Overview
- Officials have begun a fact-finding survey of private universities nationwide on steps to reduce the burden of paying entrance fees to multiple schools.
- The ministry plans to publish the findings and press institutions to implement relief, marking the next phase after months of limited progress.
- A June notice asked universities to curb entrance fee amounts and to stagger or split payment deadlines to ease applicants’ costs.
- Only four Tokyo private universities plan relief for students entering in spring 2026, roughly 3% according to a youth advocacy group’s check.
- The issue stems from applicants paying private-school fees before national university results and often losing refunds, with a rough estimate putting non-matriculant entrance fee revenue at about ¥35.5 billion nationwide based on ministry data.