Japanese universities popular with international students

There are currently around 760 universities in Japan. More than 260,000 foreign nationals from around the world come to study in Japan as international students. I will introduce some of the universities that are most popular with international students.

While it must be very exciting to leave your home and study at a foreign university, I am sure there is anxiety too, so I hope this article helps to relieve that anxiety.

Universities with highest numbers of foreign students

Typical universities that receive many foreign students are Waseda University, The University of Tokyo, Japan University of Economics, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Kyushu University, Osaka University, Tsukuba University, Kyoto University, and others.

【Universities with highest numbers of foreign students】
Waseda University                      Private  5,412    (5,072)
Tokyo University and Graduate School of Social Welfare       Private  5,133    (3,733)
The University of Tokyo   National 3,853    (3,618)
Japan University of Economics     Private  3,348    (2,983)
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University Private  2,867    (2,804)
Osaka University            National 2,480    (2,273)
Tsukuba University         National 2,457    (2,426)
Ritsumeikan University     Private  2,446    (2,141)
Kyoto University            National 2,387    (2,134)
Kyushu University　　　National 2,313    (2,201)
※Source: Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) “2018 International Student Survey Results”

With over 2,000 international students each, these schools offer excellent support after enrollment.
While both national and private universities accept international students, national universities tend to be more popular.

Universities with a high proportion of foreign students

The following universities are often referred to as universities with a high ratio of international students. These are Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Osaka University of Tourism, Kobe International University, Hokuriku University, Kanagawa Dental University and more.

Many of these universities did not appear in the list of schools that had a high number of foreign students.

However, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University is in both ranks and seems to be very popular.
Each of the universities on the list offers comprehensive support for international students, so please keep them in mind.

Recommended universities

●Ritsumeikan University　　Information for international students
[ http://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/international/intl_students/ ]
This university located in Kyoto has the largest ratio of foreign to domestic students in Japan.
With Kinkakuji Temple nearby, foreign students often ask for directions.
As mentioned above, this university is very popular with international students.

●Waseda University　　Support for International Students
[ https://www.waseda.jp/inst/cie/life/other ]
Located in Shinjuku, the middle of Tokyo, studying on this campus offers a fulfilling living abroad experience while studying hard. Of course, they also provide solid support for international students.

●Asia University    For International Students
[ https://www.asia-u.ac.jp/international/international_students/ ]
Located in Musashino City, Tokyo, this university is only a 20-minute train ride from the city center. The nearby area offers a variety of housing and restaurants, making it a very comfortable environment.

【Message from the author】

We looked at different universities with excellent teachers and international student support systems. Although you may still worry about studying in Japan, the experiences that you can have and things you can get here make it worth it, so I hope you take advantage of them all!