This paper explores recent patterns of growth in participation in education across the Asian region. This illustrates how demand is changing and how varied the challenges of growth in access and attainment will be over the next fifteen years. The financial challenges can be assessed using a projection algorithm that interrelates public costs with the drivers of costs which are participation rates, unit costs per student, and the proportion of the population who are of school age. Projections of costs indicate some key issues for policy dialogue.