Kyushu University
九州大学
Japan's fourth imperial university, on a new Fukuoka campus with English-taught engineering and agriculture degrees.
- Students
- 18,813
- 11,687 undergraduates
- International
- 14%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 9:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- ¥535.8K
- 2027-28
- Founded
- 1911
About Kyudai
Kyushu University grew out of a medical school founded by the Fukuoka Domain in 1867 and a Fukuoka branch of Kyoto Imperial University opened in 1903. It became independent in 1911 as Kyushu Imperial University, the fourth of Japan's imperial universities, and merged with the Kyushu Institute of Design in 2003. Today it is the leading research university on the island of Kyushu, with 18,813 students (11,687 undergraduates) and 2,183 faculty as of May 2025.
The university has 12 undergraduate schools, from Letters and Law to Medicine, Dentistry, Engineering, Design, Agriculture and the newer School of Interdisciplinary Science and Innovation. Its main campus today is the Ito Campus in Nishi ward, on the western side of Fukuoka. International students make up about 14% of the student body, and Kyushu says it has the fourth-largest international student population among Japan's national universities.
For applicants without Japanese, the main routes are four-year International Undergraduate Programs taught in English in engineering (electrical engineering and computer science, applied chemistry, mechanical and civil engineering) and in bioresource and bioenvironment, plus a bilingual program in the School of Interdisciplinary Science and Innovation. Kyushu suits students with strong maths and science who want a national-university fee and a guaranteed first-year dorm room for newcomers to Fukuoka in a coastal city.
Why students choose Kyudai
The International Undergraduate Program in Engineering is taught entirely in English apart from Japanese classes, with four programs from Electrical Engineering and Computer Science to Civil Engineering.
Eligible applicants from outside Japan get half their first-year tuition waived, and successful applicants (other than those already living in or around Fukuoka) are guaranteed a university dormitory room for the first year at around 20,000 yen a month.
Tuition is the national standard of 535,800 yen a year, and a few top-scoring admits are recommended for the MEXT scholarship of 117,000 yen a month with full fee exemption.
The Electrical Engineering and Computer Science program runs a bachelor's double degree with Northern Arizona University in the United States.
Admissions
International Undergraduate Programs, October 2027 entry
Selectivity
Kyushu does not publish admission rates for its international programs. The application instructions say only a limited number of students are admitted to each engineering program, and the Bioresource and Bioenvironment program has a quota of 10 students across its two admission types.
Typical entry requirements
| SAT / Digital SAT (Engineering) | Minimum Math score of 710 (Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Civil Engineering) or 740 (Applied Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering) |
|---|---|
| A-level / IAL (Engineering) | Mathematics plus Physics and/or Chemistry at B-C or better; B-B in Mathematics and Chemistry for Applied Chemistry (not accepted for Mechanical Engineering) |
| IB Diploma (Engineering) | Mathematics (Analysis and Approaches HL) and Physics or Chemistry HL at 5-5 or better; 6-6 in Mathematics and Chemistry HL for Applied Chemistry (not accepted for Mechanical Engineering) |
| EJU (Engineering) | Mathematics Course 2 plus Physics and/or Chemistry above average; Applied Chemistry needs Mathematics 120 and Chemistry 60 |
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 80 Engineering: TOEFL iBT 80 on the old 120-point scale (4.0 on the new scale, single test date, no MyBest), IELTS Academic 6.5, or proof of at least four years of secondary education in English. Tests taken before January 2025 are not accepted. |
Deadlines
- International Undergraduate Programs (Engineering, Bioresource and Bioenvironment, ISI): online registration Non-binding Next deadline · In ~2 monthsDecember 11, 2026, 5 p.m. JST
Online application opens December 7, 2026; the application fee must also be paid by December 11.
- Application documents must arrive Non-binding In ~2 monthsDecember 17, 2026, 5 p.m. JST
Preliminary screening results February 15, 2027; online interviews late February to early March; admission decisions March 23, 2027; semester starts October 1, 2027.
