1001-1200 in the world · QS 2027

Okayama University

岡山大学

A Japanese national university whose English-taught Discovery Program offers a bachelor's degree at Japanese-student tuition.

Okayama, Okayama Prefecture, Japan National (public) research university Founded 1870 Official website

See my chances at Okadai Admissions office

Photo: Fjkelfeimvvn · CC BY 3.0

Students: 13,383; 10,140 undergraduates
International: 7%; of students
Tuition: ¥643K; From · 2027-28
Founded: 1870

About Okadai

Okayama University traces its roots to a medical school founded by the Okayama domain in 1870, and was established as a national university in 1949 by merging the Okayama Medical College, the Sixth Higher School, Okayama Normal School, Okayama Youth Normal School and Okayama Agricultural College. MEXT selected it as a Top Global University in 2014. Its main Tsushima campus is a short ride from Okayama Station, and it sits in a mild-climate part of western Japan where the bullet train reaches Kyoto in about an hour.

The university's own figures show 13,383 students (10,140 undergraduates and 3,243 graduate students), 966 international students and 404 partner institutions in 52 countries and regions. It has ten undergraduate schools (Letters, Education, Law, Economics, Science, Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Engineering and Agriculture, plus the Discovery Program for Global Learners) and research institutes including the Institute of Plant Science and Resources and the Institute for Planetary Materials.

There are two very different ways to enter as an international undergraduate. Most schools teach in Japanese and admit privately financed international students who pass the EJU, an Okayama exam and an interview, and applicants generally need JLPT N1-level Japanese. The Discovery Program for Global Learners is taught in English, admits in April and October, and charges international students the same tuition as Japanese students. It suits students who want an English-language liberal arts degree in a mid-sized Japanese city, or who are ready to study in Japanese.

Why students choose Okadai

The Discovery Program for Global Learners is a degree taught entirely in English, and its international students are charged the same annual tuition as Japanese students (JPY 642,960 for 2027 entrants).

Discovery applicants have two application periods for the 2027 intake and can enter in April or October.

The Okayama Kuwanoki dormitory offers single rooms with a private bathroom for JPY 19,000 to 21,000 a month for stays of 1 to 6 months, though places are limited.

The MEXT Scholarship (special selection) is available to Discovery students admitted for October 2027 and covers tuition, a JPY 117,000 monthly allowance and airfare.

Admissions

April 2027 entry (special entrance exam for privately financed international students) and Discovery Program (April and October 2027)

Selectivity

Okayama publishes no acceptance rate for these routes. The 2027 privately financed international student exam recruits 4 students for Letters, 2 for Pharmacy, 3 for Pharmaceutical Drug Discovery and 6 for Agriculture (Agriculture Global), and 'a small number' for the other schools.

Testing Privately financed international student exam: EJU (June or November 2026 session) in the subjects each school designates, plus Okayama's own tests and interview in Japanese. Minimum EJU totals apply to Letters (580), Economics (560, with 110 in each of comprehensive science and mathematics), Medicine (760), Dentistry and Pharmacy. Economics and Engineering also require an approved 4-skill English test, and Science, Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy set English written exams. Discovery Program: no minimum English score, but applicants not educated mainly in English in the last five years must submit an English test result.

Typical entry requirements

12 years of schooling abroad	Completion of a 12-year school programme abroad by 31 March 2027, or equivalent designated by MEXT; applicants must not hold Japanese nationality and must not be graduates of a Japanese high school
International qualifications	IB Diploma, Abitur, French Baccalauréat, GCE A-level (at least one subject at E or above), International A-level, European Baccalaureate, or a 12-year programme at an accredited international school
EJU (privately financed international student exam)	2026 EJU (June or November session) with the subjects designated by the school; JLPT N1-level Japanese is expected for Japanese-taught programmes
Discovery Program	High school graduation or equivalent by 31 March 2027 (30 September 2027 for October entry); English proficiency assessed in the application
English language	Discovery Program: no minimum score, but a test result is required unless you were mainly educated in English in the last five years; accepted tests include IELTS, TOEFL iBT, TEAP, GTEC, Eiken and TOEIC (tests taken at home are not accepted). Japanese-taught schools ask for an approved 4-skill English test for Economics and Engineering, and set English written exams in Science, Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy.

