Study Human Sciences in English at Osaka University: Inside the IUDP Bachelor’s Program

Choosing the right undergraduate program abroad is about more than checking prestige lists—it is about finding a place that nurtures your curiosity, challenges you academically, and welcomes you as part of a community. Osaka University’s International Undergraduate Degree Program (IUDP) in Human Sciences does exactly that. Taught entirely in English while steadily building your Japanese language skills, the four‑year Bachelor of Human Sciences degree lets you study society, culture, politics, and human behavior from multiple angles—and to do it in the heart of Kansai, one of Japan’s most vibrant regions. Below we unpack the essentials of the program so you can decide whether the IUDP is the perfect bridge to your global future.

Why Choose Osaka University’s Human Sciences IUDP?

Interdisciplinary, Student‑Focused Curriculum

Osaka University consistently sits within the global top‑100 (QS World University Rankings 2025 ranked it #86), yet the Human Sciences IUDP feels refreshingly personal. Launched in 2011, the curriculum begins with three semesters of shared foundation courses—thinking, writing, research methods—before you branch into one of three concentrations:

• Diversity & Inclusion Studies
• Japan Studies
• Political & Global Studies

Classes are capped at around 20–30 students, guaranteeing direct access to professors whose specialties range from social psychology to development economics. Because lectures, workshops, and fieldwork are delivered in English, you never lose academic momentum while your Japanese proficiency grows through intensive language classes and daily life on campus. Exchange agreements with more than 150 partner universities let you spend a semester or year abroad, and many IUDP students join themed study tours or service‑learning projects across Asia. The result is a degree that is both rooted in Japan and globally portable—ideal for students who want to pair deep cultural immersion with an outward‑looking career trajectory.

A dedicated academic advisor follows your progress from Orientation Week through the senior thesis, helping you tailor electives, lab placements, and community internships to your goals. For example, a Politics track student might intern with a local NGO researching disaster‑response policy, while a Diversity track student could assist faculty on projects related to inclusive education in Osaka. Such hands‑on experience is embedded, not optional, making the IUDP a living laboratory where classroom theory is tested in real time.

Admissions Essentials

Timeline & Requirements

Admissions to the IUDP run on a single intake each academic year. Online registration for the 2026 cohort opens at 10:00 JST on 1 December 2025 and closes at 23:59 JST on 5 January 2026. You then have four days for your hard‑copy documents to arrive in Osaka. The application package includes your high‑school transcript, two recommendation letters, standardized test scores (e.g., SAT, ACT, or IB), proof of English proficiency, a short analytical essay, and a statement of purpose. An interview—conducted via video call if you are overseas—gives you a chance to discuss your academic interests and life plans with faculty. Application decisions are typically released in late March, leaving you six months to arrange visas, housing, and flights for an October start. The program’s Admissions Office responds to email queries within three working days, and current students volunteer as “e‑buddies” to guide applicants through practical questions such as dorm availability and bank account setup.

Be aware that roughly one in five applicants is offered admission, so strong grades and a clear fit with Human Sciences are essential. While no prior Japanese study is required, demonstrating cultural curiosity and readiness to learn the language strengthens your case.

Your Financial Picture & Scholarships

Costs at a Glance

Because Osaka University is a national university, tuition is set by the Japanese government and remains affordable by international standards. As of the 2025–26 academic year the annual tuition is fixed at 535,800 JPY, paid in two equal installments. First‑year students also pay a one‑time matriculation fee of 282,000 JPY and a 17,000 JPY entrance‑examination fee. Living costs in the Osaka metropolitan area vary, but most IUDP students report spending 900,000–1,100,000 JPY per year on housing, food, transportation, and health insurance.

Financial relief is available. The Osaka University Scholarship offers a merit‑based stipend of 80,000 JPY per month. Many incoming undergraduates also compete for the Japanese Government’s Học bổng MEXT, which fully covers tuition and provides a generous living allowance. In addition, private foundations such as JASSO award monthly grants of 48,000 JPY to high‑performing, self‑funded students. Staff in the International College Office hold webinars each spring explaining eligibility criteria and timelines.

The table below summarizes the standard costs you should budget for the first year.

Fee Item	Amount (JPY)
Application Fee	17,000
Enrollment (Matriculation) Fee	282,000
Tuition (annual)	535,800
Estimated Living Cost (year)	~1,000,000

Life on & beyond Campus

Clubs, Housing, & Kansai Adventures

Osaka’s campuses in Suita and Toyonaka blend serene green spaces with cutting‑edge labs and maker studios. IUDP students can join more than 240 student clubs, from the English Debate Society to Taiko drumming. The university guarantees dormitory accommodation for first‑year internationals at rents starting around 35,000 JPY per month. Off‑campus apartments are plentiful, and many students move into share houses after their first year to experience local neighborhoods. University‑run Japanese classes meet four times a week, while conversation lounges pair you with domestic students eager to practice English. Weekends are perfect for exploring Osaka’s street‑food alleys, ancient temples in Kyoto (30 minutes by train), or seaside Kobe. Faculty regularly organize “field seminars,” short study trips to communities tackling real‑world social issues such as rural depopulation or refugee integration. These excursions turn the Kansai region into an extended classroom and help you form friendships well beyond the campus gates.

Mental‑health and career counselors offer bilingual appointments, and the Global Village on Toyonaka campus hosts cultural festivals, language exchanges, and startup pitch nights throughout the semester, ensuring that your social calendar can be as full as your course load.

Career Outcomes & Alumni Voices

From Osaka to the World

Graduates of the Human Sciences IUDP are prized for their cross‑cultural communication skills and analytical versatility. According to the program’s 2024 alumni survey, 38 % entered multinational corporations in Japan, 27 % joined NGOs or intergovernmental bodies such as the United Nations, and 24 % proceeded to graduate school in fields ranging from public policy to data science. Career advisers begin workshops in the sophomore year on résumé writing in both English and Japanese, and host employer information sessions with companies like Panasonic and Deloitte. Because your degree includes advanced Japanese credits, you can sit the JLPT N2 or N1 by graduation—an asset that sharply widens job options. Alumni networks in Tokyo, Singapore, and New York run mentoring circles and share internship leads, underscoring that the IUDP is not just a degree but a lifelong community.