Study at Kobe Gakuin University for International Students: Programs, Admissions, Scholarships, and Student Life

If you’re comparing Japanese universities that balance practical learning with a friendly, mid-sized campus vibe, Kobe Gakuin University (KGU) deserves a close look. Based in the port city of Kobe, KGU teaches across ten faculties—from Law and Business to Global Communication, Nutrition, Rehabilitation, and Pharmaceutical Sciences—on two main campuses: Port Island (KPC) and Arise (KAC). With roughly 11,000 students and a growing international network, you’ll find solid student support, a range of English-friendly services, and a city that’s easy to live in. Below you’ll get quick facts, strengths, student life, exchange opportunities, climate and living pointers, and career outcomes—all in one place.

Quick Facts

Type	Private university KOBE STUDY ABROAD
Total Students	Approx. 10,996 (10,898 UG + 98 Graduate) as of Oct 1, 2024 KGU – Number of Students
Campuses	Main: Port Island (KPC); Also: Arise (KAC) KGU – Campus Information
Faculties / Schools	Law; Economics; Business Administration; Humanities & Sciences; Psychology; Contemporary Social Studies (incl. Social Studies of Disaster Management); Global Communication; Rehabilitation; Nutrition; Pharmaceutical Sciences KGU – Faculties
ค่าธรรมเนียมการศึกษา	Approx. ¥1,010,000–¥1,845,000 / year (by faculty) + matriculation fee ¥200,000–¥250,000 KOBE STUDY ABROAD; exam fee reference ¥35,000 KGU – Admission Info
Gender Ratio	Approx. 61.5% male / 38.5% female (total students) KGU – Number of Students
International Students %	Approx. 1.5% (168 intl. students: 154 UG + 14 Grad, as of May 1, 2025) KGU – Intl Student Statistics (PDF) ; totals cross-checked with overall enrollment KGU – Number of Students
Students per Staff	~33 : 1 (10,996 students / 335 teaching staff, Oct 1, 2024) KGU – Number of Students & Staff

Notes: Tuition varies by faculty; check the latest fee tables before applying. “Students per Staff” is a simple ratio for context. International-student percentage uses KGU’s 2025-05-01 international counts and 2024-10-01 total enrollment for a conservative, transparent estimate.

Campus Maps

Port Island Campus 1 (KPC1)

Address: 1-1-3 Minatojima, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-8586, Japan

Port Island Campus 2 (KPC2)

Address: 1-3-11 Minatojima, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0045, Japan

Arise Campus

Address: 518 Arise, Ikawadani-cho, Nishi-ku, Kobe 651-2180, Japan

Mission, History & Founding Story

Kobe Gakuin University (KGU) opened its doors in 1966 in Kobe, Hyōgo. Its very first academic home was unusual—and bold—for the time: a single Faculty of Nutrition that was coeducational from the start. From there, KGU expanded steadily, adding the Faculties of Law and Economics (1967), Pharmaceutical Sciences (1972), Humanities & Sciences (1990), Business Administration (2004), and Rehabilitation (2005). In the past decade, the university also launched Contemporary Social Studies—featuring a distinctive major in Social Studies of Disaster Management—(2014), the Faculty of Global Communication (2015), and the Faculty/Graduate School of Psychology (2018–2019). KGU: History (timeline) KGU: History of the University

Today KGU operates across two campuses—Port Island (KPC) closer to downtown Kobe’s waterfront and Arise (KAC) to the west—offering programs that reflect Kobe’s own international character. The university’s English site emphasizes student-centered support and a mid-term plan that includes stronger learning support, diversity support, and enhanced career services. KGU: Campus Information KGU: Mid-Term Action Plan

In numbers, KGU reports around 10,898 undergraduates and 98 graduate students (as of Oct 1, 2024), taught by 335 teaching staff. Over time, KGU approaches a milestone of roughly 100,000 alumni active in government, industry, education, and the nonprofit sector. KGU: Students & Staff KGU: Message from the President

Key Strengths & Unique Features

Flagship Faculties in Health & Life Sciences

Pharmaceutical Sciences

KGU’s Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences is one of the university’s signature strengths. Beyond classroom and lab training, the faculty maintains active international exchanges—most visibly with U.S. partners. Recent examples include a study tour framework and visiting professors from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) และ University of the Pacific, who contributed clinical and research perspectives on pharmacy practice. These connections show up in guest lectures, short-term programs, and joint academic activities. Pharmaceutical Study in the United States (KGU Pharm.) Visiting Professor Report (UCSF, 2024) Visiting Professor Report (Univ. of the Pacific, 2023)

Nutrition

Nutrition is in KGU’s DNA—the university started in 1966 with a Faculty of Nutrition that was coeducational from day one. The current Department of Nutrition (including the Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics program) continues that legacy with a professional curriculum and ties to health professions on and off campus. KGU: History (Nutrition origins) KGU: Faculties

Rehabilitation

The Faculty of Rehabilitation (Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Social Rehabilitation) benefits from Kobe’s strong healthcare ecosystem and KGU’s practical approach to professional training. It also anchors many service-learning and community engagement projects. KGU: Faculties

Social Studies of Disaster Management

Born from lessons learned after the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, KGU’s Social Studies of Disaster Management is an applied, community-focused major within the Faculty of Contemporary Social Studies. The program emphasizes active learning—students analyze real urban problems, work with local stakeholders, and develop practical solutions for risk reduction and resilience in multicultural communities. KGU: Faculty of Contemporary Social Studies KGU: History (2014 launch)

Global Communication: Language Hours + Study Abroad

If your goal is strong language skills and real-world cultural literacy, the Faculty of Global Communication (GC) is designed for you. Students in the English and Chinese Courses take 720+ classroom hours over the first two years—roughly four times the language time of other faculties—then study abroad for a semester in the first half of the third year. The Japanese Course (for overseas students) emphasizes business Japanese and internships. KGU: Global Communication