Deadlines

Discovery Program, period 1 (April and October 2027 intake) Non-binding Next deadline · In 9 days

15 October 2026, 17:00 JST

Documents must reach the Discovery admissions office both online and by post.
Special entrance exam for privately financed international students, School of Agriculture (Agriculture Global) Non-binding In 35 days

4 to 10 November 2026 (documents must arrive by 17:00 on 10 November)

Recruits 6 students; internet entry opens 21 October 2026; exam in early December, with an online option.
Discovery Program, period 2 (October 2027 intake only) Non-binding In ~3 months

8 January 2027, 17:00 JST

Late or incomplete applications are not considered.
Special entrance exam for privately financed international students, other schools Non-binding In ~4 months

25 to 28 January 2027 (documents must arrive by 17:00 on 28 January)

Exams on 25 and 26 February 2027 (26 February for the School of Medicine, including Health Sciences, and Dentistry only); results planned for 8 March 2027 at 15:00; enrolment documents must arrive by 17:00 on 17 March 2027. Internet entry opens 12 January 2027; mail postmarked 26 January is also accepted. Dates read from the page images of the 2027 Japanese guideline.

Dates come from the 2027 admissions guidelines published by Okayama University (privately financed international student exam) and the Discovery Program's application guide updated on 29 July 2026.

How to apply

Privately financed international student exam: register on the university's internet application site (e-apply.jp/ds/okayama-u/) from 12 January 2027, pay the JPY 17,000 fee, then post the printed forms and documents by registered express mail so they arrive between 25 and 28 January 2027. Discovery Program: apply through its online system with the post-mailed documents, personal statements written in English and test results, by 15 October 2026 (period 1) or 8 January 2027 (period 2, October intake only).

What admissions looks for

For the privately financed exam, EJU results plus performance in Okayama's own written tests, essay or interview, with Japanese proficiency shown through the EJU Japanese test.
Interest in global social problems: the university says selection for this route is framed by the Sustainable Development Goals.
For the Discovery Program, strong commitment to studying in the program and English proficiency shown in the application.
Completed 12 years of school (or an approved equivalent) and non-Japanese nationality.

Tips for applying to Okadai

1 Pick your route first: Japanese-taught schools need JLPT N1-level Japanese, while the Discovery Program is taught in English.
2 Check that your EJU subjects match the school's designation and the minimum totals before you register for the EJU.
3 The Agriculture Global route closes in November 2026, much earlier than the January deadline for other schools.
4 Send documents by registered express post and allow time: the guidelines say no confirmation of arrival is sent.
5 Discovery applicants may state interest in the MEXT Scholarship on the application form for October admission.

Costs & financial aid

2027-28 · figures in JPY

Annual tuition for Japanese students and others (planned figure for 2027 entrants), JPY 321,480 per semester; one-time admission fee JPY 282,000 Tuition ¥642,960

Per year (planned 2027 figures, 予定額 in the Japanese guideline and on the Discovery site). Standard rate for international students with 'Student' visa status: JPY 1,339,500 (JPY 669,750 per semester), confirmed in the 2027 privately financed international student guideline (p. 37 of the PDF) and on the Discovery tuition page. International students in the Discovery Program for Global Learners receive a reduction to JPY 642,960 (JPY 321,480 per semester), confirmed on the Discovery tuition page. Admission fee JPY 282,000 and examination fee JPY 17,000. Tuition ¥642,960 – ¥1,339,500

Financial aid

MEXT Scholarship (special selection) places for October 2027 Discovery admits cover fees, JPY 117,000 monthly and airfare; JASSO offers JPY 48,000 a month for six months to those living abroad at admission, and JASSO Honors Scholarship pays JPY 48,000 a month to top EJU performers. Discovery students are automatically given a tuition reduction to Japanese-student level, and outstanding students may receive full waivers.

JPY 117,000
MEXT undergraduate scholarship monthly allowance: JPY 48,000 per month
JASSO Honors Scholarship for privately financed international students: From JPY 1,339,500 to JPY 642,960 a year
Discovery Program tuition reduction for international students

Academics

Academic calendar: Two semesters; April entry for most schools, with April and October entry for the Discovery Program

Discovery Program for Global Learners

An English-taught bachelor's program with clusters in cultural diversity and communities, social innovation and entrepreneurship, transdisciplinary sciences and agricultural sciences (English-Japanese hybrid).

Agriculture Global (School of Agriculture)

A separate international admission route recruiting 6 students, with applications in November.

Medicine and Dentistry

Okayama Medical College is the university's oldest predecessor, and both schools set minimum EJU scores.

Pharmaceutical Sciences

Two departments (Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Drug Discovery) with 2 and 3 international places.

Engineering

Four systems (mechanical; environment and infrastructure; information, electrical and data science; chemistry and life), each requiring a 4-skill English test result.

Science

Departments of mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and earth sciences.

Research

Research institutes include the Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Institute for Planetary Materials and Institute for Interdisciplinary Science.
Okayama University Hospital and a Quality Assurance Center are listed among its university-wide facilities.
Selected by MEXT as a Top Global University in 2014 (Wikipedia).

