Hiroshima University
広島大学
A national university rebuilt after the atomic bombing, now teaching peace science and an English-taught liberal arts degree.
- Students
- 15,716
- 10,843 undergraduates
- International
- 12%
- of students
- Tuition
- ¥535.8K
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1949
About Hirodai
Hiroshima University was established as a national university on 31 May 1949 by merging pre-war institutions in Hiroshima Prefecture, including the Hiroshima University of Literature and Science (founded 1929) and the Hiroshima Higher Normal School, a leading centre for training teachers. Those schools were badly damaged by the atomic bomb in August 1945 and were rebuilt as one university. Between 1982 and 1995 most of it moved from Hiroshima city to a large campus in Higashihiroshima, about 40 minutes by train from Hiroshima. Medicine, dentistry and pharmacy stayed at the Kasumi Campus in the city.
Today it has 12 undergraduate schools, from Integrated Arts and Sciences, Letters and Education to Medicine, Engineering and Informatics and Data Science, plus five graduate schools. In May 2026 it had 10,843 undergraduates, 4,873 graduate students and 1,933 international students from 92 countries and regions. The Pursuit of Peace is the first of its five guiding principles.
Most bachelor's programmes are taught in Japanese, and international applicants reach them through the EJU. The main exception is the Department of Integrated Global Studies (IGS), a 40-place, English-taught liberal arts programme that starts in April and interviews applicants online in English. The university suits students who want a national-university education at the standard national fee, on a green campus where living costs are well below Tokyo's.
Why students choose Hirodai
IGS offers a four-year Bachelor of Arts and Sciences taught entirely in English, with tracks in Culture and Tourism, Peace and Communication, and Environment and Society.
Tuition is the national-university standard of JPY 535,800 a year, the same for Japanese and international students.
Every student admitted to IGS can live in the Ikenoue Student Dormitory for their first two years, with rent of JPY 4,700 to 15,000 a month.
In 2026 the School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, the School of Science and the School of Applied Biological Science were among the first faculties certified under MEXT's new scheme for internationally competitive faculties.
Admissions
April 2027 entry
Selectivity
For AY2026 the university reports 6,787 undergraduate applicants for 2,428 places and 2,520 students admitted, but it does not publish an offer rate. IGS takes about 40 students a year across four selection routes.
Typical entry requirements
| 12 years of schooling outside Japan | Completed by 31 March 2027; for IGS, eligibility is checked individually, and applicants are asked to confirm it with the IGS office before applying |
|---|---|
| IB Diploma, Abitur, Baccalauréat, GCE A-levels, European Baccalaureate | Accepted as eligibility qualifications; no published minimum grades |
| EJU (Examination for Japanese University Admission) | Required for the Japanese-taught international student selection (February/March); subjects and any score requirements vary by school |
| English language | IELTS 5.5 · TOEFL iBT 72 IGS routes A, B and D: IELTS Academic 5.5, TOEFL iBT 72, Cambridge English 160, EIKEN Pre-1st, or equivalents. Route C (on campus, November): IELTS 4.0 or TOEFL iBT 44. Waived for applicants with at least three years of English-medium secondary schooling or an English-language IB Diploma. |
Deadlines
- IGS Route A: Overseas interview (July) Non-binding Passed26 June 2026, 17:00 JST
Past for 2027 entry. 4 places; international applicants taking the exam in their own country; online interview 22–24 July; results 31 July 2026.
- IGS Route B: Overseas interview (November) Non-binding Next deadline · Tomorrow7 October 2026, 17:00 JST
Application 2–7 October 2026; 10 places; open to all nationalities applying from abroad; online interview 16–19 November; results 4 December 2026.
- IGS Route C: On-campus interview (November) Non-binding Tomorrow7 October 2026, 17:00 JST
Application 2–7 October 2026 (documents may also be handed in at the School of Integrated Arts and Sciences on 7 October); 6 places; first-selection results 2 November; interview in Hiroshima on 21 November; results 4 December 2026. Minimum English: IELTS 4.0 or TOEFL iBT 44.
- IGS Route D: On-campus interview (February) Non-binding In ~3 months6 January 2027, 17:00 JST
Application 21 December 2026 to 6 January 2027; limited places; international applicants who interview in Hiroshima on 25 February 2027; results 8 March 2027.
