In 2008, there were a total of 123,829 international students in Japan, an increase of 4.5% on the previous year. The top five countries of origin are: China (72,766), Republic of Korea (18,862), Taiwan (5,082), Vietnam (2,873), and Malaysia (2,271). (source: JASSO)

Number of international students in Japan by institutional type

The top five countries/regions of origin of international students in Japan

Note: An ‘international student’ is defined in these statistics as a student from a foreign country who is receiving education at any Japanese university, graduate school, junior college, college of technology, professional training college or university preparatory course and who resides in Japan with ‘college student’ visa status.

A ‘short-term international student’ is defined in the full JASSO statistics as a student from a foreign country who is receiving education in Japan for a period of one year or less. The purpose of such a student is not necessarily to obtain a degree but rather to study at a Japanese university, to experience a different culture or to master the Japanese language.

International students can enrol in one of five types of institutions of higher learning in Japan:

• universities (undergraduate courses),
• graduate schools,
• junior colleges,
• special training colleges (post-secondary courses)
• colleges of technology.

Clearly, each individual student will have their own reasons for choosing to study in Japan, and it is vital that you specify your personal objectives before making an application.

• Do you want to earn a degree or conduct long-term research?
• Do you want to acquire proficiency in the Japanese language through study at a Japanese-language institute or a preparatory Japanese language course established by a private university?
• Do you want to acquire a certain specialised skill?

Once you have clarified your aims, you can then set about finding the most appropriate educational institute for you.

Universities in Japan

There are about 700 universities in Japan, including national, public and private ones. The length of study in an undergraduate university is normally four years, with the exception of medicine, dentistry and veterinary science, which require six years of study.

Graduate schools in Japan

The length of study in a graduate school depends on whether you are aiming for a Master or Doctoral qualification. The Master programme normally lasts two years, while the Doctor programme takes five years. Generally, the doctoral programme is divided into the initial period (two years - applicable to the above-mentioned master programme) and the latter period (three years). However, length of study for the doctoral programme in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science (entered upon after completion of the six-year undergraduate course in medicine, dentistry or veterinary science) is four years. Some universities offer doctoral programmes covering the full five years, while others offer only the final three years.

Junior colleges in Japan

The length of study is usually two or three years, depending on the department. The majority of courses are related to home economics, humanities, education and sociology.

Special training colleges in Japan

These provide vocational training as well as education in the skills, technology and knowledge needed in life. Length of study is one year or more, but most courses are two years in length.

Colleges of technology in Japan

These provide junior high school graduates with five years (five and a half years for merchant shipping courses) of education. There are about 60 colleges of technology in Japan. They offer courses related to engineering, merchant shipping as well as other fields.