Japan
National, public and private universities.
Study overview
Japan’s universities offer four-year bachelor’s degrees and research-based postgraduate routes; selected professional degrees take six years. Japanese-language programmes and dedicated English-taught degrees have different admissions arrangements. Junior colleges and specialised training colleges form separate parts of the education system.
Tuition / Year
Kyoto University undergraduate example. One-time admission fee JPY 282,000 and examination fees are extra; other universities differ.
Living / Month
Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) 2023 survey average, excluding study/research costs. Major-city expenditure can be higher.
Typical degree length: Bachelor’s: 4 years
Master’s: 2 years
Medicine: 6 years
Fields: Engineering; computing; business; sciences; design.
Official references
- https://www.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en/current/how-to/tuition/tuition-and-fees
- https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/life/cost-of-living/
- https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/planning/learn-about-schools/universities/
- https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/faq/before/
- https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/statistics/enrollment/data/2605291000.html
- https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/planning/academic-fees/
- https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/planning/learn-about-schools/graduate-schools/
Study and admission
Japan’s higher education system
National, local public and private universities offer different academic settings. Language, qualification type and the entrance route distinguish their international options.
Institutions and recognised awards
Japan distinguishes national universities, universities established by local public authorities and private universities. Bachelor’s study usually lasts four years, with longer professional programmes in fields such as medicine. Junior colleges, colleges of technology and professional training colleges offer separate qualifications and progression arrangements. NIC-Japan’s directory identifies institutions recognised by the competent authorities and marks closed institutions. This distinction matters because a university degree, a vocational diploma and a language-school preparation course represent different academic outcomes, even when all three are described as post-secondary study.
Academic settings and specialisms
Comprehensive universities combine humanities, sciences and professional faculties; specialist institutions concentrate on technology, languages, education, medicine or the arts. Regional national universities extend the choice beyond Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, while private universities offer both broad and specialist curricula. Department-level differences include laboratory access, teaching language and the structure of final-year projects. Art and music admissions can involve practical assessment. At graduate level, the proposed research group, supervisor availability and laboratory language help determine the suitability of an otherwise relevant degree programme.
Japanese and English degree pathways
English-taught degrees provide selected routes without the same Japanese-language admission threshold as Japanese-taught programmes. Availability varies considerably by institution, subject and degree level, and practical placements may involve additional Japanese. Japanese-medium admission can combine EJU scores, JLPT evidence and university assessment. A language-school course supports preparation but does not itself confer university entry. The distinction between admission language and later course requirements is particularly relevant to professional training, internships and graduate recruitment, where communication in Japanese can remain important after an English-medium degree.
Schooling eligibility and transfer
Undergraduate eligibility generally requires twelve years of schooling or another accepted route. For applicants from shorter systems, designated exceptions and recognised university-preparatory courses can establish eligibility; ordinary language study is not automatically equivalent. Universities apply their own published rules to international credentials and subject preparation. Transfer admission exists at participating institutions and departments, with separate credit decisions and examinations. A student’s completed years of overseas study therefore do not necessarily translate into the same entry year or a correspondingly shorter Japanese degree.
Admission and student life
Examination sessions shape admission timing. Costs include first-year admission charges, housing setup and any preparatory study before the degree.
Examinations and intake dates
The academic year commonly begins in April, while some universities offer September or October entry. Receiving universities specify EJU subjects, mathematics course, examination language and acceptable score sessions. Some offer pre-arrival admission; others include interviews or examinations in Japan. JLPT documents Japanese proficiency rather than the academic subjects assessed through EJU. An applicant’s sequence consequently depends on both the university calendar and examination availability. Final school results, score-report dates and any in-person selection stage can determine which intake is realistically accessible.
Fees and scholarship timing
First-year charges commonly include an admission fee in addition to tuition, so the initial payment can exceed later years. National, local public and private institutions have different charging patterns, and laboratory, practical or clinical programmes can add costs. JASSO’s published figures provide planning context; institutional schedules establish the actual bill. MEXT, JASSO and university support use different application channels and eligibility rules. An award can cover tuition without meeting every arrival or living expense, and scholarship decisions do not always precede admission payments.
Housing and arrival expenses
University dormitories can reduce setup costs, although places and residence periods may be limited. Private renting can involve a deposit, key money, an agency fee, furnishings and a guarantor arrangement. JASSO separates study costs from everyday spending in its living-expense information. Regional housing markets differ from Tokyo and other major cities, making a single national estimate insufficient for an individual budget. Initial spending can also include travel, insurance and winter clothing, while scholarship recipients may need cash to bridge the period before their first payment.
