Tokushima University Guide for International Applicants: Admissions, Tuition, Programs & Student Life

Thinking about studying in Japan but want a campus that blends serious research with a friendly, outdoorsy city? Tokushima University could be your match. Set on Shikoku Island, the national university is known for health and life sciences, cutting‑edge engineering, and a tight connection with local global companies (hello, Otsuka and Nichia). This guide highlights quick facts, strengths, student life, exchange options, climate, and career pathways—so you can quickly see if Tokushima fits your plans and budget (tuition is the standard national rate: ¥535,800/year). Bookmark this for your shortlist.

Quick Facts: Tokushima University

Here’s a one‑screen snapshot you can save. The sources are official or major rankings. Figures may vary slightly year to year, but these will get you oriented fast.

Type	National Outline (English)
Total Students	7,467 (THE 2025 data). Source
Campus	Jousanjima (main campus). Also Kuramoto (medical & dental) and Shinkura (administration). THE / University outline
Faculties / Schools	Integrated Arts & Sciences; Medicine; Dentistry; Pharmaceutical Sciences; Science & Technology; Bioscience & Bioindustry. Official list (English)
Tuition Fees	Tuition ¥535,800/year; Entrance fee ¥282,000; (typical national rates). Tuition page
Gender Ratio	36% female : 64% male (THE 2025). Source
International Students %	2% (THE 2025). See detailed counts below. Source
Students per Staff	9.6 (THE 2025). Source

Campus Maps

Jousanjima Campus (Main)

Address: 1-1 Minamijosanjima-cho, Tokushima City, Tokushima 770-8502, Japan

Kuramoto Campus (Medicine, Dentistry & University Hospital)

Address: 2-50-1 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima City, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan

Shinkura Campus (Administration Headquarters)

Address: 2-24 Shinkura-cho, Tokushima City, Tokushima 770-8501, Japan

Mission, History & Founding Story

Tokushima University is a national university on Shikoku Island that traces its roots to pre‑war teacher training, engineering, pharmacy, and medical schools. The modern university was officially established in 1949 under Japan’s National School Establishment Law, merging several specialized institutions into a comprehensive public university. Over time, the university expanded into dentistry (1976), reorganized its graduate units, and—like all national universities—transitioned to a National University Corporation in 2004.

Today the university’s mission emphasizes “thinking globally and acting from Tokushima”—advancing research that supports healthy, sustainable communities while developing talent for Japan and the world. In practice, that means deep strengths in health and life sciences (medicine, dentistry, pharmaceutical sciences, nutrition, and health sciences), a large engineering faculty (science and technology, including AI/robotics and materials), and bioscience & bioindustry. For an official overview in English (including campus maps and basic data), see the university’s outline page: Outline of Tokushima University.

Campuses reflect this focus. The Jousanjima main campus (near the Shinmachi River) houses Integrated Arts & Sciences, Science & Technology, and Bioscience & Bioindustry, while the Kuramoto campus clusters Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and the university hospital—Tokushima’s largest advanced‑care hospital. Some administrative functions are at Shinkura. For a concise overview of locations and basic data, refer again to the official outline page linked above.

Key Strengths & Unique Features

Health & Life Sciences at Kuramoto (Flagship Strength)

Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences & University Hospital

Tokushima University’s health cluster is unusually comprehensive for a regional campus. The School of Medicine is tightly linked to Tokushima University Hospital, the prefecture’s largest advanced‑care hospital with broad clinical departments and research centers. Dentistry and pharmacy are on the same Kuramoto site: Faculty of Dentistry (EN); hospital profile in English via the University site: University Hospital (English).

Blue‑LED & Advanced Materials Heritage

Tokushima is home to Nichia Corporation, the materials and optoelectronics giant headquartered in the prefecture. The university–industry ecosystem around Nichia helped shape modern solid‑state lighting, and Nobel Prize laureate Shuji Nakamura earned his Doctor of Engineering at Tokushima University while pioneering GaN blue LEDs. The university’s international student handout (Oct 2024) also highlights regional ties and alumni networks: International Office PDF (2024).

Robotics, AI & Intelligent Systems

From human–robot interaction to UAVs and field automation, labs in the engineering faculty cover robotics and intelligent systems. For a taste, see Suzuki Lab’s robotics/UAV work: Suzuki Lab (Robotics, UAV, HRI). Student teams also appear in national rescue‑robot contests, signaling a hands‑on culture: Rescue Robot Contest (Final).

Bioindustry & Health‑Tech with Regional Employers

Tokushima Prefecture hosts global players. Otsuka Pharmaceutical Group and Otsuka Pharmaceutical Factory maintain major operations and manufacturing in the prefecture, supporting careers in pharmaceutical, nutrition, and medical devices. University‑born startups like the ER Stress Research Institute also point to a growing health‑tech pipeline. Scholarships via donors and university funds are summarized here: Scholarships (English).

Integrated Arts & Sciences with Real‑World Outcomes

The Faculty of Integrated Arts & Sciences blends social sciences, humanities, and data‑literate problem solving, with the university noting strong job placement and practical learning in its English summary. While undergraduate coursework is primarily in Japanese (see admissions notes), the cross‑disciplinary philosophy is attractive for students who want broader skill‑sets before specializing.

Student Life for Internationals

Clubs & Circles that Welcome Overseas Students

Joining a club (“circle”) is one of the fastest ways to make friends and practice Japanese. Tokushima University reports dozens of clubs on each campus (Jousanjima: ~33 cultural and ~39 athletic; Kuramoto: ~5 cultural and ~12 athletic). Details and where to ask about contacts: Extra‑curricular Activities (EN).

