard marketing and analytics tooling (Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, SHANON, GENIEE Search, J stream, Zoom) and a web-based grade reporting system. Curriculum differentiation is concentrated in long-running school-specific courses—NN志望校別コース (30+ years, 12 top-tier target schools) and 必勝志望校別コース (6 high-school entrance streams)—underpinned by specialized instructor teams.

The business model is subscription/recurring monthly tuition across multiple branded sub-services, with pricing ranging from ¥22,000–¥51,800/month for English programs, supplemented by enrollment fees (¥22,000 for IBS Starter), seasonal intensive courses (summer, winter, spring), mock exam fees, and per-event/camp pricing. Go-to-market is sales-led and event-driven, combining high-volume entrance test events, learning consultation sessions, and mock examinations with a multi-channel digital presence (LINE, X/Twitter, search/display advertising, dedicated inquiry forms, and brochure mailings) and word-of-mouth referrals from existing student families. A channel partnership with Naga-sei's 東進衛星予備校 (Toshin Satellite Prep School) network extends university exam reach, while a partner school network in 11 countries and 19 cities supports overseas Japanese students.

Name

Waseda Academy

Legal name

株式会社早稲田アカデミー

Website

https://waseda-ac.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Waseda Academy (TYO: 4718) is a publicly listed Japanese cram school operator founded in 1975, running approximately 190 schools across Greater Tokyo and overseas campuses in New York and London, serving students preparing for elite junior high, high school, and university entrance examinations, with additional English, individual tutoring, and returnee-student programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Test Preparation & Supplementary Education Services

NAICS

All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Educational Services (61), Language Schools (611630)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International/Global Curriculum Schools (IB, Cambridge, etc.) (EDAJABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

IB Program Tutoring (PYP/MYP/DP; HL/SL) (EDANAKAB), Intensive Bootcamps & Accelerated ASE Programs (EDAAABAH), Online/Hybrid ASE Programs & Virtual Classrooms (EDAAABAG)

Keywords

• Exam preparation services
• Cram school operations
• Supplementary education
• Entrance exam tutoring
• English language education

Headquarters

HQ city

Toshima

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Group Classroom Instruction (中学受験・高校受験・大学受験): Core revenue from group-based classroom instruction for elementary, junior high, and high school exam preparation. Students pay monthly tuition fees determined by course level and grade. Revenue is recurring on a monthly basis with additional fees for seasonal intensive programs (夏季・冬季・春季培训班).
2. Individual Tutoring (個別進学館): One-on-one or small-group tutoring services offered through the Waseda Academy個別進学館 brand, targeting students from elementary to high school. This operates as a separate branded service with its own enrollment process and pricing.
3. English Language Programs (IBS / English ENGINE): Specialized English education programs including IBS (御茶ノ水) and English ENGINE (国立・月島・新百合ヶ丘) with structured curriculum aimed at Eiken (英検) certification. Tuition is charged monthly, with additional enrollment fees.
4. Overseas and Returnee Student Services: Revenue from overseas operations including schools in New York and London, and the specialized returnee student brand LOGOS AKADEMEIA. International schools serve Japanese students living abroad, providing Japanese exam preparation.
5. Mock Exams and Special Courses: Revenue from open mock exams (オープン模試), NN志望校別コース and 必勝志望校別コース special courses, and seasonal training camps (合宿). These are supplementary programs that generate additional per-event or per-course revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Waseda Academy provides classroom-based and online supplementary education services, including group tutoring and individual tutoring for entrance exams at elite private junior high schools, high schools, and universities (Tokyo University, Waseda, Keio, medical schools). The company also offers specialized English language programs (IBS, English ENGINE), returnee-student support through LOGOS AKADEMEIA, and seasonal intensive courses, delivered at ~190 school locations across the Greater Tokyo metropolitan area and through online and overseas campuses in New York and London.

Product overview

Waseda Academy is a comprehensive Japanese education services company operating a multi-brand portfolio of tutoring and test-preparation services. Its core offering is group tutoring (進学塾) for elementary (小1〜小6), junior high (小5〜中3), and university entrance exams (中1〜高3), delivered at approximately 190 physical school locations across the Tokyo metropolitan area (Tokyo 23 wards, Tokyo suburbs, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Ibaraki), supplemented by an Online School for remote access. The portfolio includes specialized sub-brands: ExiV (難関中高受験専門塾) for elite school prep, Waseda Academy IBS and English ENGINE for English-language education (with multi-campus in-person and online offerings), LOGOS AKADEMEIA for returnee students (帰国生), and Waseda Academy個別進学館 for individual tutoring. Overseas presence spans London and New York direct campuses, plus international partnerships in 11 countries and 19 cities. University prep is served through the Waseda Academy・東進衛星予備校 partnership. Supporting brands include 野田クルゼ (medical prep), SPICA, 水戸アカデミー, クオード, and 幼児教室サンキス. Advanced specialty courses include the NN志望校別コース (with 30+ year history covering 12 top-tier schools) and 必勝志望校別コース for high school entrance exams.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 中学受験ブランド: 小1～小6対象の中学受験対策ブランド
• 高校受験ブランド
• 大学受験ブランド
• Spica
• 水戸アカデミー
• クオード
• 野田クルゼ
• 幼児教室サンキッズ