Residence and work alongside study
Admission precedes the Certificate of Eligibility and student residence process. Eligible part-time employment requires permission for activity outside the student status; the usual limit is twenty-eight hours weekly, with separate provisions during long vacations. Earnings are intended to supplement study costs rather than finance the entire education plan. Attendance and academic progress remain important to the student’s status. Japanese ability affects everyday services, practical placements and recruitment, including for English-degree students, so the language has a role beyond the initial university admission requirement.
Entrance and language assessments
EJU
Applies to: International applicants to participating undergraduate programmes
The Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students tests Japanese and academic subjects. Universities select the subjects, mathematics course and test language; science and Japan and the World cannot be taken together.
JLPT
Applies to: Programmes requesting Japanese-language evidence
The Japanese-Language Proficiency Test documents language ability. N1 and N2 are commonly relevant to degree study, but institutions set their own threshold; JLPT does not replace EJU academic subjects.
IELTS / TOEFL
Applies to: English-taught degrees and some other routes
International English Language Testing System and Test of English as a Foreign Language scores are used by programmes requiring English evidence. Required scores, validity and exemptions are programme-specific.
Overseas academic tests
Applies to: Institutions accepting these academic credentials
Some universities accept SAT, ACT, International Baccalaureate examinations or national school-leaving results, particularly for English-degree entry. They are not universal Japan requirements.
University examinations and interviews
Applies to: Programmes specifying additional selection
May include subject papers, essays, portfolios, practical tests or interviews. Remote or pre-arrival selection is available only where specified by the institution.
https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/planning/learn-about-schools/universities/
MEXT scholarship screening
Applies to: Applicants through the relevant MEXT category
Japanese Government scholarship screening under the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology uses category-specific tests and interviews. Embassy undergraduate screening is separate from ordinary self-funded university admission.
https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/planning/scholarships/mext-scholarships/
Scholarships and funding routes
Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship
Support: Published monthly stipends are ¥117,000 for undergraduates; ¥143,000 for non-degree research students, ¥144,000 for master’s students and ¥145,000 for doctoral students. Tuition exemption and prescribed airfare are included.
Eligibility: Undergraduate applicants are normally under 25 with twelve years of schooling or equivalent; research applicants are normally under 35 and qualified for the relevant graduate course. Nationality and screening conditions are category-specific.
Application: Embassy recommendation through a Japanese diplomatic mission, or university recommendation where an institution holds an allocation.
Conditions: Embassy-recommended undergraduate awards normally last five years including preparatory study, or seven in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and designated pharmacy courses. University recommendation requires an institutional quota; graduate duration depends on degree status and the recommendation route.
JASSO Monbukagakusho Honors Scholarship
Support: ¥48,000 monthly for twelve months from April or six months from October at undergraduate/graduate level. This is partial maintenance support, without an automatic tuition waiver.
Eligibility: Privately financed students with Student residence status and qualifying academic records. Language routes include JLPT N2, EJU Japanese 200, CEFR B2 English or recognised equivalents; financial limits also apply.
Application: Nomination by the enrolled institution within its allocation. Separate reservation routes cover eligible pre-arrival admissions and EJU results.
Conditions: Average allowance excluding tuition-related payments cannot exceed ¥90,000 monthly; a supporter in Japan must earn less than ¥5 million annually. Incompatible awards and JASSO exchange support exclude eligibility. Monthly attendance confirmation is required.
JASSO Student Exchange Support Program
Support: ¥80,000 per month for an eligible supported exchange programme lasting eight days to one year.
Eligibility: Students accepted under a qualifying exchange arrangement who show academic merit and financial need and return to complete study at their home institution.
Application: Selection through the home and Japanese host institutions; the Japanese institution submits the exchange programme to JASSO.
Conditions: Funding is restricted to selected exchange programmes. Other study-in-Japan scholarship income above ¥80,000 monthly makes the student ineligible. Participants must return to their home institution to complete their studies.
APU Tuition Reduction Scholarship
Support: For 2027 undergraduate entry, reductions of 30%, 50%, 65%, 80% or 100% of tuition over the standard study period, subject to continuation review.
Eligibility: International applicants with Student residence status; selection considers the application, interview and family financial circumstances.
Application: Scholarship consideration is requested within the APU admission application, with the required essays and recommendation. Scholarship results accompany the admission decision.
Conditions: The reduction covers tuition; admission charges and living expenses remain separate. Academic performance and completed credits are reviewed each semester for continuation.
Selected university profiles
Selected directory of 20 institutions. NIC-Japan lists recognised Japanese higher education institutions; consult its update policy and closed-institution labels. JASSO Study in Japan also helps compare international programmes.
