Japan is a popular destination for international students seeking high-quality education, cultural experiences, and a student-friendly environment. Several major universities in Japan, including institutions founded from the late 1800s to the early 1900s, have strong reputations for teaching and research.
Many top universities in Japan offer degree programs taught fully or partly in English, allowing students to study in Japan while continuing to build their Japanese language skills. These universities welcome students from different parts of the world to experience a culture-rich, high-tech, clean, and safe learning environment. Japanese and English skills can also be useful when exploring internships and career opportunities in Japan. In this article, we will be looking at the best English-taught schools in Japan!
Top Universities for English-taught Programs in Japan
1. Tohoku University
Tohoku University is a leading English-taught school in Japan and one of the most prestigious Japanese national universities in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan. Founded in 1907 as Japan’s third Imperial University, it became the first Japanese university to accept female students and was also one of the first to welcome international students. The university emphasizes the internationalization of higher education in the country, which drives it to offer many degree courses in English.
Three undergraduate courses, entirely taught in English, are available through the university’s Future Global Leadership Program (FGL). These are Advanced Molecular Chemistry, International Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and Applied Marine Biology. Students should note that admission to the FGL Undergraduate Program for 2026 enrollment is listed as the final one; a new English-taught program, Gateway College, is scheduled to launch in 2027.
The institution also offers various English-taught graduate degree programs in fields such as arts and letters, education, law, politics, economics and management, science, medicine, dentistry, pharmaceutical sciences, engineering, agricultural science, information sciences, life sciences, environmental studies, and biomedical engineering. According to Shripriya, the Master’s in Information Science was conducted entirely in English, and according to Kushagra, the Master’s in Systems Information Science and Ph.D. in Computer Vision were conducted entirely in English.
2. University of Tokyo
The University of Tokyo (UTokyo), also known as Todai, is a top public research university and among the best English-taught schools in Tokyo, Japan. It was established in 1877 as Japan’s first national university and was selected for MEXT’s Top Global University Project Type A, a project that ran from fiscal years 2014 to 2023. UTokyo has a large international student community and offers English-taught degree options for undergraduate and graduate students.
The university’s College of Arts and Sciences offers undergraduate programs taught in English on its Komaba Campus. Its Programs in English at Komaba (PEAK) consist of the International Program on Japan in East Asia and the International Program on Environmental Sciences. Students who enroll in PEAK study liberal arts for the first two years in the Junior Division and then advance to specialized studies for the next two years in the Senior Division.
The university’s Faculty of Science also offers the Global Science Course (GSC), an all-English undergraduate transfer program for students who have completed at least two years of undergraduate study at universities outside Japan and are admitted into the third year of the Faculty of Science.
GSC students receive a monthly scholarship of JPY 150,000, accommodation with fully supported monthly rent, and support from student tutors and teaching assistants. UTokyo also offers English-taught graduate degree programs in fields such as medicine, engineering, science, agricultural and life sciences, economics, arts and sciences, frontier sciences, interdisciplinary information studies, and public policy.
3. Sophia University
Sophia University is a well-known private Jesuit university located in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It has been a significant institution in the internationalization of higher education in Japan. Its Faculty of Liberal Arts traces its roots to the International Division, founded in 1949, which Sophia describes as a pioneering English-taught university program in Japan. The university has a broad global network with other universities abroad, encouraging students to participate in student exchange programs and study abroad opportunities.
Sophia University is known as a major English-taught institution and has a strong reputation in globalization, foreign languages, and literature, among other fields. It was also selected for MEXT’s Top Global University Project in 2014.
As a highly globalized institution, Sophia University offers English-taught undergraduate degree programs through the Faculty of Liberal Arts, Faculty of Science and Technology, and Sophia Program for Sustainable Futures (SPSF), which includes fields such as journalism, education, sociology, economics, management, and global studies. For applicants to the Faculty of Science and Technology, Sophia states that the last intake for the Green Science and Green Engineering programs will be for the 2026 academic year autumn entry, with a new English-taught Department of Digital Green Technology planned for April 2027.
Sophia also offers English-taught graduate programs in areas such as global studies, global environmental studies, green science and engineering, education, TESOL, and international cooperation studies.
4. Waseda University
Waseda University, founded in 1882 by Ōkuma Shigenobu, is a prestigious private research university located in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Waseda was selected as one of Japan’s Top Global University Project Type A institutions, and its project later received an A rating in the 2024 post-evaluation.
Waseda has significantly expanded its English-taught programs to serve a global student community. At the undergraduate level, Waseda offers English-based degree programs at six undergraduate schools: Political Science and Economics, Social Sciences, International Liberal Studies, Culture, Media and Society, Fundamental Science and Engineering, and Creative Science and Engineering. Graduate programs across many disciplines, including social sciences, engineering, law, business, humanities, sport sciences, and international studies, also provide English-based degree options.
Students who have studied at Waseda University also confirm this. For example, Zain Ashfaq states that the Master’s in Creative Science and Engineering program is 100% taught in English, and he also praises the department because of the strong support from professors and research facilities.
5. University of Osaka
The University of Osaka is one of Japan’s major national research institutions. Officially founded in 1931 as Japan’s sixth Imperial University, it also traces its roots back to Tekijuku, a private place of learning founded in 1838. The University of Osaka offers many classes and programs in English, although availability, eligibility, and language requirements vary by school and program.
At the undergraduate level, the International College oversees degree programs taught in English, including the Human Sciences International Undergraduate Degree Program and the International Undergraduate Program in Science. Students should note that the International Undergraduate Program in Science is conducted partly in English and partly in Japanese and usually requires 4.5 years, including six months of preliminary intensive Japanese language study. Some graduate schools also offer courses conducted fully in English, allowing students to attend and graduate using only English.
For example, Dr. Usama Perwez studied a Ph.D. in Energy Systems completely in English, and Kartika also studied a Master’s in Biotechnology completely in English. Their experiences show that some graduate programs and labs at the University of Osaka can be conducted in English.
We hope the above list of best English-taught universities in Japan will help narrow your choices for where to pursue your degree. There is still much more information about studying in this reputable country in the Study in Japan guide. You can also sample some of the Available Programs for International Studens to explore your study options.
