THE REAL COST OF STUDYING IN JAPAN – HOW MUCH SHOULD PARENTS PREPARE?

One of the main questions parents ask when considering sending their child to Japan is: “How much money do we actually need to prepare?”

In reality, the cost of studying in Japan is not limited to tuition fees. Families also need to consider application and document-related fees, airfares, accommodation, living expenses, insurance, mobile phone costs, transport and an emergency fund for the first few months.

Instead of looking only at tuition fees, parents should divide the budget into two main stages: the costs that need to be prepared before travelling to Japan and the ongoing costs after the student arrives in Japan.

1. WHAT COSTS ARE INVOLVED IN STUDYING IN JAPAN?

A realistic study-abroad budget may include the following:

Actual costs vary considerably depending on the school, location, accommodation and individual lifestyle. There is therefore no single figure that applies to every international student.

2. HOW MUCH DO JAPANESE LANGUAGE SCHOOL FEES COST?

Tuition is one of the largest expenses that families need to prepare for before the student travels to Japan.

However, the term “tuition fees” may cover different items depending on the school, including:

• Admission fee

• Tuition

• Textbooks

• Facility fees

• Extracurricular activity fees

• Other fees specified by the school

When comparing schools, parents should therefore look beyond the headline tuition fee and confirm the total amount that must actually be paid before enrolment.

For example, the Tokyo Japanese Language Education Center operated by the Japan Student Services Organisation (JASSO) currently lists total fees of ¥822,867 for one year, including admission, tuition, textbooks, activity and maintenance fees. Fees may be subject to change.
JASSO – Tokyo Japanese Language Education Center: Admission Information

This is only one example and should not be taken as a standard fee for all Japanese language schools in Japan.

Parents should ask the following questions:

• What is the total amount payable before enrolment?

• Which fees are compulsory?

• Are textbooks included?

• Are facility fees included?

• Can the fees be paid in instalments, or must they be paid in full?

• What is the refund policy if the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) or visa is not granted?

3. STUDENT ACCOMMODATION AND HOUSING COSTS

After tuition fees, accommodation is another major expense that needs to be considered carefully.

If the school provides student accommodation, parents should check:

• Initial accommodation fee

• Monthly rent

• Deposit

• Electricity, water and gas charges

• Internet fees

• Minimum rental period

• The amount that must be paid before the student travels to Japan

Do not simply ask, “How much is the accommodation per month?” It is also important to find out how much must actually be paid at the beginning.

For example, JASSO’s Tokyo Japanese Language Education Center currently lists accommodation from ¥28,000 per month, depending on the room type. However, separate costs such as an initial accommodation fee, Wi-Fi and deposit may also apply.
JASSO – Tokyo Japanese Language Education Center: Student Accommodation

This is only an example. Fees and conditions vary between student accommodation providers.

4. MONTHLY LIVING EXPENSES

Once the student arrives in Japan, tuition is not the only expense. Families also need to budget for everyday living costs.

Food

Food costs depend largely on whether the student cooks at home or eats out. Preparing meals at home can make it easier to manage the monthly budget.

Electricity, water and gas

These costs depend on the type of accommodation and the amount used.

Mobile phone and internet

Students need reliable communication to stay in contact with their family, school and workplace.

Transport

If the student lives far from their school or part-time workplace, train and bus fares can become a significant monthly expense.

Personal and household items

Clothing, study materials, toiletries, household items and seasonal necessities can all add to the monthly budget.

Other expenses

Unexpected costs may also arise, such as medical treatment, moving accommodation or purchasing clothing for a change in season.

For this reason, parents should not calculate the monthly budget based on food alone. It is better to consider all regular and potential expenses together.

5. SHOULD PART-TIME EARNINGS BE INCLUDED IN THE STUDY-ABROAD BUDGET?

This is an important point for parents to understand.

International students may work part-time if they obtain the appropriate permission to engage in activities outside their permitted status of residence and meet the relevant requirements. In general, students with permission may work up to 28 hours per week during term time. During designated long school holidays, they may work up to 8 hours per day.
Immigration Services Agency of Japan – Information on Permission to Engage in Activities Outside the Status of Residence

However, families should not rely on part-time income as the main source of financial support immediately after the student arrives in Japan.