Schools & faculties

School of Letters
School of Education
Faculty of Law
School of Economics
School of Science
Medical School
Dental School
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences
School of Engineering
School of Environmental Science and Technology
School of Agriculture
Discovery Program for Global Learners

The international office runs the Okayama Career Support Program for International Students and job-search and internship advising; no graduate employment rate was found on the English pages.

Student life

International students at Okayama can apply for the university's dormitories, but places are limited and rooms are offered only if vacant, or they rent private apartments arranged through the co-op. The Kuwanoki Dormitory (150 places for single international students, stays of 1 to 6 months) has single rooms with a private bathroom at JPY 19,000 to 21,000 a month plus JPY 9,400 utilities, and the International Student Share House mixes three international students and one Japanese student per unit at JPY 28,000 a month (stay of five to six months). There is a Japanese Language Course, a tutor system and an EPOK buddy programme. Okayama has mild weather, and the central station is about ten minutes by car from campus.

Kuwanoki Dormitory single rooms, JPY 19,000 to 21,000 a month plus utilities of JPY 9,400 (stays of 1 to 6 months, JPY 30,000 entry fee).
International Student Share House units of three international and one Japanese student.
Japanese Language Course and tutor system for international students.
A degree taught in English in the Discovery Program's own small community.

Housing. Dormitories for international students (Kuwanoki, for stays of 1 to 6 months; Share House) have limited places; the guidelines say rooms are offered only if available. Private apartments are arranged through the university co-op.

Location

Okayama is a mid-sized city in western Japan on the Seto Inland Sea coast, known for its mild, dry climate, Korakuen Garden, Bizen pottery and fruit. The Tsushima campus is about ten minutes by car from Okayama Station, and the bullet train takes 60 minutes to Kyoto and around three and a half hours to Tokyo, according to the university.

Nearest airport: Okayama Momotaro Airport (OKJ)

Notable alumni

YY
Yoshinaga Yusuke

Prosecutor (1932-2013); 18th Prosecutor-General of Japan from December 1993 to January 1996; studied at the Sixth Higher School, which was absorbed into Okayama University, and graduated from the Faculty of Law and Letters
IY
Ishikawa Yasuharu

Founder of the fashion company Cross Company (now Stripe International); entered Okayama University's Faculty of Economics in 2008 through the working-adult entrance exam and later graduated; stepped down as company president in 2021
KH
Kan Hiroaki

Chemist and professor at the University of Tokyo; took part in founding the biotech company PeptiDream in 2006; bachelor's in industrial chemistry (1986) and master's (1989) at Okayama University
HH
Hamada Hiroshi

Molecular biologist and Osaka University distinguished professor; elected Foreign Member of the Royal Society in 2022; graduated in medicine in 1975 and completed the doctoral course at Okayama (1979)
DH
Date Hiroshi

Thoracic surgeon and professor at Kyoto University; graduated in medicine in 1984 and earned his doctorate at Okayama (1988); performed Japan's first living-donor lung transplant at Okayama University Hospital in 1998
IM
Imamura Masahiro

Mystery novelist (Shijinso no Satsujin series); graduated from the radiological technology course of the Health Sciences department, School of Medicine; president of the Honkaku Mystery Writers Club of Japan since 2026
KY
Kobayashi Yukiko

Former track athlete (5000 m at the Beijing 2008 Olympics); studied in Okayama University's Matching Program course through her employer Toyota Industries' study-leave scheme (non-degree as described)

Frequently asked questions

Can I study in English at Okayama University?

Yes, through the Discovery Program for Global Learners, a bachelor's degree taught entirely in English. There is no fixed English score requirement, but applicants not educated mainly in English in the last five years must submit an English test result. Other schools teach in Japanese.

What is Okayama University's application deadline for 2027 entry?

Discovery Program: 15 October 2026 for April and October 2027 intake, and 8 January 2027 for October only. Privately financed international student exam: 25 to 28 January 2027, with Agriculture Global on 4 to 10 November 2026.

How much is tuition at Okayama University for international students?

For 2027 entrants, planned tuition is JPY 1,339,500 a year for international students with a Student visa, plus a JPY 282,000 admission fee. Discovery Program students are reduced to JPY 642,960 a year, the same as Japanese students.

Do I need Japanese to apply to Okayama University?

For the Japanese-taught schools, yes: JLPT N1 or equivalent, shown through the EJU Japanese test. The Discovery Program does not require Japanese, though B2-level Japanese is recommended for the April intake orientation.

What is the EJU and which scores does Okayama want?

The EJU is the Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students. Okayama sets minimum totals for Letters (580), Economics (560), Medicine (760) and minimum subject scores for Dentistry and Pharmacy, and each school designates its own subjects.

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.