Nov 5, 2020

Japanese Government to increase international students at national universities

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) in Japan is planning to allow national universities to accept more international students, starting spring 2022.

Up until now, there has been a cap for the number of international students in national universities, but this limit will be eased. MEXT will reassess the cap for each university to allow national universities to increase the number of international students based on the number of teaching staff and classrooms it has. MEXT will be making these assessments next year in Summer 2021, and will announce the official decisions thereafter.

MEXT is also considering to allow national universities to set their own tuition fees for international students. In principle, all students pay equal tuition fees regardless of nationality and faculty at present, but this shift means that tuition fees for international students may change in the future.

What this means:

National universities in Japan have had a smaller percentage of international students compared to private universities. If this enrollment limit is eased, more international students will have a chance to attend a national university in Japan. This is a clear sign that Japan will be welcoming to even more international students in the coming years and beyond, and is yet another change in Japan that signifies a future where Japan becomes an evermore international country.

Examples of National Universities include:

  • University of Tokyo
  • Kyoto University
  • Osaka University
  • Hokkaido University
  • Kyūshu University
  • Hitotsubashi University … and more!

For more information on studying abroad in Japan, please contact us, and a counselor will be with you to answer your questions and guide you further toward studying in Japan!.



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