Kyushu University: Fees & Ranking

The short answer

Kyushu University is a national university in Fukuoka, founded in 1911, with 19,005 undergraduate and graduate students (1 May 2026), of whom 2,625 (14%) are international students from 107 countries and regions.^[1] It is ranked 171st in the QS World University Rankings 2027 and 7th among Japanese universities.^[2]

The university’s fee page lists an enrolment fee of ¥282,000 and tuition of ¥535,800 a year, but states the figures “as of April 1, 2020”.^[3] For the October 2027 intake of the English-taught engineering degree the instructions show a first-year total of ¥817,800 (¥549,900 with a half-tuition exemption for eligible new arrivals).^[4] Kyushu offers English-taught undergraduate degrees in engineering and agriculture and more than 60 graduate programmes in English.^[5]

Key facts

Official name	Kyushu University (九州大学, Kyūshū Daigaku)
Location	Fukuoka, Japan (744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395)^[4]
Type	National university^[6]
Founded	1911, as the fourth Imperial University of Japan; roots in a domain medical school of 1867^[6]
Students (1 May 2026)	19,005 undergraduate and graduate students^[1]
International students (1 May 2026)	2,625 (14%), from 107 countries and regions^[1]
Faculty (1 May 2026)	2,114, including 158 non-Japanese^[1]
Structure	12 undergraduate schools and 18 graduate schools^[5]
Teaching in English	International Undergraduate Programs in Engineering and Agriculture; bilingual ISI school; more than 60 graduate programmes in English^[5]
QS World University Rankings 2027	171st (7th in Japan; top 15% of 1,504 institutions)^[2]
Fees on the fee page	Application ¥17,000 (school) or ¥30,000 (graduate); enrolment ¥282,000; tuition ¥535,800 a year (¥267,900 per half-year); figures as of 1 April 2020^[3]
First-year cost, English engineering degree, Oct 2027	¥817,800 (¥282,000 enrolment plus two semesters at ¥267,900); ¥549,900 with the half-tuition exemption^[4]
Official website	kyushu-u.ac.jp

Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 7 November 2026.

About Kyushu University

Kyushu University was founded in 1911 as the fourth Imperial University of Japan and is a national university in Fukuoka, on the island of Kyushu. Its history goes back to the medical school of the Fukuoka Domain, established in 1867.^[6]

On 1 May 2026 it had 19,005 students and 2,114 faculty members, 158 of them non-Japanese. International students numbered 2,625, one in seven students, from 107 countries and regions.^[1] For 2025 (2,618 students) the university notes that this was the fourth largest number of international students among Japan’s national universities.^[1]

How is Kyushu University ranked?

In the QS World University Rankings 2027, released on 18 June 2026, Kyushu University is 171st in the world. The university notes that this places it in the top 15% of the 1,504 institutions in the ranking and 7th among Japanese universities.^[2] Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings.

What can you study at Kyushu University?

Kyushu has 12 undergraduate schools and 18 graduate schools.^[5] For international students the English-language routes are:

International Undergraduate Program in Engineering: a four-year bachelor’s degree taught in English except for Japanese language classes. Programmes: Applied Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.^[5]^[4]
International Undergraduate Program in Bioresource and Bioenvironment (School of Agriculture), with a double degree option with Northern Arizona University in the USA.^[5]
School of Interdisciplinary Science and Innovation (ISI): a bilingual programme combining Japanese and English; the instructions stress that it is not a programme only in English.^[5]^[7]
Graduate level: more than 60 international graduate programmes in English across the 18 graduate schools.^[5]

Regular undergraduate programmes in Japanese start in April; the university’s information for those is provided only in Japanese.^[5]

How much does Kyushu University cost?