NIC-Japan — recognised higher education institution directory
The University of Tokyo
National university with major campuses at Hongo, Komaba and Kashiwa. The College of Arts and Sciences provides two years of general education at Komaba before progression to specialist departments. Its faculties span law, medicine, engineering, letters, sciences, agriculture, economics and education.
- Subjects
- Engineering; Science; Law; Economics; Medicine
- Address
- 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8654, Japan
- Website
- https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/
Kyoto University
National university with faculties and graduate schools spanning humanities, sciences, engineering, agriculture and health. Its Kyoto iUP route comprises six months of preparatory education followed by four years of undergraduate study, with no prior Japanese-language proficiency required at entry. Graduate education is organised by academic school.
- Subjects
- Engineering; Science; Medicine; Agriculture; Humanities
- Address
- Yoshida-honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Website
- https://www.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en
Official references
The University of Osaka
National university with campuses at Toyonaka, Suita and Minoh. The Minoh campus, opened at its present location in 2021, houses foreign-language studies inherited from Osaka University of Foreign Studies. The institution adopted its current English name, The University of Osaka, in April 2025.
- Subjects
- Engineering; Medicine; Science; Human sciences; Languages
- Address
- 1-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Website
- https://www.osaka-u.ac.jp/en
Tohoku University
National university in Sendai with four main campuses: Katahira, Kawauchi, Aobayama and Seiryo. Its faculties cover humanities, social sciences, sciences, engineering, agriculture, medicine and dentistry. Research organisations include the Advanced Institute for Materials Research, alongside graduate schools and clinical facilities.
- Subjects
- Engineering; Materials science; Medicine; Science; Economics
- Address
- 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8577, Japan
- Website
- https://www.tohoku.ac.jp/en/
Nagoya University
National university with campuses at Higashiyama, Tsurumai and Daiko. Its Global 30 International Programs provide undergraduate and graduate degrees taught entirely in English alongside Japanese-medium provision. Academic schools span humanities, law, economics, science, engineering, agriculture, medicine and education across the university.
- Subjects
- Engineering; Science; Medicine; Economics; Humanities
- Address
- Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
- Website
- https://en.nagoya-u.ac.jp/
Hokkaido University
National university originating as Sapporo Agricultural College in 1876. It operates major campuses in Sapporo and Hakodate, the latter devoted to fisheries education and research. Its academic structure also includes agriculture, veterinary medicine, engineering, science, medicine, humanities and social-science fields.
- Subjects
- Agriculture; Engineering; Science; Veterinary medicine; Humanities
- Address
- Kita 8, Nishi 5, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0808, Japan
- Website
- https://www.global.hokudai.ac.jp/
Kyushu University
National university with campuses including Ito, Hospital, Chikushi, Ohashi and Beppu. The School of Design and its associated graduate school are located at Ohashi in Fukuoka. University provision also spans engineering, sciences, medicine, agriculture, humanities and social sciences, with separate schools and research institutes.
- Subjects
- Engineering; Science; Medicine; Design; Economics
- Address
- 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
- Website
- https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/
University of Tsukuba
National university based in Tsukuba, Ibaraki, with undergraduate schools organised into subject-specific colleges. Its degree provision includes medicine, physical education and sport sciences, art and design, humanities, sciences and engineering. The School of Transdisciplinary Science and Design also operates in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- Subjects
- Science; Engineering; Human sciences; Health; Arts
- Address
- 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
- Website
- https://www.tsukuba.ac.jp/en/
Hiroshima University
National university with campuses in Higashi-Hiroshima, Kasumi and Higashi-Senda. Kasumi accommodates medicine, dentistry, pharmaceutical sciences and Hiroshima University Hospital; the law school is based at Higashi-Senda. Other schools include education, engineering, sciences, humanities and integrated arts and sciences at the university’s Higashi-Hiroshima base.
- Subjects
- Education; Engineering; Science; Medicine; Humanities
- Address
- 1-3-2 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8511, Japan
- Website
- https://www.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/en
Kobe University
National university with teaching sites including Rokko, Kusunoki, Myodani and Fukae. Its faculties cover economics, business administration, law, engineering, medicine, agriculture and humanities. Fukae houses maritime-science facilities and the Kobe Ocean-Bottom Exploration Center, linking the university’s educational structure with marine research.
- Subjects
- Economics; Business; Engineering; Medicine; Humanities
- Address
- 1-1 Rokkodai-cho, Nada-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
- Website
- https://www.kobe-u.ac.jp/en/
Chiba University
National university with campuses at Nishi-Chiba, Inohana, Matsudo and Kashiwanoha, plus a Sumida satellite site in Tokyo. Its undergraduate and graduate schools cover humanities, education, engineering, sciences, health and horticulture. The university’s International Support Desk serves international students and researchers across these locations.
