Most International Students Opt to Stay in Japan After Graduation
Society- English
- 日本語
- 简体字
- 繁體字
- Français
- Español
- العربية
- Русский
A survey conducted by the Japan Student Services Organization for the 2016 academic year found that nearly three-quarters of international students in Japan who completed programs at universities and other educational institutions—excluding language schools—remained in Japan to either pursue employment or a higher degree. According to results released by JASSO in February 2018, 23.5% of the graduates returned to their home country, while another 2.0% moved to a foreign country other than Japan.
Over 80% of international students graduating from junior colleges and colleges of technology, and just under 70% of those graduating from universities and graduate schools, remained in Japan. The paths of students after graduating and earning a degree varied depending on where they were studying. One point worth noting is that under 50% of those completing a doctorate course remained in Japan, whereas the majority of them returned to their home countries; this statistic was quite different from the results for other levels of education.
What International Students Who Choose to Stay in Japan Do After Completing a Course of Study by Academic Level
| Academic level | Employment | Further study | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doctorate program | 19.4% | 1.8% | 24.3% | 45.5% |
| Master’s program | 34.2% | 16.6% | 11.3% | 62.2% |
| Degree course for professional job | 34.4% | 6.0% | 11.8% | 52.3% |
| University (undergraduate) | 41.8% | 17.2% | 9.2% | 68.2% |
| Junior college | 49.2% | 25.2% | 7.3% | 81.7% |
| College of technology (kōtō senmon gakkō) | 10.2% | 77.1% | 1.2% | 88.6% |
| Vocational college (senmon gakkō) | 28.0% | 43.8% | 15.3% | 87.1% |
| Preparatory educational course | 5.0% | 81.9% | 1.0% | 87.8% |
| Total | 31.1% | 30.6% | 12.7% | 74.5% |
There were 34,679 student respondents in total.
“Other” includes preparation for further study or employment, etc.
Compiled by Nippon.com based on the “Survey Results of University Enrollment and Degree Conferment among International Students” conducted by the Japan Student Services Organization.