Takasaki City University of Economics (TCUE): Admissions, Tuition, Student Life & Exchanges for International Students

Thinking about studying in Japan but want a friendly, practical city and a down-to-earth public university? Takasaki City University of Economics (TCUE) blends approachable class sizes, strong ties to local government and industry, and wallet-friendly tuition. Set in Gunma Prefecture—about 50 minutes by Shinkansen from Tokyo—TCUE is known for economics, business, international studies, and policy programs that plug directly into the needs of communities and companies. This guide walks you through quick facts, strengths, international life, exchange options, climate and lifestyle, student data, and career outcomes—so you can judge if TCUE fits your Japan plan.

Quick Facts (TCUE at a Glance)

Snapshot data for fast comparison. Links point to official sources.

Type	Public (Municipal)
Total Students	4,138 (as of May 1, 2025). Official student numbers
Campuses	Main Campus: 1300 Kaminamie-machi, Takasaki (Gunma). Access & map
Faculties / Schools	Faculty of Economics (Departments: Economics, Business Management, International Studies); Faculty of Regional Policy (Departments: Regional Policy, Community Development, Tourism Policy). See overview on the JPCUP English profile and TCUE site.
Tuition Fees	Undergraduate/Graduate tuition: ¥520,800 per year; Admission fee: ¥141,000 (Category A) or ¥282,000 (Category B); Exam fee: ¥17,000. Official fee table
Gender Ratio	Approx. 62% male : 38% female overall (2024 across faculties). Faculty breakdown: Economics 65.4% : 34.6%, Regional Policy 58.6% : 41.4%. Kei-Net data (JP)
Intl-Student %	~1.4% (57 international students out of 4,138 in 2025). International student headcount (PDF, JP)
Students per Staff	~39.4 : 1 (4,138 students / 105 full-time faculty, 2024–2025). Sources: students, faculty counts (JP).

Campus Maps

Headquarters (Main) Campus (Takasaki, Gunma)

Address: 1300 Kaminamie-machi, Takasaki, Gunma 370-0801, Japan

Mission, History & Founding Story

Takasaki City University of Economics (TCUE) was founded in 1957 by Takasaki City to cultivate practitioners who could drive post-war regional development with solid economic literacy and public-minded leadership. As a municipal public university, TCUE sits at the intersection of community needs and academic training. The founding mission was simple: equip students with economic and managerial skills that improve local life—transport networks, small- and medium-sized enterprises, finance for families and firms, and public services that keep a city liveable. Over the decades, TCUE added programs that mirror the realities of modern communities: regional policy, community design, tourism policy, and international studies, all anchored by economics and management fundamentals.

Today TCUE’s identity is still “public-first.” That shows up in practical coursework, partnerships with municipal offices and local companies, and a steady pipeline into public service careers. The university’s size (just over four thousand students) supports a face-to-face culture; you can find professors in office hours, join seminar-style classes, and attach your learning to real community problems. TCUE keeps tuition low because it is publicly funded—and because the mission is access. Students learn in a compact, green campus in Takasaki, a transport hub for Gunma Prefecture. It’s close enough to Tokyo for weekend trips, but daily life is calmer and more affordable. English-language resources about the institution and programs are consolidated on the JPCUP English profile and the university’s official page here.

Key Strengths & Unique Features

Practice-Connected Programs with a Public Mission

TCUE’s curriculum is built to solve real city-level problems: regional revitalization, transport planning, small-business resilience, and tourism that benefits local residents. The Faculty of Regional Policy focuses on policy design and community engagement, while the Faculty of Economics provides analytic depth in economics, management, and international studies. Program snapshots and institutional data in English are organized on the JPCUP English profile, including staff counts and total enrollment, which align with TCUE’s official figures.

