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Japan Education Cost Calculator
Total cost of K-12 + university in Japan varies from ~¥5M (all public, no university) to ~¥25M (all private + medical school). Pick the path to model the actual cost.
Result (incl. extracurricular est.)
- Kindergarten
- 470,000
- Elementary
- 2,000,000
- Junior High
- 1,460,000
- High School
- 1,540,000
- University
- 4,000,000
- Total (per child)
- 9,470,000
Public support for foreign families
- High school tuition waiver (高等学校等就学支援金): Up to ¥396,000/year for households below the income cap (~¥9.1M). Foreign families with proper residency qualify.
- University scholarships (JASSO): First-tier non-loan and lower-interest loans available. Most require Japanese student status — international students have separate JASSO routes.
- Kindergarten/daycare free (幼児教育・保育の無償化): Ages 3-5 free at certified facilities; ages 0-2 free for low-income households. Foreign children on resident status qualify.
- International schools NOT eligible: Tuition support, free kindergarten, and the high school waiver do not apply to international schools and unauthorized foreign schools.
If you may return home
Many foreign families plan to return home before high school or university. Consider: (1) the cost of switching from a Japanese to a home-country curriculum mid-stream is significant; (2) international schools in Japan ease the transition but cost ¥2-4M/year; (3) Japanese universities are increasingly offering English-taught degree programs that work even if your child's Japanese is limited.
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