Products and services

• Waseda Academy Group Tutoring (進学塾・学習塾) Waseda Academy's core group tutoring service covering elementary school entrance exams (grades 1-6), junior high school entrance exams (grades 5 through junior high 3), and university entrance exams (junior high 1 through high school 3), delivered at approximately 190 school locations across the Greater Tokyo metropolitan area with curriculum aligned to Japanese national and private school admissions.
• NN志望校別コース (NN Target School Course) Elite school-specific weekend tutoring course for top-tier middle school exam preparation (elementary grade 6), with over 30 years of history. Covers 12 target schools including Kaisei, Azabu, Musashi, and Ochanomizu, delivered by instructors specialized in each target school's entrance examinations.
• 必勝志望校別コース (Victory Target School Course) Targeted selection-based course for high school entrance exams (junior high 3), covering 6 course types including Tsukuba-kou, Kaisei, Kokuritsu, Soukei, Waseda, and Nanpan streams. Students study together with rivals aiming for the same school and receive instruction using school-specific texts.
• Waseda Academy Online School (オンライン校) Online school platform enabling students outside the Tokyo metropolitan area or overseas to access Waseda Academy's exam preparation curriculum and services remotely.
• Waseda Academy IBS (御茶ノ水) English language program for young learners (kindergarten through grade 6) positioned as 'the English school closest to Tokyo University, medical school, and world-class universities.' Operates from Ochanomizu campus with a goal of Eiken Level 2 certification within 2 years, all-English instruction with parental observation, and small class sizes (max 10 students).
• English ENGINE (多読英語教室) Extensive reading English program for elementary and junior high students (grades 1 through junior high 3) operating in Kunitachi, Tsukishima, and Shinyurigaoka campuses. Uses a library of 4,000-6,000 English books to develop English literacy through reading, with goal-oriented curriculum targeting Eiken 3級 to Level 2 within 2 years.
• Waseda Academy 個別進学館 (Individual Tutoring) Individual tutoring service (grades 1 through high school 3) under the Waseda Academy group, offering personalized lesson plans tailored to each student's needs and operating across multiple school locations within the Waseda Academy network.
• LOGOS AKADEMEIA (帰国生専門) Specialized tutoring program for returnee students (帰国生) preparing for Japanese middle school entrance exams. Located in Kanda-Surugadai, Tokyo, covering English, mathematics, and Japanese with specialized courses including TOEFL preparation and essay writing.
• ExiV (難関中高受験専門塾) Specialized brand for top-tier middle and high school entrance exam preparation, targeting elite institutions with separate course structures for elementary (junior high entrance exam) and junior high (high school entrance exam) tracks.
• Waseda Academy 東進衛星予備校 (Toshin Satellite Yobiko Partnership) University entrance exam preparation brand operated in partnership with the Toshin Satellite Yobiko (東進衛星予備校) network managed by Naga-sei Co., Ltd., targeting junior high 1 through high school 3 students.
• Waseda Academy London School (ロンドン校) Direct overseas school of Waseda Academy located in Acton, London, providing group tutoring for elementary and junior high students with curriculum linked to domestic programs. Covers all 4-5 academic subjects including science and social studies, and serves students across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa via online lessons.
• Waseda Academy New York School (ニューヨーク校) Direct overseas school of Waseda Academy in Mamaroneck, New York, offering group tutoring for elementary and junior high students with curriculum linked to domestic programs.
• 野田クルゼ (Noda Kurze Medical School Prep) Medical school entrance examination preparation school, part of the Waseda Academy group network, operated through affiliated company 株式会社野田学園.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students achieve Eiken 2級 (high school graduate level) by grades 3-4 when starting from grade 1 in the IBS program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core group entity, core strategic partner and minor.