- Subjects
- Engineering; Medicine; Horticulture; Education; Science
- Address
- 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8522, Japan
- Website
- https://www.chiba-u.ac.jp/e/
Okayama University
National university with principal campuses at Tsushima and Shikata. Shikata houses medicine, dentistry, health-science facilities and the university hospital. Its educational structure also includes humanities, law, economics, sciences, engineering and agriculture, together with the interdisciplinary Discovery Program for Global Learners.
- Subjects
- Engineering; Medicine; Agriculture; Humanities; Science
- Address
- 1-1-1 Tsushima-naka, Kita-ku, Okayama 700-8530, Japan
- Website
- https://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/eng/
Institute of Science Tokyo
National university established on 1 October 2024 through the merger of Tokyo Institute of Technology and Tokyo Medical and Dental University. It combines science and engineering with medicine, dentistry and health sciences, with academic activity at sites including Ookayama, Yokohama and Yushima.
- Subjects
- Engineering; Computing; Materials science; Medicine; Dentistry
- Address
- 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
- Website
- https://www.isct.ac.jp/en
- pr.info@adm.isct.ac.jp
Waseda University
Private university with principal teaching campuses at Waseda, Toyama, Nishi-Waseda and Tokorozawa. Its schools provide undergraduate and graduate study in political science, economics, law, business, humanities, education, sciences and engineering. The university also operates the Waseda International House of Literature and a history museum.
- Subjects
- Political science; Economics; Engineering; Humanities; International studies
- Address
- 1-104 Totsukamachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8050, Japan
- Website
- https://www.waseda.jp/top/en
Keio University
Private university with six main campuses in Tokyo and Kanagawa: Mita, Hiyoshi, Yagami, Shinanomachi, Shonan Fujisawa and Shiba-Kyoritsu. Yagami accommodates science and technology, while Shinanomachi is dedicated to medical education and care. Undergraduate and graduate teaching is distributed across the university’s campus network.
- Subjects
- Economics; Law; Business; Medicine; Science and technology
- Address
- 2-15-45 Mita, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8345, Japan
- Website
- https://www.keio.ac.jp/en/
Sophia University
Private university centred on the Yotsuya campus in Tokyo. Fully English-taught bachelor’s provision includes the Faculty of Liberal Arts, the Science and Technology English Course, and the Sophia Program for Sustainable Futures. The latter combines teaching from six departments around sustainability-related social and environmental questions.
- Subjects
- Liberal arts; Languages; Economics; Global studies; Science and technology
- Address
- 7-1 Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8554, Japan
- Website
- https://www.sophia.ac.jp/eng/
- admission-u-co@sophia.ac.jp
Ritsumeikan University
Private university established in 1900, with seventeen colleges and twenty-two graduate schools across campuses in Kyoto, Shiga and Osaka. Its provision includes Japanese-medium study and dedicated English-medium undergraduate programmes. It is a separate institution from Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Beppu.
- Subjects
- International relations; Economics; Engineering; Policy science; Information science
- Address
- 56-1 Toji-in Kitamachi, Kita-ku, Kyoto 603-8577, Japan
- Website
- https://en.ritsumei.ac.jp/
Doshisha University
Private university established in 1875, with Imadegawa-area sites in Kyoto and a separate Kyotanabe campus. Imadegawa accommodates much of its humanities and social-science teaching; Kyotanabe includes Science and Engineering and Life and Medical Sciences. Its published structure comprises fourteen faculties and sixteen graduate schools.
- Subjects
- Economics; Law; Humanities; Engineering; Life sciences
- Address
- Karasuma-higashi-iru, Imadegawa-dori, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8580, Japan
- Website
- https://www.doshisha.ac.jp/en/
- ji-ois@mail.doshisha.ac.jp
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University
Private university opened in Beppu in 2000. Its three undergraduate colleges are Asia Pacific Studies, International Management, and Sustainability and Tourism. Education uses English and Japanese; graduate schools provide Asia Pacific Studies and Management programmes, supported by a university-wide Centre for Language Education.
- Subjects
- Asia Pacific studies; International management; Sustainability; Tourism
- Address
- 1-1 Jumonjibaru, Beppu, Oita 874-8577, Japan
- Website
- https://en.apu.ac.jp/
Tokyo Metropolitan University
Public university operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, with principal campuses at Minami-Osawa, Hino and Arakawa. Hino accommodates later-year Systems Design study, and Arakawa later-year Health Sciences. Minami-Osawa houses humanities, law, economics, sciences and urban environmental sciences, alongside initial study for those specialist routes.
