University of Yamanashi

About University of Yamanashi

The University of Yamanashi is a public national university operating as a National University Corporation. The present university dates from 2002, when the former Yamanashi University and Yamanashi Medical University merged; its predecessor traditions extend considerably further back, but 2002 is the appropriate founding year for the current institution. It became a national university corporation in 2004. The university is organized around four undergraduate faculties: Education, Medicine, Engineering, and Life and Environmental Sciences. Graduate provision includes the Graduate School of Education and the Integrated Graduate School of Medicine, Engineering, and Agricultural Sciences. The latter brings biomedical science, nursing, engineering, life and environmental science, medicine, health science, and applied life science into a shared graduate framework. Teaching and student services are divided mainly between two sites. The Kofu campus accommodates education, engineering, and life and environmental sciences. The medical campus in Chuo City contains the Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital. Prospective students should therefore assess the location, facilities, and daily travel requirements associated with their intended faculty rather than treating the university as a single-site institution. The university remains operational and was publishing admissions schedules, student information, and research news during 2026. Its official English website is useful for institutional structure and international-student support, but important undergraduate admissions materials and several career and qualification pages are primarily in Japanese.

Admission is program-specific. The university's admissions portal separates undergraduate, graduate, and one-year advanced-program routes. Undergraduate applicant requirements and examination schedules are primarily published in Japanese. Graduate requirements are offered through Japanese and English links, but the availability of English documentation does not by itself establish that a course is taught in English. International applicants should confirm academic eligibility, required prior qualifications, language evidence, examination subjects, document formats, and whether advance contact with a prospective supervisor is required for their chosen course. For 2026 and 2027 entry, the university published a graduate test schedule current as of April 1, 2026. Dates differ substantially by school and department. For example, some engineering and life and environmental science master's selections covered October 2026 and April 2027 enrollment, while education, biomedical science, nursing, medicine, engineering, and applied life science followed their own application and examination calendars. Applicants must use the detailed guidelines for their exact intake rather than a university-wide deadline. The official 2026 materials also show that some research-student applications support October 2026 entry, but research-student status is distinct from regular degree enrollment. Overseas applicants must leave enough time for admissions and entry-to-Japan procedures. Since undergraduate information is largely Japanese and no universal English-language threshold is published across all programs, applicants should not rely on the database's blank IELTS or TOEFL fields as evidence that no language proof is needed.

Undergraduate study is offered through the faculties of Education, Medicine, Engineering, and Life and Environmental Sciences. This structure suits students seeking professionally oriented fields such as teaching or medicine as well as scientific and technical study. Applicants need to consult the relevant faculty materials because academic requirements, selection methods, professional pathways, and campus location differ by field. Graduate education includes the Graduate School of Education and the Integrated Graduate School of Medicine, Engineering, and Agricultural Sciences. At master's level, the integrated school lists biomedical science, nursing science, engineering, and life and environmental sciences. Its doctoral structure includes medicine, nursing and health science, engineering, and integrated applied life science. The university therefore awards bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees, although the duration and organization of individual courses vary. Academic resources connected to these fields include the University Hospital, an experimental farm, the Institute of Enology and Viticulture, the Center for Crystal Science and Technology, the Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin studies, and other specialist research centers. These units indicate opportunities for research linked to regional industries, health, agriculture, water, materials, and the environment, but access and participation will depend on a student's program and supervisor. Japanese is the database-record language of instruction and remains important for regular study and administration. The English admissions portal provides graduate applicant requirements and some English-language materials, while undergraduate entrance-examination links are principally Japanese. International applicants should verify the teaching language and language standard for the exact course rather than assuming that an English webpage signifies an English-taught degree.

Key Highlights

• Japanese national university formed through a 2002 institutional merger
• Four undergraduate faculties spanning education, medicine, engineering, and life and environmental sciences
• Two principal sites: Kofu Campus and the Faculty of Medicine Campus in Chuo City
• Graduate education integrates medicine, engineering, agriculture, nursing, and life sciences

Student Life & Environment

Student support is available across the Kofu and medical campuses, including health care, student counseling, career advice, and dedicated consultation through the international office. Newly arrived international students may be connected with tutors, supporters, or partner students, depending on whether they are exchange, graduate, research, or undergraduate students. The university also offers Japanese-language classes and supplementary support, with placement and orientation procedures normally held in April and September. Housing options differ by student group and campus. At Kofu, Fuyo Dormitory is designated for men and Shiyokan for women. The university's published rates list Fuyo at JPY 10,000 per month and Shiyokan at JPY 20,000 per month, with approximately JPY 5,000 in other monthly expenses for each; the university warns that rates may change. Shiyokan residence for new students is limited to one year. International residence halls operate near Kofu Campus and at the medical campus, with admission subject to university selection. Students who rent privately can seek referrals through the university cooperative. International students unable to secure a guarantor may qualify for a university guarantee if they purchase the designated renters' insurance. Because places, eligibility, residence periods, and charges vary, students should obtain current housing terms before relying on a dormitory place.

Location & Surroundings

The main Kofu Campus is at 4-4-37 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi. It houses the faculties of Education, Engineering, and Life and Environmental Sciences. The university estimates that it is about a 15-minute walk north from JR Kofu Station or roughly five minutes by bus from the station's north exit. This gives students access to the city's rail and bus connections without requiring the main campus to be in the immediate station district. The Faculty of Medicine Campus and University Hospital are at 1110 Shimokato in Chuo City, south of central Kofu. The official directions place it approximately 15 minutes on foot from Joei Station on the JR Minobu Line, or about 30 minutes by direct bus from JR Kofu Station. Medical students should base accommodation and commuting decisions on this separate location. Yamanashi Prefecture lies west of Tokyo and is associated with a mountain environment that includes access toward the Mount Fuji region. For practical planning, however, students should focus on the two-campus arrangement, public-transport schedules, and whether their classes or research require travel between Kofu and Chuo City.

Costs & Career Outcomes

The university's official fee table lists annual tuition of JPY 535,800 for both undergraduate and graduate students, an enrollment fee of JPY 282,000, and screening fees of JPY 17,000 for undergraduate applicants and JPY 30,000 for graduate applicants. The Japanese fee page applies these amounts to the 2026 academic year and lists first- and second-semester payment dates in April and October 2026. It also states that revised tuition can apply during a student's enrollment, so applicants should recheck amounts before accepting an offer. These charges do not represent a complete attendance budget. Students must separately plan for housing, utilities, food, transport, insurance, learning materials, and personal expenses. Published Kofu dormitory charges provide one housing reference, but eligibility is restricted and accommodation is not guaranteed. The university provides links concerning scholarships and admission- or tuition-fee exemptions, yet award availability and eligibility must be checked individually; no general scholarship should be assumed. Career support is organized through the Career Center, and the university publishes faculty-specific information about career paths and obtainable licenses or qualifications. A career adviser is also listed among student counseling contacts. The public English pages do not provide a sufficiently current, directly comparable set of placement rates, salaries, or named employers, so applicants should consult the latest Japanese faculty and Career Center data for their intended discipline. Professional licensing outcomes, particularly in education and health fields, depend on the precise curriculum and applicable Japanese requirements.