Dates are from the October 2027 application instructions for Engineering, the School of Interdisciplinary Science and Innovation and the Bioresource and Bioenvironment program. You can apply to only one undergraduate program. Japanese-taught programs (April entry) have separate entrance exams described on the Japanese admissions site.
How to apply
Register on the online application system, pay the 10,000 yen application fee (17,000 yen for Japanese nationals), then post the application form with essays, transcripts, standardized test and English score reports by registered mail. Applicants who pass the document-based preliminary screening take an online Zoom interview.
What admissions looks for
- Strong maths and science, shown by minimum standardized test scores set for each engineering program.
- Good English, either through TOEFL or IELTS or four years of English-medium secondary schooling.
- For ISI: initiative and active learning, a strong will to collaborate with people from different backgrounds, critical thinking and an international perspective.
- A convincing performance in the online interview after document screening.
Tips for applying to Kyudai
- 1 Check the minimum score for your specific engineering program before applying: Applied Chemistry and Mechanical Engineering need SAT Math 740, and Mechanical Engineering accepts only EJU or SAT (no ACT, A-level, AP or IB).
- 2 Send your TOEFL score directly from ETS to Kyushu (DI code 0411) at least a week before applications open; printed or PDF score reports are not accepted.
- 3 The online registration window is only five days (December 7 to 11, 2026), so prepare documents in November.
- 4 Fill in the scholarship section of the application form: that is how you are considered for the university's international undergraduate scholarship.
- 5 The interview must be done on a computer, not a phone or tablet, and there is a connection test beforehand.
Costs & financial aid
2027-28 · figures in JPY
Applicants who hold only foreign nationality, qualify outside Japan, live abroad and enter on a new student visa get half their first-year tuition waived. Kyushu recommends a few top admits for the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship (117,000 yen a month plus fee exemption and flights), awards a university international undergraduate scholarship of 60,000 yen a month in the first year, and nominates some students for the Monbukagakusho Honors Scholarship (48,000 yen a month for six months).
- 549,900 yen including the enrollment fee (817,800 yen without the waiver)
- First-year cost with half-tuition waiver (2027-28)
- 117,000 yen a month for four years, plus tuition and enrollment fee exemption
- MEXT Scholarship via university recommendation
- 60,000 yen a month (engineering, first year, competitive)
- Kyushu University International Undergraduate Scholarship
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters; International Undergraduate Programs start on October 1
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (International Undergraduate Program)
English-taught four-year degree with a bachelor's double-degree option with Northern Arizona University; SAT Math 710 minimum.
Applied Chemistry (International Undergraduate Program)
The most demanding test thresholds of the engineering programs: SAT Math 740, IB Maths and Chemistry HL 6-6, or A-level B-B.
Mechanical Engineering (International Undergraduate Program)
English-taught mechanical engineering on the Ito Campus; the only engineering program that accepts just EJU or SAT scores (SAT Math 740 minimum).
Civil Engineering (International Undergraduate Program)
English-taught civil engineering accepting EJU, SAT, ACT, A-level, AP or IB scores.
Bioresource and Bioenvironment (International Undergraduate Program)
English-taught agriculture degree with a quota of 10 students.
School of Interdisciplinary Science and Innovation
Bilingual Japanese-English program built around collaboration across fields, with its own scholarship for October entrants.
Research
- Kyushu has 18 graduate schools offering more than 60 international graduate programs in English.
- Alumnus Kosuke Morita led the Japanese team that discovered element 113 (nihonium) and was a professor in Kyushu's Faculty of Science when the element was officially named in 2016.
- The university runs 10 overseas offices, from Stockholm and Washington, D.C. to Cairo and Yogyakarta, and has 314 partner universities with student exchange agreements.
