Total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying in Japan

Japan: Total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying was 31,903 number in 2018. ▼ Falling

Latest (2018)
31,903 number
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
38th
of 205 countries
All-time high
64,219 number
in 2003
All-time low
30,557 number
in 2015
Years of data
21
1998–2018

Total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying in Japan, 1998–2018

020.0k40.0k60.0k1998200820181998: 56.8k number1999: 58.1k number2000: 58.9k number2001: 56.6k number2002: 63.3k number2003: 64.2k number2004: 60.6k number2005: 63.5k number2006: 58.8k number2007: 55.0k number2008: 50.7k number2009: 45.3k number2010: 40.3k number2011: 35.9k number2012: 33.5k number2013: 33.4k number2014: 33.9k number2015: 30.6k number2016: 31.6k number2017: 31.8k number2018: 31.9k number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

Japan recorded 31,903 number for total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying in 2018.

The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and down 37.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying in Japan peaked at 64,219 number in 2003 and was at its lowest, 30,557 number, in 2015.

Japan ranks 38th of 205 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 21 years of available data.

Total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying in Japan, year by year

Annual values for Total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying abroad, all countries, both sexes (number) in Japan, 1998 to 2018.
Year number Change
1998 56,790 number —
1999 58,092 number +2.3%
2000 58,931 number +1.4%
2001 56,623 number -3.9%
2002 63,295 number +11.8%
2003 64,219 number +1.5%
2004 60,628 number -5.6%
2005 63,492 number +4.7%
2006 58,848 number -7.3%
2007 55,002 number -6.5%
2008 50,682 number -7.9%
2009 45,327 number -10.6%
2010 40,256 number -11.2%
2011 35,880 number -10.9%
2012 33,500 number -6.6%
2013 33,427 number -0.2%
2014 33,882 number +1.4%
2015 30,557 number -9.8%
2016 31,649 number +3.6%
2017 31,762 number +0.4%
2018 31,903 number +0.4%

Japan compared with similar countries

  • Japan's 31,903 number is above the median for high income countries, which is 10,395 number, 3.1× the median. (75 countries reporting)
  • Japan's 31,903 number is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 4,149 number, 7.7× the median. (32 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 57,441 number 56,790 number 58,092 number 2
2000s 57,705 number 45,327 number 64,219 number 10
2010s 33,646 number 30,557 number 40,256 number 9

Countries ranked near Japan

  1. 35 Mexico 34,196 number compare
  2. 36 Peru 33,701 number compare
  3. 37 Thailand 32,912 number compare
  4. 39 Iraq 31,566 number compare
  5. 40 Slovakia 31,472 number compare
  6. 41 Afghanistan 30,380 number compare

See the full ranking of 250 places →

More education data for Japan

All data for Japan →

Frequently asked questions

What is total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying in Japan?
Total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying in Japan was 31,903 number in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying recorded in Japan?
The highest recorded value was 64,219 number in 2003.
What is the lowest total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying recorded in Japan?
The lowest recorded value was 30,557 number in 2015.
How does Japan rank for total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying?
Japan ranks 38th out of 205 countries with data for 2018.
Is total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying rising or falling in Japan?
Over the last ten years it is down 37.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Japan data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying abroad, all countries, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying in Japan. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 27 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/total-outbound-internationally-mobile-tertiary-students-studying-abroad-all-countries/japan/

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About this data

Indicator
Total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying abroad, all countries, both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
250 places, 5,215 data points, 1997–2018
Last refreshed

Students who have crossed a national or territorial border for the purpose of education and are now enrolled outside their country of origin.