This page compares the education systems of Japan and South Korea.
Education System Overview
| Category | Japan | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| System Type | Public-private mix; Governance model: Centralized (Curriculum standards set by national government, administration by local boards). [MEXT] | Public/private mix; mixed governance combining national policy and standards with decentralized local education administration. The Ministry of Education operates at the national level, while 17 Metropolitan and Provincial Offices of Education oversee local education. [Korea MOE] |
| Governing Body | Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) | Ministry of Education (MOE); 17 Metropolitan and Provincial Offices of Education; and local Offices of Education. [Korea MOE] |
| Government Expenditure on Education (% of GDP) | Approximately 3.4% (Lower than OECD average, high private household contribution). [OECD] | 5.4% (2022). [World Bank] |
Education Structure & Compulsory Schooling
| Category | Japan | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| Compulsory Age Range | From age 6 to age 15 (Elementary and Junior High School). | Approximately age 6 to age 15, covering six years of elementary school and three years of middle school. [Korea MOE] |
| Total Compulsory Duration (Years) | 9 years (6 years Elementary + 3 years Junior High). | 9 years: 6 years of elementary education plus 3 years of middle school. [Korea MOE] |
| Pre-primary Education (ECE) Access | Optional; Enrollment rate for ages 3–5 is roughly 95% (High participation in Kindergarten/Nursery). [MEXT] | Optional; enrollment among children aged 3–5 was 95.7% in 2023. [OECD] |
| Primary + Secondary Education Structure (Years) | 6 + 3 + 3 (Elementary + Junior High + Senior High). | 6 + 3 + 3: six years of elementary school, three years of middle school and three years of high school. The broader system is commonly described as 6-3-3-4 when the standard four-year university stage is included. [Korea MOE] |
| Vocational vs. General Upper Secondary Split (%) | Approx. 23% Vocational (including specialized courses/Kosen) / 77% General. | 14.9% Vocational / 85.1% General (2023). [OECD] |
Academic Calendar & Instruction Time
| Category | Japan | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| Academic Year Start (Typical Month) | April | March. The first semester begins in March. [Korea MOE] |
| Academic Year End (Typical Month) | March | February, following the second semester and winter vacation period. [Korea MOE] |
| Instruction Weeks per Year | 35–40 weeks (Trimester system is common). | — |
| Instruction Days per Year | Approximately 200–210 days. [NCEE] | At least 190 days per school year for elementary, middle and high schools, subject to limited statutory reductions in specified circumstances. [Korean Law] |
Grading System
| Category | Japan | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| Primary/Secondary Grading Scale | Typically 1–5 scale (5 is best) or S/A/B/C (Target-based grading). | Assessment varies by school level. Middle-school achievement commonly uses A–E achievement levels. For students entering high school from 2025, the former nine-grade internal ranking system was replaced by a five-grade system under the 2028 university admissions changes. [Korea MOE] |
| Higher Education Grading Scale | GPA 0–4.0 or S (90+), A (80–89), B (70–79), C (60–69), F (Fail). | Institution-specific; 4.5 and 4.3 GPA scales with letter grades are commonly used. |
Language of Instruction
| Category | Japan | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Instruction Languages (K–12) | Japanese (Sole medium of instruction in public schools). | Korean is the main language of instruction in the national school system. |
| Other Official / Minority Instruction Languages (K–12) | None officially in public system; English is a compulsory subject from Elementary grade 3. | — |
School Provision & Access (K–12)
| Category | Japan | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| Public School Enrollment Share (K–12, % of Students) | ~98% in Elementary/Junior High; drops to ~67% in High School. [MEXT] | Primary: approximately 98% / Secondary: approximately 72% (2024). [World Bank] [World Bank] |
| Public School Tuition Fee (Annual, Local Currency) | $0 (Tuition-free for compulsory 9 years). High school is effectively free for many via support funds. | $0 standard tuition for public elementary and middle education; nationwide free high-school education was extended to all grades from 2021, covering admission fees, tuition, school operation support fees and textbooks within the statutory scheme. [Korea MOE] |
| Public Schools Nationwide Availability | Yes; public elementary and junior high schools are provided across the country through local education authorities. | Yes. Public schools operate nationwide under the metropolitan, provincial and local education administration system. [Korea MOE] |
