This study examined the “Big-Fish-Little-Pond Effect” (BFLPE, the effect of school-average ability on academic self-concept) in EFL learning settings at a Japanese university. The results showed that there was a BFLPE on learning motivation among students majoring in non-international studies-related fields. In other words, the higher their class-average English proficiency, the lower their learning motivation becomes when their individual English proficiency is controlled. The results also suggested that class-average English proficiency and English proficiency ranking in class interacted with learning motivation among students majoring in international studies-related fields.