• 株式会社集学舎 (Shūgakusha Co., Ltd.)core group entityOthersWaseda Academy's affiliated group company. Representative: 千葉崇博. Located at 千葉県市原市姉崎東3-1-1. Part of the Waseda Academy group's joint personal information utilization arrangement.
• 株式会社水戸アカデミー (Mito Academy Co., Ltd.)core group entityOthersWaseda Academy's affiliated group company. Representative: 坪井慎一. Located at 茨城県水戸市宮町2丁目3-36. Part of the Waseda Academy group's joint personal information utilization arrangement.
• 株式会社野田学園 (Noda Gakuen Co., Ltd.)core group entityOthersWaseda Academy's affiliated group company operating the medical school prep brand 野田クルゼ. Representative: 伊藤誠. Located at 東京都千代田区神田駿河台2丁目8. Part of the Waseda Academy group's joint personal information utilization arrangement.
• 株式会社幼児未来教育 (Yōchi Mirai Kyōiku Co., Ltd.)core group entityOthersWaseda Academy's affiliated group company focused on early childhood education. Representative: 伊藤誠. Located at 東京都豊島区目白3丁目13-20 DAIGO 401号室. Part of the Waseda Academy group's joint personal information utilization arrangement.
• WASEDA ACADEMY UK.,LTD.core group entityOthersWaseda Academy's UK subsidiary. Representative: 伊藤誠. Located at UNIT 4 Acton Hill Mews 310-328 Uxbridge Road London, Acton, W3 9QN. Part of the Waseda Academy group's joint personal information utilization arrangement.
• WASEDA ACADEMY USA.,LTD.core group entityOthersWaseda Academy's US subsidiary. Representative: 伊藤誠. Located at 1600 HARRISON AVE. SUITE 103 MAMARONECK, NY 10543. Part of the Waseda Academy group's joint personal information utilization arrangement.
• 株式会社ナガセ (Naga-sei Co., Ltd.) / 東進衛星予備校 Networkcore strategic partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWaseda Academy operates the 東進衛星予備校 brand within its network under a business partnership with Naga-sei. The companies share personal information of students for coordinated education services. Naga-sei's information systems department serves as the joint-use data management contact.
• 提携塾 network (Partner Schools Network)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWaseda Academy maintains partnerships with educational institutions in 11 countries and 19 cities internationally, providing overseas Japanese students with access to Waseda Academy's exam preparation materials, mock exams, and consulting services through these partner schools.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Gakken Holdings: Gakken operates a portfolio spanning educational publishing, classroom learning centers, and online tutoring in Japan. Comparable in its multi-modal K-12 educational service offering and complementary rather than head-to-head with Waseda's classroom-centric model.
• Benesse Corporation: Benesse is a major Japanese education conglomerate with K-12 supplemental education, correspondence, and publishing brands (進研ゼミ). While not a direct juku operator, it competes for the same family education wallet through at-home and digital channels serving overlapping student demographics.
• Kumon (公文教育研究会): Kumon is the world's largest supplemental education franchise, offering math and reading worksheets across age groups. Indirect overlap: Kumon's younger-age self-study offering competes for the same family education budgets that eventually feed into Waseda's exam prep pipelines.

Direct peers

• Z-Kai Group: Z-Kai is a major correspondence and supplemental education provider for K-12 students preparing for entrance exams and certification tests in Japan. Comparable target customers (test-prep families) and overlap with Waseda's online school and individual tutoring offerings.
• Yoyogi Zemi: Yoyogi Zemi is a long-standing Tokyo-based juku chain focused on university entrance exam preparation, serving similar target students (中1〜高3) with comparable group classroom and seasonal intensive models. Overlaps with Waseda's 大学受験 brand, especially the Toshin satellite channel.
• Nagase Brothers (Toshin) / 東進ハイスクール: Toshin is Waseda's channel partner for university exam prep under the 東進衛星予備校 arrangement, and is itself a major national high school and university prep operator. Directly comparable in target segment (high school to university entrance) and delivery model (recorded lectures plus classroom).
• SAPIX (Sapix-Yozemi Group): SAPIX is the dominant Japanese cram school operator for elite junior high school entrance exams in Tokyo, and Waseda Academy's principal direct competitor in the elementary to junior high prep segment. Both operate group classroom instruction at scale across the Kanto region for target-school preparation.
• Sundai Gakuen (Sunshine Academy): Sundai is a Tokyo-area cram school operating across all entrance-exam tiers from elementary to university. Comparable in service breadth and Kanto-centric footprint, making it a head-to-head competitor for both 中学受験 and 高校受験 families.

Emerging players

• Manabiz (manabi): Manabiz operates online one-on-one tutoring targeting university entrance exam students, a segment where Waseda competes through 東進衛星予備校 and individual tutoring. Represents the emerging online-first, lower-cost alternative that pressures the traditional classroom juku model.

Others

• Nihon University Bunri High School / Tokyo Seitoku (private K-12 feeders): These are upstream private K-12 institutions that Waseda explicitly prepares students to enter through its NN志望校別 and 必勝志望校別 programs. They are not competitors but adjacent ecosystem players whose entrance criteria shape Waseda's curriculum design.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WASEDA_ACADEMY

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Waseda Academy