| Private School Enrollment Share (K–12, % of Students) | ~33% at Senior High School level; very low (~1–7%) at compulsory levels. | Primary: approximately 2% / Secondary: approximately 28% (2024). [World Bank] [World Bank] |
| Private Schools (Geographic Concentration) | Concentrated in large metropolitan areas (Tokyo, Osaka, Kanagawa). | — |
International Schools (K–12)
| Category | Japan | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| Number of International Schools (Total) | Approximately 80–100 accredited major schools. | 45 government-listed foreign/international K–12 institutions: 38 foreign schools, 3 foreign educational institutions at elementary/secondary level and 4 Jeju international schools. [ISI] |
| Number of IB World Schools | 122. [IB] | 134 schools are listed by the International Baccalaureate school finder for the Republic of Korea. [IB] |
| Main International Programmes Offered | IB Diploma, Cambridge, American, Canadian. | International Baccalaureate (IB), American, British, Canadian and other authorized foreign curricula, depending on the school. [ISI] |
Resources & Learning Environment (K–12)
| Category | Japan | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Teacher Qualification (Public Schools) | Bachelor’s Degree + Prefectural Teacher License. | A recognized teacher qualification certificate is required. Standard Grade 2 regular-teacher routes are completed through approved university-level teacher education with prescribed major and teaching coursework; public-school recruitment also follows the applicable appointment process. [Korean Law] |
| Average Class Size (Primary) | 27–35 students (Legal cap lowered to 35 recently). [OECD] | 18.6 students (2026). [KEDI] |
| Average Class Size (Lower Secondary) | 30–35 students. | 24.5 students (2026). [KEDI] |
| Average Class Size (Upper Secondary) | 35–40 students (Often larger lecture-style classes). | 23.1 students (2026). [KEDI] |
System Performance & Learning Outcomes (OECD/PISA)
| Category | Japan | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| PISA Participation Years | 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2022, 2025. [OECD] | 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2022, 2025. [OECD] |
| PISA 2018 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 527 / 504 / 529 [OECD] | 526 / 514 / 519 [OECD] |
| PISA 2022 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 536 / 516 / 547 [OECD] | 527 / 515 / 528 [OECD] |
| PISA 2025 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 525 / 503 / 538. Japan scored above the OECD averages of 463 in mathematics, 461 in reading, and 482 in science. [OECD] | 522 / 501 / 526 [OECD] |
| PISA Performance Trend 2000–2025 | Across more than two decades of PISA participation, Japan's results have fluctuated, especially in reading, without a clear long-term direction. From 2022 to 2025, mathematics and science were about the same, while reading was lower. The 2025 mathematics and science scores were close to Japan's historical averages, and reading was close to its 2018 level. [OECD] | Korea has participated in every PISA cycle since 2000. Between 2022 and 2025, mathematics and science performance was about the same, while reading was lower. Compared with a decade earlier, mathematics and science were about the same in 2025, while reading was lower. [OECD] |
| Strongest Subject Area (PISA 2025) | Science (Score: 538), followed by mathematics at 525 and reading at 503. [OECD] | Science — 526 points. [OECD] |
Higher Education System
| Category | Japan | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Higher Education Institutions (Total) | Over 800 Universities (plus Junior Colleges and Colleges of Technology). | 416 higher education institutions (2026). [KEDI] |
| Number of Universities (Research Universities) | 86 National Universities. [JANU] | 188 general universities in the official 2026 higher-education classification. [KEDI] |
| Number of Universities of Applied Sciences / Colleges | 57 Kosen (Colleges of Technology) + 300+ Junior Colleges. | 126 junior colleges (2026). [KEDI] |
| Main Institution Types | National Universities, Public (Prefectural) Universities, Private Universities. | General universities, universities of education, junior colleges, graduate-school universities, cyber universities and other specialized higher education institutions. [Korea MOE] |
| Tertiary Enrollment Share by Ownership | Public: ~20% | Private: ~80% (Private sector dominates capacity). | Public: 20.3% / independent private: 79.7% (2023). [OECD] |
| English-Taught Degree Programmes (Bachelor + Master, Total) | 100+ (Available through a range of universities and graduate schools). | — |
| Share of Tertiary Programmes Taught in National Languages (%) | ~95% (Japanese is the dominant academic language). | — |
| Share of Tertiary Programmes Taught in English (%) | <5% (English-taught programmes represent a small share of total provision). | — |