Item (first year, English engineering degree, October 2027)	Amount
Enrolment fee, one time	¥282,000
Tuition, fall semester 2027	¥267,900
Tuition, spring semester 2028	¥267,900
Total, first year	¥817,800
Total with half-tuition exemption	¥549,900

These figures come from the application instructions for the October 2027 intake of the engineering programmes, which add that the fees are subject to change without notice and exclude health insurance, alumni association fee and books.^[4]

The university’s general fee page lists the same enrolment fee (¥282,000) and tuition of ¥535,800 a year (¥267,900 per half-year), plus a graduate-school application fee of ¥30,000; its Professional Graduate School tuition is ¥804,000 a year. The page is marked “as of April 1, 2020”, so treat it as a reference rather than a current price list.^[3] The application fee is also quoted differently: ¥17,000 on the fee page, but ¥10,000 for applicants with foreign nationality only in the 2027 engineering instructions (¥17,000 for applicants with Japanese nationality).^[3]^[4] We found no announcement of a Kyushu tuition increase for international students, but the instructions warn that fees may change.

Half-tuition exemption

New first-year students receive half-tuition for two semesters if they hold only foreign nationality, obtained their entry qualification outside Japan, live outside Japan at application and will obtain a new student visa.^[4]

Scholarships

If the Japanese government approves the university’s proposal, successful applicants may receive a MEXT scholarship: four years at ¥117,000 a month, exemption from enrolment and tuition fees and flight tickets.^[4] The Kyushu University International Undergraduate Scholarship (up to ten October entrants, ¥60,000 a month) is open to applicants who meet the same residence and visa conditions; from the second year up to ten students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher receive it.^[4] Kyushu accepts MEXT students through embassy and university recommendation.^[8] See also our Japan guide and the Study in Japan guide for living costs.

How do you apply to Kyushu University?

International Undergraduate Programs (October 2027 entry): you register in the university’s online application system during the application period and then send all documents by post. You can apply to only one undergraduate programme for October 2027, and there is no credit-transfer system: you start in year one with zero credits.^[9]^[4]
Programme-specific tests: each engineering programme requires an official standardised test result, for example EJU, SAT, ACT, GCE A-level, AP or IB, with minimums per programme. Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, for instance, lists SAT Mathematics 710 or ACT Mathematics 31, and Applied Chemistry lists SAT Mathematics 740 or ACT Mathematics 33.^[4]
ISI: same one-programme rule; you cannot also apply to the engineering or agriculture programmes in the same intake.^[7]
Graduate: the 18 graduate schools publish their own procedures; see the programme pages of the international office.^[5]

We give no deadlines here because they change every year and differ by programme. Read the instructions of your programme before you start.

Which language level do you need?

For the English engineering degree every applicant must submit either TOEFL iBT, IELTS or proof of at least four years of secondary education taught in English. The instructions state a minimum overall TOEFL iBT score of 4.0 (the document does not explain the scale, so check it on the TOEFL website) and a minimum IELTS overall band of 6.5, with no one-skill retake.^[4]

For ISI an English test is mandatory only for applicants who submit EJU or SAT results or an IB taken in a language other than English; for everyone else it is optional. Accepted are TOEFL iBT, TOEIC (Listening and Reading), IELTS Academic and the Cambridge FCE, CAE or CPE; score reports dated before January 2025 are not valid, tests taken at home (such as Linguaskill) are not accepted, and four or more years of English-medium secondary education also exempts you.^[7] The university does not publish a Japanese-level requirement for the English programmes in these instructions; Japanese language classes are part of the curriculum.^[4]

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Kyushu University cost for international students?

For the October 2027 English engineering intake the first-year total is ¥817,800, or ¥549,900 with the half-tuition exemption.^[4] The general fee page lists ¥535,800 a year in tuition (figures as of 1 April 2020).^[3]

How is Kyushu University ranked?

It is 171st in the QS World University Rankings 2027 and 7th among Japanese universities.^[2]

Can I study in English at Kyushu University?

Yes. There are International Undergraduate Programs in English in engineering and agriculture, and more than 60 graduate programmes in English.^[5]

What English score do I need?

For the engineering programmes: TOEFL iBT (minimum overall score 4.0 as stated in the instructions), IELTS 6.5 overall, or four years of English-medium secondary education.^[4]

Is there a scholarship for international undergraduates?

Yes: the MEXT scholarship (¥117,000 a month, if the proposal is approved) and the Kyushu University International Undergraduate Scholarship (¥60,000 a month, up to ten October entrants).^[4]

How many international students does Kyushu University have?

2,625 of 19,005 students (14%), from 107 countries and regions, on 1 May 2026.^[1]