9 best English universities in Japan that offer English-taught programmes

Ranked among the top 10 safest countries in the world, home to 26 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, has a total of 539 Michelin-star restaurants, bustling with culture, history, and arts – why wouldn’t you want to study in Japan?

In 2023, approximately 280,000 international students came to Japan to pursue higher education, a 21% increase from 2022.

Whether or not that was driven by their love for anime or the many other wonders of Japanese inventions, pursuing your education here is better than any — especially at the English universities in Japan.

One major factor that deters students from studying abroad is the language barrier.

For non-Japanese speakers who are thrust into Japan’s multiple writing systems, different sentence structures, and even a “politeness levels” of speech — known as keigo — which changes depending on the speaker’s relationship with the listener, this is like jumping off the deep end of the pool without knowing how far you are from the bottom.

Worse yet, while you can scrap by with English across most countries worldwide, Japan is not one of them.

In November 2024, Education First released their annual English Proficiency Index, which compiles the testing results of 2.1 million people from 116 countries and regions where English is not considered the mother tongue.

Japan’s global ranking was 92, and their average score placed them at the very bottom of the low proficiency band. Other surveys support this fact — stating that less than 20% to 30% of the Japanese population speak English fluently.

However, you’ll face fewer of those problems when you attend English universities in Japan.

Here, while most lessons are still offered in Japanese, you can opt for English programmes instead. This allows you to study in Japan in a language you’re fluent in and immerse yourself in all the wildly popular country has to offer.

9 best English universities in Japan

1. University of Tokyo

Location: Tokyo

Fee: US$3,300 – US$5,200 per year

As the first national university in Japan, the University of Tokyo offers courses in essentially all academic disciplines you can think of at both undergraduate and graduate levels.

Almost two centuries old, the research university is known for being the most difficult to get accepted. In 2021, only 3,071 out of 9,356 undergraduate students made the cut, while postgraduate students experienced the same, with 3,323 out of 8,126 applicants succeeding in enrolling.

But do not let that discourage you from applying to the best university in Japan and one of the finest in Asia.

English programmes include:

• Environmental Sciences
• Economics
• Agricultural Development Studies
• Public Policy

2. Kyushu University

Location: Fukuoka

Fee: US$3,400 – US$5,200 per year

Often ranked among the top 10 best English universities in Japan, Kyushu University offers English-taught programmes ranging from humanities and arts to engineering and medical sciences.

Research is its strength as faculty members and students work together to tackle society’s most pressing issues, aiming to build a better Japan.

The university’s Ito Campus is one of the largest in the country, and it is expected that the university will gain more students, especially international ones, in the future.

English programmes here include:

• Introduction to Japanese Economy
• Technical Communication
• Bioethics
• Medical Dosimetry

3. Hokkaido University

Location: Hokkaido

Fee: US$3,400 – US$5,200 per year

Since its establishment in 1876, Hokkaido University has followed four basic philosophies in its educational system: Frontier Spirit, Global Perspectives, All-round Education, and Practical Learning. For years, the university has held onto these philosophies, producing leaders in respective industries.

Case in point: Akira Suzuki, who received a Nobel Prize in 2010 for his work on the cross-coupling reaction of organic boron compounds using palladium as a catalyst.

English programmes include:

• Chemistry
• Human Mechanical Systems and Design
• Cultural Studies
• Applied Bioscience
• Soft Matter

4. Institute of Science Tokyo

Location: Tokyo

Fee: US$4,070 per year

Notably, the youngest of the universities on this list, the Institute of Science Tokyo, is on a mission to advance science and human well-being and create value for and with society.

Following the merger between Tokyo Medical and Dental University and Tokyo Institute of Technology in 2024, the university provides the best education in the fields of humanities and social sciences from two leading institutions in the city combined into one.

It is here where you will build the future by conducting impactful research to solve worldly issues and collaborate with local communities to cater to their needs. From developing a competition platform where participants compete to develop large-scale AI to holding an interactive event using a glider simulator owned and built by the student club — anything is possible at the university. 

English programmes include:

• Life Science and Technology
• Human-Centred Science and Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science and Engineering
• Energy Science and Informatics

5. University of Tsukuba

Location: Ibaraki

Fee: US$3,400 per year

The University of Tsukuba aims to break how Japanese universities tend to operate formerly. What this means is they seek to create a flexible education and research structure as well as a university system to meet the needs of the next generation.

It is so much so that it is a Designated National University — one of the 10 Japanese universities that have shown the highest level of education and research capabilities. Having the university based in the city of Tsukuba, is an advantage too — here, over 200 private research organisations and approximately 60 public research organisations call Tsukuba home.

Better yet, international students pay domestic fees, so it’s no wonder that the university has approximately 7,500 international students pursuing their degrees here.

English programmes include:

• Global Issues
• International Social Studies
• Public Health
• Mountain Studies

6. Keio University

Location: Tokyo

Fee: US$5,900 – US$22,400 per year

When everybody adhered to Confucian ideals in 19th-century Japan, where learning was centred around the religio-philosophical, Keio University founder Yukichi Fukuzawa went against the norm. This resulted in the “jitsugaku“ motto, a way of learning about the world through the application of reason, observation, and verification — in other words, learning through empirical science.

There are 974 classes in English, making it not only accessible to students from abroad but also fostering an awareness of globalism among locals.

English programmes include:

• Taxation Policy and Management
• Robotics
• Economics
• Medicine

7. Waseda University

Location: Tokyo

Fee: US$6,400 – US$9,300 per year

Waseda University is regarded as one of the most prestigious universities in Japan, particularly for its humanities and social sciences education. Here, nine Japanese Prime Ministers sought their education, with Yoshihiko Noda being their latest alumnus to become the country’s leader.

It is also dubbed the most international university in the country, with 8,084 students from around the world pursuing their studies in the university’s halls. 

English programmes include:

• Mathematical Sciences
• Global Political Economy
• Sport Management
• International Relations

8. Rikkyo University

Location: Tokyo

Fee: US$3,800 – US$6,100 per year

Also known as Saint Paul’s University, Rikkyo University provides education based on Christian values, following its origins of teaching bible studies and English back when it started in 1874. 

Today, it is part of the Top Global University Project, a government initiative to internationalise universities in the country by bringing in more international students, expanding its network of global partners, and increasing the ratio of international staff members to 1:5.

English programmes include:

• Global Liberal Arts
• Law
• International Business
• Social Development and Administration

9. Ritsumeikan University

Location: Kyoto

Fee: US$5,400 – US$16,000 per semester

If you’re all about sustainability, Ritsumeikan University is the place to be. Here, they incorporate the United Nations’s Sustainable Development Goals in each of its programmes taught.

You might work with Associate Professor Tomoko Hasegawa, who is resolving hunger issues caused by climate change, or Professor Motoki Kubo, who is studying microorganisms to revamp Japanese agriculture. Whichever programme you enrol in, achieving sustainability is always the priority.

English programmes include:

• Global Studies
• Community and Regional Policy Studies
• Information Systems Science and Engineering