MoneyInJapan

Family & life stages

Planning education costs

Use transparent scenarios instead of treating one national average as a quote.

Reviewed 2026-07-30 · Review by 2027-01-30

National rules

  • School fees and national support programs depend on school type, household conditions, and effective year.
  • MEXT survey figures are historical observations, not future prices or a promise of aid.

Municipal and local variation

  • School meals, supplies, medical support, scholarships, and subsidies vary locally and by school.

Examples (not personalized advice)

  • Example: run public/private and 0%/2% cost-growth scenarios, then save toward a chosen share—not a false precise target.

Next steps

  • Use the education cost planner.
  • Replace defaults with school and municipal information.

Open the education cost planner

Official sources