- International student selection, Japanese-taught (February/March) Non-binding In ~3 months6 January 2027, 17:00 JST
Online entry and fee payment 21 December 2026 to 6 January 2027; requires the 2026 EJU and an English test; exams 25–26 February or 12 March 2027.
All programmes start on 1 April 2027; IGS has no autumn intake. Dates are from the 2027 application guides. If you are unsure whether you are eligible, contact IGS well before applying: the university suggested 5 August 2026 for Route B and 30 October 2026 for Route D.
How to apply
Apply online through UCARO, pay the JPY 17,000 application fee and post the documents by registered mail. IGS: two 400-word personal statements, a record of achievements, transcripts and test results, and English proof. The first selection grades documents A to D, and the final selection is an interview in English (online for overseas routes). The Japanese-taught programmes use EJU scores, an English test and exams held at Hiroshima.
What admissions looks for
- Students who want to understand global issues from an integrated perspective and pursue peace while respecting linguistic, cultural and religious differences.
- Basic academic ability and an interest in natural science and the relationship between people and nature.
- Readiness to improve language skills and contribute to global society; IGS students who are not native Japanese speakers study Japanese intensively.
- The ability to think, decide and express ideas logically and persuasively in English, tested in the interview.
- Independence and the ability to work with diverse people, assessed through the personal statements and interview.
Tips for applying to Hirodai
- 1 IGS asks for two essays of about 400 words: why you want to study at IGS, and a global issue you think is urgent and how to address it, combining science, technology and society.
- 2 Use Personal Statement 3 to add evidence such as debate or speech prizes, science olympiads, volunteering or study abroad, grouped into up to five categories.
- 3 If you live outside Japan, Route B (applications 2–7 October 2026) lets you interview online without travelling.
- 4 Send your documents by international post early; IGS says you can post them before you finish the UCARO online entry.
- 5 Strong applicants may be recommended for a MEXT scholarship, and every admitted international student on a student visa gets the JPY 300,000 first-year IGS Scholarship.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in JPY
IGS gives every admitted student with a non-Japanese nationality and a student visa a one-off JPY 300,000 IGS Scholarship in the first year, with later awards based on grades and financial need. A few top IGS applicants are recommended for the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship (JPY 117,000 a month for four years), and others can apply for the MEXT/JASSO Honors Scholarship (JPY 48,000 a month for one year). Undergraduates can also apply for MEXT through a Japanese embassy.
- 32% (as of May 2026)
- International students receiving scholarships
- JPY 300,000 one-off
- IGS first-year scholarship
- JPY 117,000 a month for four years
- MEXT Scholarship (university recommendation, IGS)
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters; the academic year starts in April
Integrated Global Studies (IGS), Bachelor of Arts and Sciences
Taught in English with 40 places a year, a tailor-made curriculum, a global internship in year three and a graduation thesis.
Integrated Arts and Sciences
160 places a year across the Human, Natural Sciences and Social Studies Research Divisions; certified by MEXT in 2026 for internationalisation.
Applied Biological Science
90 places a year and a November international entrance exam held in English, with no need to travel to Japan.
Science (Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Earth and Planetary Systems)
Linked to the Research Institute for Synchrotron Radiation Science and the Hiroshima Astrophysical Science Center.
Education
Builds on the Hiroshima Higher Normal School, one of Japan's two pre-war centres for training secondary school teachers.
Research
- The International Institute for Sustainability with Knotted Chiral Meta Matter (WPI-SKCM2) is a centre under the Japanese government's World Premier International Research Center Initiative.
- The Research Institute for Synchrotron Radiation Science, founded as the Hiroshima Synchrotron Radiation Center in 1996, is a national Joint Usage/Research Center for materials and life science.
- The Hiroshima Astrophysical Science Center runs the 1.5-metre KANATA optical-infrared telescope at the Higashi-Hiroshima Observatory.
- The Research Institute for Semiconductor Engineering runs clean-room and prototyping facilities for semiconductor research.
