Japan vs South Korea for International Students

How to use this comparison

Japan and South Korea are two of the most-searched study destinations in East Asia, and they overlap enough that many students shortlist both. This guide is a head-to-head decision aid, not a re-run of the individual country guides — for the full step-by-step route to each, see the linked 'how to study in Japan' and 'how to study in South Korea' guides.

The honest answer is that neither country is universally 'better'. They differ on how much English-taught study is available, how much local language you use day to day, how admission and scholarships work, and where each tends to lead after graduation. Read each section as a set of trade-offs, then use the decide-by-goals framework at the end.

English-taught degrees and everyday language

Both countries run English-taught degree tracks aimed at international students. In Japan, many universities offer full English-taught degrees, but they are not organised under a single current label. MEXT's earlier Global 30 initiative and the Top Global University Project that succeeded it (translated by some universities as 'Super Global University', or SGU) were time-limited funding projects, and the Top Global University Project ran from the 2014 to 2023 fiscal years and has concluded — so these are not labels a current applicant can use to locate English-taught degrees. In South Korea, many universities offer English-track undergraduate and graduate programs.

The exact list of English-taught majors changes each year and varies by university, so confirm it through the official Study in Japan 'Degree Programs in English' school search, the Korean study portal, and each university's official admissions pages.

Outside the classroom, day-to-day life in both countries still leans heavily on the local language. Japanese and Korean matter for part-time work, housing and daily errands, even if your degree is in English. Neither language is a prerequisite for an English-taught program, but learning the basics improves your experience and your part-time options.

• Japan: many universities run English-taught degree tracks — find the current list via the official Study in Japan 'Degree Programs in English' search, then check each university.
• South Korea: many universities run English-track programs; availability differs by major.
• Everyday life, jobs and housing still use Japanese/Korean — learning basics helps.

Admission routes: EJU/JLPT vs Korean admission/TOPIK

Japan's undergraduate route for international students often involves the EJU (Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students), and Japanese-taught programs may ask for a JLPT level; English-taught programs typically rely on your school records plus an English test (IELTS/TOEFL) rather than the EJU. Requirements differ sharply between the Japanese-medium and English-medium tracks.

Korean universities generally admit international students on academic records, a study plan and language evidence — TOPIK for Korean-taught programs, or an English test for English-track programs. Each university sets its own documents, deadlines and minimums.

Because both systems are university-specific, treat the official admissions page of your target university as the source of truth, and confirm every requirement there.

• Japan (Japanese-medium): EJU and often a JLPT level.
• Japan (English-medium): records + IELTS/TOEFL, usually no EJU.
• Korea: records + study plan + TOPIK (Korean-track) or IELTS/TOEFL (English-track).

Scholarships: MEXT vs GKS

Japan's flagship government scholarship is MEXT (Monbukagakusho), offered through Japanese embassies and through universities. South Korea's flagship is the Global Korea Scholarship (GKS), run by NIIED, with embassy and university tracks. Both are competitive, cover categories such as undergraduate, graduate and research, and change their value, coverage and deadlines annually.

Do not rely on second-hand figures for stipends, tuition coverage or timelines — every number should come from the official MEXT/Study in Japan and GKS/Study in Korea pages for the current cycle. No scholarship is guaranteed; be wary of anyone promising 'assured' government funding for a fee.

• Japan: MEXT (embassy and university tracks) — verify current value on the official site.
• Korea: GKS/NIIED (embassy and university tracks) — verify current value on the official site.
• Both are competitive; treat any 'guaranteed scholarship' offer as a red flag.

Cost, work rules and staying on after graduation

Tuition and living costs in both countries vary widely by city, university type and lifestyle, and both offer regulated part-time work for students within limits set by immigration rules. Post-study, each country has its own route to move from a student status to work; these rules are set by the respective immigration authorities and change over time.

This is general information, not immigration advice. For part-time-work limits, post-study-work options and any status change, rely on the official government sources and confirm the current rules before you plan around them.

• Costs vary by city and university — see the linked cost guides and official pages.
• Both allow limited part-time work under immigration rules — verify current limits.
• Post-study routes differ and change — check the official immigration source.

Decide by your goals

There is no single winner. Match the destination to what you actually want, using the checklist below, then read the two country guides for the full process.

When budgets, deadlines or scholarship values matter, confirm them on the official sites for the current year rather than relying on rumours.

• Language appetite: happy to study Japanese and use EJU → Japan may fit; prefer an English-track with TOPIK optional → Korea is worth a close look.
• Field: compare the specific English-taught majors each shortlisted university offers — this often decides it more than the country.
• Scholarship: line up MEXT vs GKS eligibility and deadlines for your level.
• Career geography: think about where you want to work afterwards and check each country's current post-study rules.
• Budget: use the per-country cost guides and official figures, not rumours.