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Studying in Japan, by where you are from

There are 408,069 international students in Japan and they arrive by one of two routes — a Japanese language school, or straight into higher education. The split is wildly different depending on where you are from: 55.0% from Myanmar against 7.4% from South Korea. That difference decides the money, the working week and the odds of a scholarship, so it is worth knowing which one your country takes.

21 countries, May 2025

24.7% at a language school, 75.3% in higher education

Up 6.2% in the year to May 2025, against 21.2% for all international students. Rank 1.

44.5% at a language school, 55.5% in higher education

Up 54.7% in the year to May 2025, against 21.2% for all international students. Rank 2.

45.4% at a language school, 54.6% in higher education

Up 7.5% in the year to May 2025, against 21.2% for all international students. Rank 3.

55.0% at a language school, 45.0% in higher education

Up 77.2% in the year to May 2025, against 21.2% for all international students. Rank 4.

45.9% at a language school, 54.1% in higher education

Up 43.7% in the year to May 2025, against 21.2% for all international students. Rank 5.

7.4% at a language school, 92.6% in higher education

Up 0.2% in the year to May 2025, against 21.2% for all international students. Rank 6.

36.4% at a language school, 63.6% in higher education

Up 50.0% in the year to May 2025, against 21.2% for all international students. Rank 7.

25.7% at a language school, 74.3% in higher education

Up 4.4% in the year to May 2025, against 21.2% for all international students. Rank 8.

19.1% at a language school, 80.9% in higher education

Up 3.7% in the year to May 2025, against 21.2% for all international students. Rank 9.

23.2% at a language school, 76.8% in higher education

Up 16.9% in the year to May 2025, against 21.2% for all international students. Rank 10.

35.3% at a language school, 64.7% in higher education

Down 2.2% in the year to May 2025, against 21.2% for all international students. Rank 11.

17.7% at a language school, 82.3% in higher education

Down 1.4% in the year to May 2025, against 21.2% for all international students. Rank 12.

8.4% at a language school, 91.6% in higher education

Down 3.1% in the year to May 2025, against 21.2% for all international students. Rank 13.

28.5% at a language school, 71.5% in higher education

Down 11.4% in the year to May 2025, against 21.2% for all international students. Rank 14.

29.5% at a language school, 70.5% in higher education

Down 1.7% in the year to May 2025, against 21.2% for all international students. Rank 15.

21.6% at a language school, 78.4% in higher education

Up 18.2% in the year to May 2025, against 21.2% for all international students. Rank 16.

20.7% at a language school, 79.3% in higher education

Up 24.3% in the year to May 2025, against 21.2% for all international students. Rank 17.

43.9% at a language school, 56.1% in higher education

Up 47.5% in the year to May 2025, against 21.2% for all international students. Rank 18.

38.7% at a language school, 61.3% in higher education

Down 6.5% in the year to May 2025, against 21.2% for all international students. Rank 19.

15.1% at a language school, 84.9% in higher education

Up 0.0% in the year to May 2025, against 21.2% for all international students. Rank 20.

19.3% at a language school, 80.7% in higher education

Up 5.7% in the year to May 2025, against 21.2% for all international students. Rank 21.

Source. Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO), Survey of International Students in Japan, as of 1 May 2025 — result page. Countries with fewer than 1,000 students in Japan are not listed here; the tool covers 30. What is ours. The language school share is a subtraction — total minus higher education. The two published totals sum to exactly 408,069, which is what makes it safe.