Study Management App 'StudyCast' Surveys ~3,400 Japanese High School Students on Summer Study Habits: 70% Expect to Study More, Yet 80% Admit to Slacking Off at Home

Benesse Corporation (Headquarters: Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture; President and CEO: Daisuke Iwase) has conducted a survey titled 'Summer Study Habits: Balancing Club Activities and Academic Studies' among approximately 3,400 junior and senior high school users of its free study management app, 'StudyCast'.

The survey revealed key challenges such as 'having motivation but struggling to maintain consistency' and 'difficulty continuing self-study alone'. Additionally, a notable trend emerged: many students find it hard to sustain study habits without external pressure like classroom instruction, suggesting that external involvement significantly impacts learning continuity. To address these issues, StudyCast will launch 'Studycast Cup 2026', its first-ever event designed to make studying more sustainable through peer collaboration.

Nationwide high school club teams will compete by accumulating total study hours recorded via the app. Pre-registration opens on Sunday, July 12, 2026.

[Survey on Summer Study Habits: Balancing Club Activities and Academic Studies]

[1] The Gap Between Summer Study Motivation and Reality — 72.8% Expect More Study Time, Yet 81.9% Admit to Slacking Off at Home

While 72.8% of respondents expect their study time to increase during summer break, the top reason for failing to study or maintain motivation was 'slacking off at home / too many distractions', cited by 81.9%.

[2] Study Habits Among Club Members — Over Two-Thirds Experience 'Club Fatigue'

Among students in extracurricular clubs, 37.5% (combining 31.7% who find it 'honestly difficult' and 5.8% who say they 'can hardly balance both') feel challenged in balancing club activities and academics.

Notably, 'club fatigue' stands out. The tendency to 'slack off at home' is nearly identical between club members (81.6%) and non-members (83.1%), indicating it's a common challenge regardless of club participation. In addition, 67.1% of club members (over two in three) report that club-related fatigue leaves them lacking motivation.

[3] The Relationship Between Club Activities and Study Motivation — 59.4% of Club Members Say They Feel More Motivated to Study When Fully Committed to Their Club

When asked whether being fully committed to their club helps boost their motivation to study, 59.4% of club members (N=2,931) responded positively — 15.4% said 'often' and 44.0% said 'sometimes'. This suggests club activities may not only consume time and energy but could also positively influence academic motivation.

Among club members who feel this positive impact (N=1,740), 69.7% reported successfully balancing club and study commitments. In contrast, only 51.8% of those who do not feel this impact (N=1,191) reported such balance — an 18-point gap. This perceived synergy may influence the development of consistent study habits.

Overview of 'Studycast Cup 2026'

'Changing Summer Study Habits Through the Power of Club Teammates'

'Studycast Cup 2026' is the first initiative to bring the 'team goal pursuit' structure of club activities into the academic realm. Leveraging the fact that 'summer is busy with club activities', teams from across Japan will unite to accumulate study hours and compete for rankings. Top-performing teams will receive premium prizes, with the first-place team receiving a 50,000 yen QUO card. Join with your clubmates to achieve a balanced summer of academic and athletic excellence.

Event Name

Studycast Cup 2026 (First Edition)

Pre-Registration Opens

Sunday, July 12, 2026

Event Period

Saturday, July 18, 2026 – Monday, August 31, 2026

Eligibility

Junior and senior high school students enrolled in a club (teams can register with as few as one member)

Competition Format

Total accumulated study time of all team members will be summed and ranked nationally

Awards

Top 3 teams will be recognized

Registration & Special Website

https://www.benesse.co.jp/zemi/studycast/cp/cup/

Participation Fee

Free

About StudyCast

'StudyCast' is a free study management app that surpassed 2 million cumulative downloads by April 2026. Currently, 80% of its users are junior and senior high school students. Under the concept of 'a self-study app that turns on your study mode as easily as opening social media', StudyCast offers various features to support students' study habits, including an 'Online Study Room' where students nationwide can study together on the same screen, an 'AI Question' feature where AI explains problems, automatic study time tracking and visualization, and motivational campaigns with popular influencers.

Key Features

- Online Study Room: A virtual study space usable one-on-one or solo with peers nationwide. Turn your smartphone into the ultimate study room.

- AI Question (AI Tutor): Full AI support by simply photographing a problem. Offers hints, step-by-step explanations, similar problems, and visual explanations. Supports 7 subjects (English, Math, Japanese, Science, Geography/History, Civics, IT).

- Study Record: Automatically records study time and visualizes it by period, subject, and material.

Download: https://www.benesse.co.jp/zemi/studycast/

[Survey Overview]

- Survey Title: Survey on Summer Study Habits of Junior and Senior High School Students: Balancing Club Activities and Academic Studies

- Target Respondents: 3,434 junior and senior high school students using 'StudyCast'

- Survey Period: June 26 – July 5, 2026

- Survey Method: Online survey (via StudyCast in-app questionnaire)