During the first few months, the student may:

• Be unable to find a suitable part-time job immediately

• Still be adjusting to life in Japan

• Have limited confidence communicating in Japanese

• Have a demanding study schedule

• Need to wait until the first salary is paid

Parents should therefore prepare enough money to allow their child to settle into life in Japan before relying on part-time employment income.

6. HOW LONG SHOULD PARENTS BE PREPARED TO SUPPORT THEIR CHILD FINANCIALLY AFTER ARRIVAL?

This is an important question that is sometimes overlooked when preparing a study-abroad budget.

Rather than preparing only the tuition fees, families should divide the budget into three categories.

① Costs before travelling to Japan

These may include tuition, admission fees, student accommodation, housing-related costs and other fees specified by the school.

② Money needed to settle into life in Japan

This includes food, transport, mobile phone costs, household necessities and other expenses required during the initial period.

③ Emergency fund

This is particularly important. It provides financial support if the student cannot find a part-time job immediately or faces unexpected expenses such as medical treatment.

When planning the budget, parents should calculate the required funds for 3 months, 6 months and 12 months, rather than looking only at the amount payable before departure.

7. DO NOT FORGET AIRFARES AND INITIAL EXPENSES

In addition to tuition and accommodation, families should budget for:

• Airfare to Japan

• Checked baggage and related charges

• Transport from the airport to the accommodation

• Essential items after arrival

• SIM card and communication costs

• Transport required for completing administrative procedures

• Initial living expenses

Although these costs may be relatively small compared with tuition, several expenses can arise at the same time immediately after arrival. It is therefore advisable to set aside a separate budget in advance.

8. HOW SHOULD FAMILIES PLAN THEIR STUDY-ABROAD BUDGET?

A simple way to structure the budget is:

INITIAL BUDGET = PRE-DEPARTURE COSTS + INITIAL LIVING COSTS + EMERGENCY FUND

Families should then calculate the expected monthly living costs:

MONTHLY LIVING COSTS = RENT/ACCOMMODATION + FOOD + UTILITIES + COMMUNICATIONS + TRANSPORT + PERSONAL EXPENSES

This approach provides a clearer picture of when money will be needed and how much should be available, rather than focusing on one overall figure for the entire study-abroad programme.

Even within the same programme, total costs can vary depending on the location, school, accommodation and lifestyle of the student.

9. WHAT SHOULD PARENTS ASK BEFORE CHOOSING A SCHOOL?

Before confirming a school, parents should ask the school or study-abroad support organisation for a detailed breakdown of all costs.

The following checklist can be useful:

☐ What is the total tuition fee?

☐ How much is the admission fee?

☐ Are textbooks and other fees included?

☐ How much is required initially for student accommodation?

☐ How much is the monthly rent?

☐ How are electricity, water, gas and internet charges calculated?

☐ Are there any additional compulsory fees?

☐ How much should be budgeted for the airfare and initial expenses in Japan?

☐ How many months of living expenses should the family prepare?

☐ What is the refund policy if the COE or visa is not granted?

Most importantly, parents should not rely solely on verbal explanations. Ask for a written breakdown of the costs and review it carefully before making a decision.

10. DO NOT COMPARE JAPANESE LANGUAGE SCHOOLS BASED ON TUITION FEES ALONE

A school with lower tuition fees does not necessarily mean that the overall cost of studying there will be lower.

For example, a school may have relatively low tuition fees but be located far from convenient transport links. In that case, daily transport costs may be higher.

On the other hand, a school with slightly higher tuition fees may offer suitable accommodation or be conveniently located, potentially reducing other expenses.

When comparing Japanese language schools, parents should therefore consider the total cost of the study-abroad plan, rather than comparing tuition fees alone.

CONCLUSION

The cost of studying in Japan should be considered as a complete financial plan rather than simply the amount paid to the school.

Families should budget for:

Tuition + admission fees + accommodation + airfare + initial expenses + monthly living costs + emergency funds.

Parents should also avoid building their financial plan on the assumption that the student will immediately find a part-time job after arriving in Japan. Part-time work should be regarded as additional financial support once the student has settled into their studies and daily life, and all relevant rules concerning activities outside their status of residence must be followed.
Immigration Services Agency of Japan – Information on Permission to Engage in Activities Outside the Status of Residence

Costs vary between schools and regions, so families should obtain a detailed fee breakdown before making a decision and prepare a financial plan based on their own circumstances.

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