Nagasaki University Guide for International Students: Programs, Tuition, Scholarships, Student Life & Exchanges

Thinking about studying in Japan? Nagasaki University offers a rare mix of historic depth, global-health leadership, and ocean-facing engineering—plus a compact, livable city where daily costs stay reasonable. This guide gives you an at-a-glance profile, tuition in ¥, academic strengths (from Tropical Medicine & Global Health to Marine Energy), student support, exchange paths, and climate facts. All links go to official pages—handy if you’re shortlisting options or building an application timeline.

Quick-Facts Table

Numbers reflect the latest publicly available data at the time of writing. Sources are linked in blue.

Type	National (Public)
Total Students	9,305 (Undergrad 7,517; Graduate 1,788, as of May 1, 2025) — Official Guide 2025
Campuses	Main: Bunkyo; also Sakamoto & Katafuchi — Access (Campus list & maps)
Faculties/Schools	Global Humanities & Social Sciences; Education; Economics; Medicine; Health Sciences; Dentistry; Pharmaceutical Sciences; Information & Data Sciences; Engineering; Environmental Science; Fisheries — Academics (official)
Frais de scolarité	Admission fee ¥282,000; Annual tuition ¥535,800 (standard national rates; program pages confirm) — Admissions & Programs
Gender Ratio	Not publicly specified for students (note: diversity initiatives described on official pages) — Guide 2025
Intl‑Student %	~6.5% (605 international students / 9,305 total) — Guide 2025
Students per Staff	— (varies by school; see faculty pages) — THE Profile

Campus Maps

Bunkyo Campus (Nagasaki)

Address: 1-14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki City, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan

Sakamoto Campus 1 (Nagasaki)

Address: 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki City, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan

Sakamoto Campus 2 (Nagasaki)

Address: 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki City, Nagasaki 852-8520, Japan

Katafuchi Campus (Nagasaki)

Address: 4-2-1 Katafuchi, Nagasaki City, Nagasaki 850-8506, Japan

Mission, History & Founding Story

Nagasaki University’s roots trace back to 1857, when Dutch naval doctor J. L. C. Pompe van Meerdervoort delivered pioneering medical lectures in Nagasaki—the first of their kind in Japan. After World War II, several local institutions merged to form today’s comprehensive national university. That legacy of opening to the world still shapes the school’s identity: a coastal port city that historically connected Japan to global science and trade, and a university that keeps translating that outward-looking spirit into education and research. University Outline (English) | Introduction (official)

Equally distinctive is the university’s modern mission. Building on a long-standing focus on infectious diseases and global health, Nagasaki University has committed itself to the broader concept of “Planetary Health,” recognizing that human well‑being is inseparable from environmental systems. This shift has brought new cross‑disciplinary collaborations and a university‑wide initiative to train leaders who can bridge science, policy, and practice. Planetary Health (Interfaculty Initiative) | Official statement

Nagasaki University also bears a singular responsibility: advancing knowledge and care related to radiation health, forged in the aftermath of the 1945 atomic bombing. The Atomic Bomb Disease Institute (ABDI) continues research, education, and public engagement, and the university hosts WHO Collaborating Centres in radiation health and emerging viral diseases. These roles anchor a culture that links rigorous science to real‑world resilience and peace. ABDI (official) | WHO Collaborating Centres list

Key Strengths & Unique Features

Global Health & Tropical Medicine (Flagship)

The School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health (TMGH) runs English‑based master’s and doctoral programs linking public health, epidemiology, and clinical tropical medicine, with strong field practice. Tuition follows Japan’s national rate (¥535,800/year) and admissions pages outline fees and scholarships. The institute’s research backbone includes the Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN) and long‑standing international stations. TMGH programs | NEKKEN (Institute of Tropical Medicine) | Fees (Admissions)

Interfaculty Initiative in Planetary Health

Nagasaki University’s university‑wide Planetary Health initiative spans medicine, environmental science, engineering, social sciences, and data science, offering a DrPH track for practitioners who want to bridge research and policy. The initiative publishes program guides and activity updates (admissions cycles, events, and field practicums). About Planetary Health | DrPH Program

Radiation Health Science & ABDI

The Atomic Bomb Disease Institute advances radiation biology, epidemiology, and disaster medicine, collaborates across Japan (e.g., Hiroshima University) and internationally, and hosts regular research seminars. It complements the university’s WHO collaborating roles related to nuclear disaster response. ABDI | WHOCC listing

Marine Energy & East China Sea Research

The Organization for Marine Science and Technology connects engineering, fisheries, and environmental science, with labs working on ocean renewables, mechatronics for autonomous systems, and coastal ecosystems. If you’re into robotics, offshore wind, or sustainable fisheries, this is a compelling niche. OMST (official) | Marine Energy Utilization Division

Virtual Tour & Bunkyo Campus Hub

Get a feel for the main Bunkyo campus via the university’s virtual tour. It shows key teaching spaces, libraries, and student hubs, useful if you can’t visit in person yet. Virtual Tour (Bunkyo)

Student Life for Internationals

Clubs & Circles

Student‑run clubs range from Kyudo and volleyball to music and cultural societies. Many welcome overseas students looking to make friends beyond class. Sample listings are posted by the School of Health Sciences and other faculties. Clubs (sample list) | Life in Nagasaki (HSS)

Support Offices (Visa, Housing, Counseling)

The Center for Japanese Language and Student Exchange provides visa guidance, university housing information, and daily‑life support. Visa/Status | International House | Center homepage

Language‑Exchange & Buddy / Safety While Abroad

For outbound study or short programs, NU uses OSSMA for overseas safety management and check‑ins, alongside university insurance requirements. OSSMA overview | OSSMA Service Guide (PDF)

Partner Institutions & Exchange Options

Nagasaki University reports 254 partnerships across 54 countries/regions (Guide 2025). For inbound, see the non‑degree Student Exchange Program and the Japanese Language & Culture Program (JLCP). For NU students seeking overseas study, the Center pages outline program types and safety procedures. Student Exchange (inbound) | JLCP (inbound) | Official Guide 2025

Local Climate & Lifestyle

Nagasaki has a humid subtropical climate: warm to hot summers (peaking around late July–August), a tsuyu rainy season in June–July, mild springs and autumns, and cool winters with occasional cold snaps. Typhoons can influence weather from late summer into early autumn. Monthly normals and recent 5‑year trends can be reviewed via the Japan Meteorological Agency link below. JMA Nagasaki (monthly data)

International Student Statistics

Inbound international students: 605 (as of May 1, 2025). Partnerships span 54 countries/regions with 254 agreements. See the official guide and JPCUP (national database) for standardized snapshots of services and academic support. Guide 2025 | JPCUP (Nagasaki University)

Career & Graduate Prospects

Career outcomes depend on your school: public- and private‑sector placements in Japan, global health NGOs and agencies, labs and R&D for biomedical and marine sciences, and data/engineering tracks in manufacturing and energy. Program pages often include graduate voices and placement snapshots (see TMGH “Career After Graduation”), while the central Careers office supports job‑hunting (shūkatsu) with guidance for international students. TMGH career info | Career Center (JP)