Schools & faculties
- School of Interdisciplinary Science and Innovation
- 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 Design
- School of Agriculture
Of Kyushu's undergraduate graduates in the latest Fast Facts, 55.5% went on to further study and 39.6% into employment.
Student life
Student life centres on the Ito Campus in western Fukuoka, where the university's international dormitories deliberately mix Japanese and international students: Dormitory 1 aims for a one-to-one ratio, and Dormitory 3 houses two Japanese and two international students in each four-person unit. Experienced residents act as dormitory leaders to help newcomers. With about one in seven students from overseas, representing 103 countries and regions, English-program students are far from alone, and 1,903 Kyushu students studied abroad in FY2024.
- Guaranteed university dormitory room for the first year for successful international program applicants coming from outside Fukuoka.
- International dormitories at Ito with dorm leaders and mixed Japanese-international units.
- Students from 103 countries and regions; about 14% of students are international.
- 314 partner universities for exchange with tuition waived.
Housing. Successful applicants to the international programs are guaranteed a dormitory room for the first year, at around 20,000 yen a month, though room type and dorm cannot be guaranteed; applicants already living in or around Fukuoka City are not eligible.
Location
Fukuoka is the main city of Kyushu, Japan's southwestern main island, and a coastal city with direct flights across Asia from Fukuoka Airport. The Ito Campus is in Nishi ward on the city's western side, in a quieter suburban setting than the centre. International program students arriving from outside Fukuoka are guaranteed a university dormitory room for their first year, at around 20,000 yen a month.
Nearest airport: Fukuoka Airport (FUK)
Notable alumni
- KW Koichi WakataAstronaut and first Japanese commander of the International Space Station; Kyushu bachelor's, master's and doctorate in aerospace engineering
- BH Babak HodjatComputer scientist and entrepreneur, co-founder and CEO of Sentient Technologies; PhD in machine intelligence from Kyushu (2003)
- KM Kosuke MoritaNuclear physicist who led the discovery of element 113; Kyushu graduate (1979)
- TN Tetsu NakamuraPhysician who headed Peace Japan Medical Services and won the 2003 Ramon Magsaysay Award; Kyushu School of Medicine graduate (1973)
- HH Hakaru HashimotoPhysician who described Hashimoto's thyroiditis; studied at Fukuoka Medical College, Kyushu's predecessor
- GM Guo MoruoChinese writer, historian and statesman; studied at the Medical School of Kyushu Imperial University
Frequently asked questions
Does Kyushu University offer undergraduate degrees in English?
Yes. International Undergraduate Programs in engineering (four programs) and in bioresource and bioenvironment are taught in English apart from Japanese classes, and the School of Interdisciplinary Science and Innovation runs a bilingual program.
What SAT score do you need for Kyushu engineering?
The minimum SAT Math score is 710 for Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Civil Engineering, and 740 for Applied Chemistry and Mechanical Engineering. EJU scores are also accepted, and all programs except Mechanical Engineering accept ACT, A-level, AP or IB results instead.
When is the Kyushu University application deadline for October 2027?
Online registration runs December 7 to 11, 2026, and documents must arrive by 5 p.m. JST on December 17, 2026. Decisions are announced March 23, 2027.
How much is tuition at Kyushu University?
535,800 yen a year plus a one-time 282,000 yen enrollment fee. Eligible applicants from abroad get half of first-year tuition waived, so the first year costs 549,900 yen including the enrollment fee.
Is there an interview?
Yes. Applicants who pass the document-based preliminary screening take an online interview on Zoom in late February or early March 2027.
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.
- QS World University Rankings 2027 (topuniversities.com)
- THE World University Rankings 2026
- ShanghaiRanking ARWU 2026
- Kyushu University: Fast Facts (PDF, as of May 1, 2025)
- Kyushu University: Enrolling in Undergraduate School (Language of Instruction: English)
- Kyushu University: Engineering Application Instructions, October 2027 (PDF)
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