| Main Global Ranking Used | THE (Times Higher Education) and QS. | QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] |
| Universities in Top 100 (Selected Ranking) | 4 in QS World University Rankings 2027: The University of Tokyo (#39), Kyoto University (#64), The University of Osaka (#95), and Institute of Science Tokyo (#=97). [QS] | 4 in QS 2027: Seoul National University (#38), Yonsei University (#42), Korea University (#=52) and KAIST (#65). [QS] |
| Universities in Top 500 (Selected Ranking) | 10–15 | 17 South Korean universities are ranked within the top 500 in QS 2027. [QS] |
| Universities in Top 1000 (Selected Ranking) | 30–40 | 31 South Korean universities are ranked within the top 1000 in QS 2027. [QS] |
| National Accreditation / QA Agency (Higher Education) | NIAD-QE (National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement). | Korean University Accreditation Institute (KUAI), affiliated with the Korean Council for University Education, is the recognized institutional accreditor for four-year universities. [KCUE] |
| International Students (Total) | Approx. 280,000 (Recovering post-pandemic target: 400k by 2033). [Study in Japan] | 307,464 foreign students in higher education (2026), including 223,191 degree students and 84,273 non-degree students. [KEDI] |
| International Students Share of Total Tertiary Enrollment (%) | Approx. 5–8%. | 10.0% in 2026 (307,464 foreign students among 3,072,261 higher-education students). [KEDI] |
Education Costs (Indicative)
| Category | Japan | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| Public University Tuition Fees – Domestic / Regional (Annual, Local Currency) | Standard: ¥535,800 (approx. $3,500). Fixed for National Universities. | Approximately $3,180 average annual undergraduate tuition at national/public universities, based on the official national/public average of KRW 4,265,841.8. [Study in Korea] |
| Public University Tuition Fees – International / Non-EU (Annual, Local Currency) | Same as domestic: ¥535,800 (approx. $3,500). [JASSO] | — |
| Typical Tuition Fees for English-Taught Programmes (Annual, Local Currency) | National: ¥535,800; Private: ¥1,000,000–¥2,000,000+ ($6,500–$13,000+). | — |
| Language School Costs (Monthly, Local Currency) | ¥60,000–¥80,000 (approx. $400–$550). | — |
Major Education Updates & Policy Changes
| Category | Japan | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 2000–2010: Key Updates & Reforms | ||
| 2010–2020: Key Updates & Reforms | ||
| 2020–2024: Key Updates & Reforms | ||
| 2025–2026: Key Updates & Reforms |
General Overview (Narrative)
| Category | Japan | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | The Japanese Education System combines national curriculum standards with local administration and a 6-3-3-4 structure. The first nine years—elementary and junior high school—are compulsory and predominantly public, while senior high school participation is widespread. Governed nationally by MEXT, the system also includes private schools, colleges of technology, junior colleges, and a large private university sector. Tokkatsu activities such as student-led cleaning and lunch service form part of school life alongside academic study. Japan participated in PISA in 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2022, and 2025. In PISA 2025, Japan scored 525 in mathematics, 503 in reading, and 538 in science, with all three averages above the OECD mean. Recent changes include the GIGA School Program, the Common Test for University Admissions, elementary class-size reductions, digital learning materials, and the addition of Informatics to the university entrance testing structure. National universities remain an important part of Japan's research and higher education system. | South Korea uses a 6-3-3-4 education structure with national policy led by the Ministry of Education and local administration carried out through 17 Metropolitan and Provincial Offices of Education and their local offices. Elementary and middle school provide nine years of compulsory education, while free high-school education has applied nationwide across all grades since 2021. The school year begins in March, and elementary, middle and high schools normally provide at least 190 instructional days. Korean is the main language of instruction. The system includes general and vocational high-school pathways, with vocational programmes accounting for 14.9% of upper-secondary enrollment in 2023. In PISA 2025, Korea scored 522 in mathematics, 501 in reading and 526 in science, with science recording the highest of the three scores. Higher education included 416 institutions in 2026, while the number of foreign students reached 307,464. Current school changes include the High School Credit System, the five-grade high-school internal ranking system for cohorts entering from 2025 and revised credit-completion rules from 2026. The Ministry is also expanding AI-related teaching support in schools and funding general AI curricula at selected universities. |