- Subjects
- Urban environmental sciences; System design; Economics; Science; Health sciences
- Address
- 1-1 Minami-Osawa, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan
- Website
- https://www.tmu.ac.jp/english/
Further institutions
| Institution | Location and type | Official website | Book page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hitotsubashi University | Kunitachi / National university | https://www.hit-u.ac.jp/eng/ | 194 |
| Tokyo University of Foreign Studies | Fuchu / National university | https://www.tufs.ac.jp/english/ | 194 |
| Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology | Fuchu / Koganei / National university | https://www.tuat.ac.jp/en/ | 194 |
| Tokyo University of the Arts | Tokyo / National university | https://www.geidai.ac.jp/english/ | 194 |
| Ochanomizu University | Tokyo / National university | https://www.ocha.ac.jp/en/ | 194 |
| Yokohama National University | Yokohama / National university | https://www.ynu.ac.jp/english/ | 194 |
| Kanazawa University | Kanazawa / National university | https://www.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/en/ | 194 |
| Niigata University | Niigata / National university | https://www.niigata-u.ac.jp/en/ | 194 |
| Shinshu University | Matsumoto / National university | https://www.shinshu-u.ac.jp/english/ | 194 |
| Shizuoka University | Shizuoka / Hamamatsu / National university | https://www.shizuoka.ac.jp/english/ | 194 |
| Gifu University | Gifu / National university | https://www.gifu-u.ac.jp/en/ | 194 |
| Mie University | Tsu / National university | https://www.mie-u.ac.jp/en/ | 194 |
| Nara Women’s University | Nara / National university | https://www.nara-wu.ac.jp/ | 194 |
| Kyushu Institute of Technology | Kitakyushu / National university | https://www.kyutech.ac.jp/english/ | 194 |
| Kumamoto University | Kumamoto / National university | https://ewww.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/en/ | 194 |
| Nagasaki University | Nagasaki / National university | https://www.nagasaki-u.ac.jp/en/ | 194 |
| Kagoshima University | Kagoshima / National university | https://www.kagoshima-u.ac.jp/en/ | 194 |
| University of the Ryukyus | Nishihara / National university | https://www.u-ryukyu.ac.jp/en/ | 194 |
| Ehime University | Matsuyama / National university | https://www.ehime-u.ac.jp/en/ | 194 |
| Tokushima University | Tokushima / National university | https://www.tokushima-u.ac.jp/english/ | 194 |
| Yamaguchi University | Yamaguchi / National university | https://www.yamaguchi-u.ac.jp/english/ | 194 |
| Saitama University | Saitama / National university | https://en.saitama-u.ac.jp/ | 194 |
| Ibaraki University | Mito / National university | https://www.ibaraki.ac.jp/en/ | 194 |
| University of Fukui | Fukui / National university | https://www.u-fukui.ac.jp/eng/ | 194 |
| Osaka Metropolitan University | Osaka / Sakai / Public university | https://www.omu.ac.jp/en/ | 194 |
| Yokohama City University | Yokohama / Public university | https://www.yokohama-cu.ac.jp/english/ | 194 |
| Nagoya City University | Nagoya / Public university | https://www.nagoya-cu.ac.jp/english/ | 194 |
| University of Hyogo | Kobe / Public university | https://www.u-hyogo.ac.jp/english/ | 194 |
| Akita International University | Akita / Public university | https://web.aiu.ac.jp/en/ | 194 |
| Tokyo University of Science | Tokyo / Private university | https://www.tus.ac.jp/en/ | 194 |
| Meiji University | Tokyo / Private university | https://www.meiji.ac.jp/cip/english/ | 194 |
| Aoyama Gakuin University | Tokyo / Private university | https://www.aoyama.ac.jp/en/ | 194 |
| Rikkyo University | Tokyo / Private university | https://english.rikkyo.ac.jp/ | 194 |
| Chuo University | Tokyo / Hachioji / Private university | https://www.chuo-u.ac.jp/english/ | 194 |
| Hosei University | Tokyo / Private university | https://www.hosei.ac.jp/english/ | 194 |
| Kansai University | Suita / Private university | https://www.kansai-u.ac.jp/English/ | 194 |
| Kwansei Gakuin University | Nishinomiya / Private university | https://global.kwansei.ac.jp/ | 194 |
| Kindai University | Higashiosaka / Private university | https://www.kindai.ac.jp/english/ | 194 |
| Ryukoku University | Kyoto / Private university | https://www.ryukoku.ac.jp/ | 194 |
| International Christian University | Mitaka / Private university | https://www.icu.ac.jp/en/ | 194 |