Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine

Key Highlights

• Public national university specializing in agriculture and veterinary medicine
• Recognized by NIC-Japan as a university and graduate school
• Institutional roots date to 1941; the present university was established in 1949
• Official 2026 fact sheet reports about 1,400 students and 210 faculty members

Student Life & Environment

Student life takes place on a specialized agricultural and veterinary campus rather than in a dense metropolitan university district. The campus includes a university library, veterinary medical facilities, research centers, a field center, student support services, health care facilities, and student counseling. Its academic environment is closely connected to laboratories, animal and agricultural facilities, and field-based work, so daily routines may differ from those at a general-purpose urban university. International students can seek help through the International Student Office, and the university’s international guide lists a tutor system and an international student support desk. Exchange students from partner institutions may study for one or two semesters, select available courses through the syllabus system, and take Japanese-language subjects. Direct applications are not accepted for the special-auditor exchange category; arrangements must be made through a partner university. International House I provides 29 rooms for international students, researchers, and eligible family members. International students may normally live there for up to one year after entry. As of the university’s current housing page, monthly student rents begin at ¥4,600 for a single room, with a separate ¥3,600 monthly utilities charge; larger rooms cost more. Private apartments and municipal housing are alternatives, but the university warns that private leases often require a guarantor. Housing availability is not guaranteed, and students should confirm placement and current charges directly.

Location & Surroundings

OUAVM is in Inada-cho, Obihiro, on Hokkaido’s Tokachi Plain. The setting is directly relevant to its academic focus: Tokachi is a major agricultural and livestock-producing area, giving students a regional context for studying food production, animal health, agricultural technology, and environmental management. The university reports a campus of approximately 1.9 million square metres, with substantial green space and local wildlife. The campus is outside central Obihiro. Official access information places it about seven kilometres from Obihiro Station. Depending on the route, a local bus journey takes roughly 30 minutes; some services stop at the campus, while another commonly listed stop requires an additional walk of about 15 minutes. A taxi from the station takes about 20 minutes under the university’s published estimate. Tokachi Obihiro Airport provides regional air access. The university lists an airport bus to Obihiro Station taking about 40 minutes, after which students transfer to local transport. Students should check current transport timetables and fares before travel because the access page’s quoted frequencies and prices can change.

Costs & Career Outcomes

The clearest current fee evidence is the university’s official guidance for October 2026 doctoral entry. It listed a ¥30,000 examination fee, a ¥282,000 enrollment fee, and tuition of ¥267,900 per semester, or ¥535,800 across two semesters. It also listed ¥3,670 for student disaster and accident insurance. The guidance states that tuition is subject to change, and exemptions apply in specified cases. These figures should be treated as applicable to that doctoral intake, not automatically as a quotation for every undergraduate, graduate, exchange, or non-degree category. Government-financed international students are exempt from enrollment fees and tuition under the MEXT scholarship arrangements described by the university. OUAVM also points to its own and external scholarship programs, but warns that many awards are competitive, may be available only after arrival, and should not be expected to cover all tuition and living costs. Research students may be ineligible for some support. Applicants therefore need a funding plan before enrollment. For housing, the current International House page lists student rents from ¥4,600 per month for a single room, excluding the stated utility charge and possible cleaning or repair costs. Career outcomes are not published in sufficiently detailed English-language data to support placement rates, salaries, or named employers. Academic preparation is oriented toward veterinary practice and research, agriculture, food and animal hygiene, environmental work, agricultural engineering and economics, and research or educational careers. Actual professional eligibility, especially for veterinary practice, depends on licensing rules in the country where a graduate intends to work.