The trend of international students at the doctoral level in Japan shows a steady increase, moving from 18.64 thousand students in 2024 to 19.46 thousand students by 2028. This represents a year-on-year growth of approximately 1.5% from 2024 to 2025 and an average annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 1% over the next five years. In 2023, the number of international doctoral students stood at 18.36 thousand, reflecting a slight but consistent upward trend.
Future trends to watch for include potential impacts of international policies and exchange programs on student mobility, changes in global economic conditions that could affect the affordability of studying abroad, and evolving academic collaborations between Japanese institutions and international universities which may further attract doctoral candidates.