Schools & faculties
- School of Integrated Arts and Sciences
- School of Letters
- School of Education
- School of Law
- School of Economics
- School of Science
- School of Medicine
- School of Dentistry
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences
- School of Engineering
- School of Applied Biological Science
- School of Informatics and Data Science
In AY2025, 1,133 undergraduates went into jobs: 746 at companies, 188 as public servants and 199 as teachers or school staff. Recent IGS graduates joined employers such as Toyota, DENSO, Micron Memory Japan, Accenture Japan, IBM Japan Digital Services and JTB, or went on to graduate school at Tokyo, Osaka, Hokkaido and other universities.
Student life
Most undergraduates study on the Higashi-Hiroshima Campus, a large campus near Saijo that the university moved to between 1982 and 1995. The Ikenoue Student Dormitory, a 10 to 15 minute walk away, houses Japanese and international students together in private rooms on floors of 10 to 20 students. New students meet at freshman orientation in April, and campus events include a summer Yukata Festival. IGS estimates average living costs for international students at about JPY 74,000 a month, compared with a national average of JPY 88,000.
- 1,933 international students from 92 countries and regions (May 2026).
- The Ikenoue Student Dormitory has 11 buildings of private western-style rooms of 10 to 14 square metres.
- IGS students whose first language is Japanese must study abroad in their second year, and all IGS students do a global internship of at least two weeks.
- Annual campus events include freshman orientation and the Yukata Festival, and there are many sports and cultural clubs.
Housing. All students admitted to IGS can live in the Ikenoue Student Dormitory for their first two years (JPY 4,700 to 15,000 a month); from the third year, private apartments nearby typically cost JPY 20,000 to 50,000 a month.
Location
Higashihiroshima is a university town east of Hiroshima city. Saijo Station, the nearest train station, is about 40 minutes by train from Hiroshima, and Higashihiroshima Shinkansen station is about 15 minutes from campus by bus. Medicine, dentistry and pharmacy are taught at the Kasumi Campus in Hiroshima city, and law at the Higashi-Senda Campus. Living costs are well below those of Japan's big cities.
Nearest airport: Hiroshima Airport (HIJ)
Notable alumni
- HO Hiroko OyamadaAkutagawa Prize-winning novelist; graduated in Japanese literature in 2006
- FK Fumiyo KōnoManga artist of In This Corner of the World; studied science at Hiroshima University
- AM Akira MiyawakiBotanist behind the Miyawaki method of planting native forests; biology diploma (1952) and doctorate from Hiroshima University
- TY Tsutomu YanagidaPhysicist who proposed the seesaw mechanism for neutrino masses; PhD in physics (1977)
- WK Wataru KuboDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance; graduated from the predecessor Hiroshima University of Literature and Science (1952)
- CY Chōbyō YaraChief Executive of the Ryukyu Islands and Governor of Okinawa Prefecture; graduated from the predecessor Hiroshima Higher Normal School
- AS Akira SakataFree jazz saxophonist; played alto sax in a jazz band while at Hiroshima University
Frequently asked questions
Does Hiroshima University offer undergraduate degrees taught in English?
Yes. The Department of Integrated Global Studies (IGS) in the School of Integrated Arts and Sciences teaches a four-year Bachelor of Arts and Sciences entirely in English, with about 40 places a year. Most other bachelor's programmes are taught in Japanese.
How much is tuition at Hiroshima University for international students?
International undergraduates pay the same tuition as Japanese students: JPY 535,800 a year in 2026. There is also a one-off JPY 282,000 enrolment fee and a JPY 17,000 application fee.
When is the Hiroshima University IGS deadline for 2027 entry?
For applicants abroad, Route B applications run from 2 to 7 October 2026, with online interviews on 16–19 November. Route C uses the same 2–7 October window but interviews in Hiroshima on 21 November. Route D, which interviews in Hiroshima, is open from 21 December 2026 to 6 January 2027. The July route (Route A) closed on 26 June 2026.
Do I need the EJU or Japanese to apply to Hiroshima University?
Not for IGS, which needs English proof such as IELTS 5.5 or TOEFL iBT 72. The Japanese-taught programmes admit international students through a February/March selection that requires the 2026 EJU and an English test.
Are there scholarships for international students at Hiroshima University?
IGS gives admitted international students on a student visa a JPY 300,000 scholarship in the first year and recommends a few top applicants for the MEXT Scholarship. Across the university, 32% of international students received scholarships in 2026.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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