Flagship Tracks: Economics/Business/International & Regional Policy

Economics, Business Management & International Studies (Faculty of Economics)

These programs combine theory with market realities—courses in micro/macro, finance, management, and international relations, plus seminar-style labs where you apply analysis to firms or public data. Gender balance data (2024) for this faculty are publicly listed (65.4% male, 34.6% female) on Kei-Net. Kei-Net faculty data (JP)

Regional Policy, Community Design & Tourism Policy (Faculty of Regional Policy)

You’ll explore how cities work: from disaster preparedness and mobility to placemaking, festival design, and tourism flows. The faculty maintains a strong link to local government and NPOs, producing grads who can analyze data, coordinate stakeholders, and implement policy. Faculty gender-ratio data for 2024 (58.6% male, 41.4% female) are posted on Kei-Net. Kei-Net faculty data (JP)

Affordable Public Tuition & Low Cost of Living

One of TCUE’s biggest strengths is cost. Annual tuition is ¥520,800 (undergrad/graduate), with admission fee bands (¥141,000 or ¥282,000) depending on residency status. The official fee table also lists the ¥17,000 application fee. See official fees. Takasaki City is a transport hub with lower day-to-day expenses than megacities—a point also noted on TCUE’s exchange page written in English and simple Japanese. Incoming Exchange: Program & life overview

Exchange, Short Programs & Buddy Support

TCUE offers both semester-long exchanges and short language programs with partners in the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Oceania. Housing is guaranteed and heavily supported for incoming exchange students; utilities and internet are covered by the university, and the semester housing fee is clearly stated (¥180,000). A Buddy Program assigns one or two Japanese students to every incoming exchange student. Exchange details (English/JPN) | Lists of partner schools and short-program providers are published on TCUE’s site. Partner institutions / Short-program destinations / Exchange partners

Small-ish Scale, Real Contact with Faculty

With ~4.1k students and ~105 full-time faculty, TCUE’s student-to-faculty ratio hovers just under 40:1. That scale supports seminar work and supervised projects. Official counts are posted by the university (students) and on the “Faculty/Staff” page (faculty totals). Students | Faculty/staff

Student Life for Internationals

Clubs & Circles that Welcome Overseas Students

Start with the campus life index to scan clubs and campus facilities. Campus Life index. For a taste of activities: the Athletics Association, Culture Club Council, and the Wind Orchestra publish schedules and event news.

Support Offices: Visa, Housing & Counselling

TCUE’s International Center supports student visa renewals and the part-time work permit (permission to engage in activities other than those permitted by the status of residence). Visa status overview. The Student Support Room provides counselling, accessibility support, and a quiet reset space. Student Support Room. Incoming exchange students receive guaranteed, subsidized housing. Incoming Exchange (housing, buddy)

Language-Exchange & Global Lounge

TCUE runs a Global Lounge event series where students practice English with peers, volunteers, and exchange students. It launched in June and quickly passed 100 participants. Announcements are posted with photos. Global Lounge—kickoff | Global Lounge—100+ participants

Partner Institutions & Exchange Options

TCUE lists 20+ partners across North America, Europe, and Asia—covering both short programs (UT Martin, La Trobe, DCU, etc.) and exchange agreements (e.g., Ludwigshafen University of Business & Society in Germany; Wroclaw University of Economics & Business in Poland; Longhua University of Science and Technology in Taiwan). See official pages: Partner institutions | Short-program providers | Exchange partners

Local Climate & Lifestyle

Weather Patterns (Recent Reference)

Takasaki has warm, humid summers and cold, mostly clear winters. Recent multi-year climate summaries show typical yearly highs in the low 30s °C (upper 80s °F) and winter lows around −2 to −1 °C (high 20s °F). For month-by-month detail, check the climate dashboards: year-round overview and monthly pages. Year-round climate (WeatherSpark) | January lows & highs | Summer highs

Attractive Environment, Safety & Cost of Living

You get mountains and hot-spring towns nearby, plus direct rail to Tokyo. TCUE emphasizes the lower living cost of Takasaki relative to Japan’s largest cities on its exchange page, helpful if you’re budgeting. Exchange page—living overview The campus access page provides transit options and a detailed map. Access & map

International Student Statistics

English-language institutional data (as of May 1, 2024) show total enrollment just over 4,060 and full-time faculty around 104, with international students in the mid-50s. JPCUP (English). TCUE’s 2025 Japanese PDF lists 57 international students and a total of 4,138 students, putting international students at ~1.4% of enrollment. International headcount (PDF, JP)

Career & Graduate Prospects

Expect a public-service tilt alongside private-sector roles in finance, retail, manufacturing, logistics, and ICT—consistent with a regional public university. The Career Support Center shares guides, events, internship info, and annual outcomes. Career Support (JP). Program-level snapshots (e.g., Economics) are published as PDF summaries that show industry split, company size by category, and geographic placement. Economics job outcomes (PDF, JP)