Dedicated Support Offices (Visa, Housing, Counseling)

The International Office centralizes information on visa procedures, scholarships, dorms, academic and career support, and runs regular events and briefings. For housing, see university dorms and how to rent off‑campus: Housing in Tokushima and living cost guidance: Living Expenses (EN). For counters/contacts on campus: Office List (EN).

Language‑Exchange & Cultural Activities

While a formal “buddy program” page is not prominent in English, the International Office frequently hosts language‑friendly cultural events and seminars (e.g., English Rakugo, Taiwanese culture & language nights), plus Japanese courses and an English class for international students. Check the event feed and course links: International Office (EN).

Partner Institutions & Exchange Options (Outbound Focus)

If you enroll at Tokushima University and want to go abroad during your degree, the partnership list is broad and multi‑regional. Sample partners include Monash University (Australia), Ghent University (Belgium), University of Auckland (New Zealand), Xi’an Jiaotong and Wuhan (China), and U.S. partners such as Florida Atlantic University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and others. Browse the official agreements list: International Academic Exchange Agreements (EN).

Local Climate & Lifestyle

Weather Patterns (Recent Reference)

Tokushima has a humid subtropical climate with hot summers and mild winters. Typical averages (airport station) show August highs around 30°C / 86–87°F and January highs around 9–10°C / 48–50°F, with typhoon‑season rains peaking in late summer. For station‑based historical data (you can toggle the last five years), see Meteostat (Tokushima Airport) or a visualization‑heavy overview at WeatherSpark.

Cost of Living (¥)

Tokushima University’s guidance estimates monthly living costs (excluding tuition) around ¥85,000–¥115,000 for one person (food ¥35k–45k; rent ¥25k–35k; books, medical, etc.). See the official breakdown: Living Expenses (English). For market‑price snapshots, third‑party trackers like Numbeo can help sanity‑check rent and food.

City Vibe, Access & Safety

Tokushima City is compact, with rivers, cycling paths, and quick access to nature (Mt. Bizan, Yoshino River). It’s ~110–150 minutes by highway bus to Kobe/Osaka and ~165 minutes to Kansai Int’l Airport; ~75 minutes by plane to Tokyo. See access notes on the English top page: Tokushima University (EN). Japan’s safety profile is among the strongest globally; for practical guidance in English, see the UK government’s travel advisory: Safety & Security in Japan.

International Student Statistics

Times Higher Education lists international students at about 2% of total enrollment (data used for the 2025 rankings). THE profile. The university’s International Office handout (Oct 2024) shows a headcount snapshot of 235 international students across undergraduate, graduate, and research categories; see the PDF for a breakdown by school and nationality.

Faculty / Graduate School	Intl. Students (Oct 2024)
Integrated Arts & Sciences (UG)	28
Science & Technology (UG)	34
Bioscience & Bioindustry (UG)	4
Medicine / Med. Nutrition / Health Sciences (Grad)	37
Oral Sciences (Grad)	22
Pharmaceutical Sciences (Grad)	7
Sciences & Tech. for Innovation (Grad)	90
Research Students & Other	13
Total	235

For national context, Study in Japan’s 2024 survey shows that the largest cohorts of international students in Japan come from China, Nepal, Viet Nam, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. National breakdown (2024). Tokushima University’s alumni associations are active across China, Korea, Mongolia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Bangladesh; see alumni/giving pages for networks and events: Alumni & Giving.

Career & Graduate Prospects

Healthcare, pharma, materials, and manufacturing are strong local sectors. Many students target roles with Otsuka Group (pharma, nutrition, medical devices) and Nichia (LED/laser, battery materials), both with major bases in Tokushima Prefecture. See Nichia’s corporate profile: Nichia overview; Otsuka’s integrated report and manufacturing footprint: Otsuka Integrated Report 2024 / OPF Manufacturing.

On campus, the International Office coordinates employment guidance, internship information, and job‑hunting support tailored to international students. Start with the public page here: Career Support (EN) and the International Office portal: International Office (EN). If you’re research‑bound, check press releases and lab pages for collaborations such as AI tools applied to clinical pharmacology (e.g., FRONTEO’s license agreement with Tokushima University): Press release.

If you plan a research‑oriented path, Tokushima’s graduate programs in Medical Nutrition, Health Sciences, Oral Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Sciences & Technology for Innovation offer English‑track options, useful if you’re coming without advanced Japanese. (Check the latest graduate admissions PDFs for details.) Example pages: graduate‑school overview via the International Office Graduate Admissions – Step 1, and a compiled outline of graduate schools (PDF): Outlines of Graduate Schools.

Admissions & Money: The Practical Corner

Tuition, Entrance Fee & Waivers (¥)

Standard national rates apply: tuition ¥535,800/year; entrance fee ¥282,000; semester tuition billed at ¥267,900. See the official, frequently updated English page: Tuition & Fees (Tokushima University). The International Office page also explains tuition exemptions/waivers and scholarships for self‑supported students.

Language of Instruction

Undergraduate programs are conducted in Japanese (the university often references JLPT N2‑level ability for undergrad). Graduate programs in several fields provide English‑track options; always verify the newest brochure for your target program. For faculty listings: Faculties (EN); for international agreements and possible exchange paths: Agreements (EN).

Final Tips for Overseas Applicants

Match your goals to the campus: if you’re health‑focused, Kuramoto puts you next to the teaching hospital; if you’re engineering, data, or bioindustry‑curious, Jousanjima is your base. Use official English pages to confirm fees, scholarships, and intake windows. And if you want study‑abroad during your Tokushima degree, scroll the partner list early and plan language prep accordingly: Exchange Agreements | Career Support | International Office.