Japan vs Korea Decision Tree: Degree or Language First?
TL;DR
Japan vs Korea becomes easier when you pick a route: Japan degree (English-taught) Japan language-first Korea degree Korea language-first Then you plan the visa, budget, and documents around that route.
20 Jan 2026, 00:00 Z
Reviewed by
Marcus Pang·Managing Director (Maths)
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Q: I’m stuck choosing between Japan and Korea. What’s the fastest way to make a decision I can actually execute?
A: Pick a “default plan” by choosing one of four routes. Then check the stop conditions (language, budget, timeline) and take one next action this week.
TL;DR Japan vs Korea becomes easier when you pick a route:* Japan degree (English-taught) * Japan language-first * Korea degree * Korea language-firstThen you plan the visa, budget, and documents around that route.
Status: Last reviewed 2026-01-20. This is a decision aid, not a guarantee. Always verify requirements on official pages and the university’s programme page.
If you want the full long-form checklist (more detail than this one-pager):
The 4-route decision tree (start here)
Route 1) Japan degree (English-taught)
Choose this if:
- you want a degree now,
- you prefer an English-medium programme,
- you can budget for tuition + housing + buffer.
Official starting page (Japan, English degree programmes):
Next action this week:
- build a shortlist of 10 programmes and verify requirements on the programme page.
Route 2) Japan language-first (then wider degree options)
Choose this if:
- you want wider programme options later,
- you’re willing to invest 12–24 months into Japanese,
- you prefer “immersion” as a strategy.
Stop condition:
- if you can’t commit consistent language study for a year, don’t choose this route (yet).
Next action this week:
- choose a language timeline and confirm what level programmes require (on official programme pages).
Route 3) Korea degree (degree route)
Choose this if:
- you want the degree route now,
- you can verify an acceptable language-of-instruction path,
