Global 30 Universities: Japan’s Blueprint for English-Medium Degrees and Affordable Study-Abroad Success

Japan has never been shy about setting bold targets for internationalization, and the “Global 30” initiative is the textbook example. Launched in 2009 by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Global 30 asked a hand-picked group of universities to introduce full English-medium degree tracks, simplify admissions, and strengthen student support systems. While its name nods to Japan’s ambition to host 300,000 international students by 2020, the deeper legacy is a campus blueprint that still guides higher-education policy today.

What Exactly Is Japan’s “Global 30” Initiative?

Global 30 is a multi-year subsidy program that funnels federal funds into 13 designated “Internationalization Hub” universities. Grants cover new English-taught curricula, overseas recruitment bases, and multilingual advising centers. Core deliverables include (1) bachelor’s and master’s degrees conducted entirely in English, (2) online application portals that accept international credentials, and (3) wrap-around services—visa guidance, career counseling, and basic Japanese classes—designed to help non-native speakers thrive. The official MEXT page describes the project as a way to “promote internationalization of the academic environment” and to “accept excellent international students studying in Japan.” MEXT Global 30 Project

Origins & Policy Context

In the late 2000s Japan faced dual pressures: a shrinking domestic student pool and fierce regional competition from English-language campuses in Singapore and South Korea. MEXT responded by earmarking roughly ¥3.2 billion in FY2009 for Global 30’s inaugural year. Thirteen universities—ranging from national heavyweights such as the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University to private leaders like Waseda and Keio—were tasked with piloting fully English-medium degrees and streamlined admissions. The project’s rollout coincided with Japan’s broader “300,000 International Students” national target, making Global 30 both a policy instrument and a branding campaign.

From Global 30 to Top Global University

Although core Global 30 funding ended in 2014, its DNA lives on in the Top Global University Project (TGU), which rewards institutions for hitting milestones in overseas faculty recruitment, joint-degree creation, and student mobility. MEXT Support for Internationalization

Achievements & Current Landscape (2025)

Between 2010 and 2025 the number of full English-medium degree programs offered by Global 30 universities has ballooned from 33 to more than 150. Nagoya University alone lists seven undergraduate majors and over a dozen graduate tracks that admit without any prior Japanese language proficiency. Nagoya U. G30 Programs. The University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Engineering now awards master’s degrees in International Bioengineering, Architecture & Urban Design, and Technology Management—all taught fully in English. UTokyo G30 Engineering

A major selling point remains affordability: annual tuition at national universities is capped at ¥535,800—roughly one-third of the cost of many peer institutions in North America. Both Nagoya University and the University of Tokyo list the same statutory tuition, plus a one-time enrollment fee of ¥282,000. NU Tuition & Aid | UTokyo Tuition

Università	Flagship English Program	Annual Tuition (¥)
Università di Nagoya	Automotive Engineering (B.S.)	535,800
University of Tokyo	International Bioengineering (M.S.)	535,800
Kyoto University*	Engineering & Design Course (M.S.)	535,800

Life on a Global 30 Campus

Beyond academics, Global 30 universities invest in multilingual housing, peer-mentor schemes, and career offices fluent in Japan’s shūkatsu (job-hunting) cycle. A 2024 survey by Nagoya University found that 92 % of G30 undergraduates engage in faculty-supervised research or internships, and 68 % secure employment in Japan or a third country within six months of graduation. Monthly living costs in mid-sized cities such as Nagoya average between ¥86,500 and ¥106,500—far below Tokyo’s central wards. NU Cost of Living

Support Beyond the Classroom

Services range from airport pick-ups to Japanese-language boot camps and mental-health counseling in English. Many campuses operate Global 30 lounges where international and domestic students co-host cultural events, reinforcing the project’s original goal of creating bilingual environments beneficial to all.

Looking Ahead: Opportunities & Challenges

With Japan’s university-age population projected to dip below 10 million by 2035, Global 30 alumni institutions are doubling down on hybrid delivery, micro-credentials, and branch campuses abroad. MEXT’s latest TGU progress reviews emphasize outbound mobility for Japanese students and joint degrees with ASEAN and EU partners. Yet challenges remain: easing part-time work restrictions, scaling English-language student-services staff, and ensuring academic quality across rapidly expanding programs. If the next decade mirrors the last, Global 30’s legacy will be measured less by raw enrollment numbers and more by how thoroughly it has reshaped the culture of Japanese higher education.