Two-Campus City University in Liveable Kobe

KGU’s Port Island Campus (KPC) hosts Law, Business Administration, Contemporary Social Studies, Global Communication, and Pharmaceutical Sciences. The Arise Campus (KAC) hosts Economics, Humanities and Sciences, Psychology, Rehabilitation, and Nutrition. Exchange students are usually placed at KPC; KAC is about a 50-minute bus connection (approx. round trip ¥1,120). The International Exchange Center also runs E-pla, an English-learning space that hosts cultural events and conversation practice. KGU: Long-term Exchange (campus logistics) KGU: International Academic Exchanges (incl. E-pla) KGU: Campus Information

Student Life for Internationals

Clubs & Circles

KGU has a wide range of extracurricular groups—athletic, cultural, and volunteer-based—with regular competitions, performances, and community events. International students generally find clubs to be welcoming places to make local friends and practice Japanese outside class. KGU: Extracurricular Activities

Support Offices (Visa, Housing, Counseling)

The International Exchange Support Office hosts a dedicated help desk and oversees arrival guidance, housing arrangements for exchange students (typical off-campus apartment around ¥33,000/month, utilities extra), and referral to student support centers. The office also shares realistic cost-of-living expectations (plan for >¥100,000 per month in Japan). KGU: Long-term Exchange (housing & costs) KGU: International Academic Exchanges (contact)

Language-Exchange & Buddy Programs

KGU runs a Buddy system pairing exchange students with local volunteers, plus an International Exchange Lounge and the English Plaza “E-pla” for low-pressure language practice and cultural events. These are great ways to settle in, get practical campus tips, and meet friends fast. KGU: Buddy System KGU: International Academic Exchanges

Partner Institutions & Exchange Options

KGU maintains exchange agreements with 57 universities and institutions in 16 countries, supporting outbound and inbound mobility (long-term exchanges and short programs). Representative partners include University of Leeds (UK), Ulster (UK), Kent (UK), Cardiff (UK), University of Indonesia (Indonesia), University of Adelaide and Southern Cross (Australia), University of Waikato and the University of Auckland (New Zealand), University of Arizona and UCSF (USA), and York and Calgary (Canada). KGU: International Exchanges (overview) KGU: Schools & Institutions in Exchange Agreements

For course access, exchange students are assigned to one of the ten faculties but may take courses across faculties (mostly in Japanese) and add Japanese-language classes appropriate to their level. KGU publishes a syllabus portal and provides an academic advisor to help with prerequisites. KGU: Long-term Exchange (course selection)

Local Climate & Lifestyle

Kobe weather (recent five years): According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (Kobe station, WMO 47770), summer is hot and humid while winters are cool and relatively mild. In 2024, the monthly mean of daily maximum temperature reached around 34–35 °C in August, with monthly mean of daily minimum around 27–28 °C. January averages were roughly 11 °C (max) และ 6 °C (min). Across 2020–2024, monthly mean temperatures show a consistent seasonal pattern with hot peaks in July–September and coolest months December–February. JMA: Kobe 2024 Monthly Temperature Details JMA: Kobe Monthly Climate Statistics (multi-year) KGU: Kobe overview (climate note)

Everyday living: KGU advises students to prepare a monthly living budget of ¥100,000+. Exchange housing is typically a furnished off-campus apartment near KPC (~¥33,000/month, utilities extra). Kobe’s compact rail network puts you within a short hop of Osaka, Kyoto, and Nara for weekend trips, while the city itself offers seaside parks, Sannomiya shopping, and international dining. KGU: Long-term Exchange (housing & living cost)

International Student Statistics

As of May 1, 2025, KGU reports 154 undergraduate และ 14 graduate international students, for a total of 168. Undergraduates are primarily from China, with smaller cohorts from Vietnam, Indonesia, Korea, and others (including the U.S., Taiwan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, India, and Ukraine). KGU: Intl Students by Country (PDF)

Level	Headcount	Notes
ระดับปริญญาตรี	154	Top countries: China (largest), plus Vietnam, Indonesia, Korea; “Others” include U.S., Taiwan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, India, Ukraine.
Graduate	14	Across master’s and doctoral programs.
Total	168	Share of total enrollment ≈ 1.5% (168 / 10,996).

Career & Graduate Prospects

KGU highlights faculty-by-faculty employment outcomes each year, reflecting its professional orientation in fields like Law/Business, Health & Life Sciences, and Social Sciences. The English site lists AY 2024 results for all ten faculties (with breakdowns published by unit). KGU: Employment Results (AY 2024)

International-student outcomes: KGU publishes an annual summary for international graduates. For AY 2024, the job placement rate among job-seeking international students was reported at 89% (22 domestic, 2 overseas), alongside further-study and preparation routes. This is in line with previous years and speaks to mentoring by the Career Center and faculty advisors. KGU: Career Support for International Students (with data)

Looking long term, KGU notes that its alumni network now approaches ~100,000 graduates across government, NGOs, education, and industry—a useful base for internships, regional networking, and early-career mobility in Kansai (Kobe–Osaka–Kyoto). KGU: Message from the President

Why Kobe Gakuin Might Fit You

Choose KGU if you want a practical, profession-ready Japanese degree in a city that’s global but manageable in size. Health and life sciences are clear strengths (Pharmacy, Nutrition, Rehabilitation), GC gives you 700+ hours of language training plus mandatory study abroad, and the Disaster Management major is a rare chance to do social-impact learning connected to local government and communities. Add stable support systems—international desk, buddy program, and an open club culture—and you’ve got a comfortable launchpad for a future career in Japan or your home country.