Living Expenses for International Students

International students’ monthly expenses and breakdown will vary depending on where they live. The cost of living is higher in urban areas such as Tokyo and Osaka.

Average Monthly Expenses for International Students by Region

Source: Data from Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO), 2023, (令和れいわ元年度がんねんど私費しひ外国人がいこくじん留学生りゅうがくせい生活せいかつ実態じったい調査ちょうさ概要がいよう)

Breakdown of Expenses (Average)

Source: Data from Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO), 2023, (令和れいわ元年度がんねんど私費しひ外国人がいこくじん留学生りゅうがくせい生活せいかつ実態じったい調査ちょうさ概要がいよう)

Income of International Students

In order to cover these expenses, many international students work part-time.
However, it is not possible to earn all of the tuition and living expenses through part-time jobs.
In the JASSO survey, more than 70% of international students received money from their parents or other sources.

Amount of money that international student can earn through part-time jobs

International students are allowed to work part-time up to 28 hours per week (8 hours per day during long school vacations), so they can usually only work a maximum of about 120 hours per month.

Maximum salary per month = hourly wage x approx. 120 hours

The hourly wage for most part-time jobs is the same as the minimum wage (i.e., the lowest hourly wage set by law). It varies from prefecture to prefecture and ranges from 820 JPY to 1,041 JPY.

Minimum wage in each prefecture (Japanese only) | Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

Example: part-time work in Shizuoka Prefecture

Hourly wage (minimum wage in Shizuoka Prefecture) 879 JPY x 120 hours = 105,480 JPY (maximum income per month)

*Taxes are deducted from this amount, and in many cases, students work less than 120 hours, especially during regular exams.

No “overwork” beyond the hours allowed to work!

You may think that if you work more than 28 hours a week, you can cover your expenses without your parents’ support, but if you work more than 28 hours a week,

1. you may not be able to extend your period of stay.
2. You may not be allowed to change your status of residence when you start working full-time. 

In recent years, overwork is easily detected by the Immigration Bureau

• The employer submits a “Notification of Employment Status” to Hello Work ? this information can be accessed by the Immigration Bureau.
  *Even if you work at more than one place of employment, the Immigration Bureau can grasp your overall working situation.
• In some cases, tax-related information may reveal your overwork.

Part-time Job and Immigration Control Act

If you are an international student working part-time in Japan, there is a rule that you can work up to 28 hours per week. However, there are other important things to know in addition to this ‟28 hours per week” rule. Let’s take a look at regulations on part-time work.

Dropped Out of College due to Overwork and Returned Home (Personal Experience) / KOKORO

Summary

“You can graduate from a Japanese language school while working part-time to cover your tuition and can easily advance to university. You can get a scholarship at the university.”
Do not believe in these words. Many international students rely on money sent from home or loans to study abroad. In addition, in order to receive scholarships and tuition exemptions, you must have excellent grades. It is best to wait until after graduation to start earning money, and focus on your studies during your stay in Japan.

If you want to know more, check here!

JASSO “STUDY IN JAPAN Basic Guide”（Multilingual）｜JASSO

Study in Japan｜JASSO

Purpose of Studying Abroad and Schools

Let’s take a look at the different types of schools and how to choose the right one when studying in Japan.