Shibaura Institute of Technology (SIT) — Programs, Tuition, Admissions & Student Life for International Applicants

If you’re an international student who likes big-city energy, hands-on engineering, and real-world projects, Shibaura Institute of Technology (SIT) deserves a careful look. This private science-and-engineering university spans two locations—Toyosu in Tokyo Bay and Omiya in neighboring Saitama—mixing an urban waterfront vibe with a greener suburban feel. SIT is known for practical learning (think labs, design studios, and project-based courses), a strong network of global partners, and supportive services for overseas students. Below is a balanced, evidence-based overview to help you decide whether SIT is a good match for your study goals, budget, and lifestyle in Japan.

Quick‑Facts Table

Type	Private (science & technology university)
Total Students	7,592 (as of May 2024) SIT at a Glance
Campuses	Main: Toyosu (Tokyo). Other: Omiya (Saitama). Toyosu Campus / Omiya Campus
Faculties / Schools	College of Engineering; College of Systems Engineering and Science; College of Design Engineering; School of Architecture. Academics
Tuition Fees (Undergraduate)	AY2024 (per year): 1st ¥1,795,020; 2nd ¥1,505,020; 3rd ¥1,605,020; 4th ¥1,645,020 (includes enrollment/other fees). Tuition (Official)
Gender Ratio	Approx. Male 7,622 / Female 1,845 (total 9,467; most recent published breakdown). SIT in Data
International Student %	~13–14% (≈1,280 international students including short-term ÷ 9,467 total, latest published set). SIT in Data (Global)
Students per Staff	About 24.5 undergraduate students per faculty member. SIT in Data
Partner Universities	200+ worldwide (as of May 2024; list updated Aug 2025). At a Glance / Partner Institutions

Campus Maps

Toyosu Campus (Tokyo)

Address: 3-7-5 Toyosu, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-8548, Japan

Omiya Campus (Saitama)

Address: 307 Fukasaku, Minuma-ku, Saitama City, Saitama 337-8570, Japan

Mission, History & Founding Story

SIT’s DNA is practical and industry-facing. The university traces its roots to 1927 when Dr. Shiro Arimoto established Tokyo Higher School of Industry and Commerce, the forerunner of today’s SIT. The campus later moved to Shibaura in central Tokyo after World War II and reorganized as Shibaura Institute of Technology in 1949. Over the decades, SIT’s identity has been consistent: nurture engineers who “learn from society and contribute to society,” with strong ties to Japan’s manufacturing, construction, and technology sectors. The mission combines foundational science/engineering with application, entrepreneurship, and community impact.

The founding ethos—linking engineering with real-world problem solving—remains visible in today’s curriculum and campus culture. For an overview of the institution and its values, see the official “Founder & Philosophy” and “At a Glance” pages.
Founder & Philosophy · SIT at a Glance

Recent decades have brought big structural updates—most visibly the Toyosu campus in Kōtō City, Tokyo, near the redeveloped Tokyo Bay area. Toyosu concentrates advanced labs, a design-forward library, and collaborative spaces in a setting that’s minutes from central Tokyo by subway. Meanwhile, the Omiya campus in Saitama offers wide green grounds and a quieter, study-friendly environment (it was the first university campus in Japan certified under ISO 14001). Many students experience both: early years in Omiya for fundamentals, then Toyosu for upper-division specializations and industry access.
Toyosu Campus · Omiya Campus

In internationalization, SIT stands out. It is the only private university of science and technology selected for Japan’s Top Global University Project, which accelerated English-medium coursework (especially at graduate level), partnerships, and outbound project-based learning. The Division of Global Initiatives and the Global Learning Commons (GLC) are central hubs for exchange, language practice, and international student support.
SIT Home · Top Global University Project · Global Learning Commons (GLC)

Key Strengths & Unique Features

Hands‑On, Project‑Based Learning (gPBL & CEP)

SIT’s learning model is notably practical. Beyond standard labs, students join global Project‑Based Learning (gPBL) and short, intensive Cross‑cultural Engineering Projects (CEPs) with partner universities. These programs mix design, prototyping, teamwork, and cultural exchange—often culminating in presentations or demos. One recent winter-school CEP at Omiya brought together roughly 80 students (half from SIT, half from partners) for a 10‑day, English‑medium program in robotics and design.
SIT gPBL Programs · CEP Winter School (News)

Flagship Faculties & Programs

SIT is compact but diverse across core engineering and design fields. Below are the units most international applicants explore.

College of Engineering (Mechanical, Chemistry & Materials, Electrical & Electronic, Computer & Communications, Civil; plus an Innovative Global Program)

This is the traditional powerhouse. Education emphasizes fundamentals plus problem‑solving via design studios, labs, and fieldwork. Years 1–2 are usually in Omiya; years 3–4 are in Toyosu, bringing students closer to industry labs and central Tokyo. The Innovative Global Program (IGP) is a small English‑track intake (Bachelor of Engineering) designed around research‑based learning for globally minded students.
College of Engineering · IGP (English‑track)

College of Systems Engineering and Science

A cross‑disciplinary hub that blends systems thinking with electronics, machinery and control, bioscience, planning/architecture & environment, and mathematical sciences—ideal for students who like “whole‑system” problems across hardware, software, and society.
Systems Engineering & Science

College of Design Engineering

SIT’s design arm tunes engineers to user experience, product/service design, and social informatics, connecting digital skills with co‑creation and design thinking. It’s a natural fit for students drawn to human‑centered engineering and the interface between technology and everyday life.
Design Engineering

School of Architecture

Architecture at SIT connects studio culture with Japan’s high standards in structural design, urban planning, and disaster resilience. The Tokyo location makes design site‑visits and internships more accessible.
Academics Overview

Tokyo Bay & Green Campus: Two Distinct Learning Environments

Toyosu (Tokyo): a modern, urban waterfront campus in the Tokyo Bay redevelopment area—great access, industry nearby, and plenty of food, shopping, and internship options minutes away.
Omiya (Saitama): SIT’s spacious “Green Campus,” Japan’s first ISO 14001–certified university campus, favored for early‑year study and outdoor clubs.
Toyosu Campus · Omiya Campus

English‑Taught Options (Mostly Graduate) & How Undergraduates Fit In

Most undergraduate courses at SIT are taught in Japanese, and applicants are expected to be proficient. That said, SIT has expanded English‑medium pathways notably at the graduate level (SSFS—Special Selection for Foreign Students—offers 80+ subjects taught in English), and undergraduates can target the small, English‑track IGP intake in the College of Engineering. Always double‑check the current policy when you apply.
FAQ (English‑based courses at undergrad) · SSFS (Graduate, taught in English) · IGP (Undergraduate, English‑track)

Industry Links, Employability & Outcomes

SIT’s job outcomes are consistently strong across engineering disciplines. For the class of March 2024, undergraduate employment rates by department hovered around ~99% (with many also proceeding to graduate school). SIT also tracks how many graduates join “famous companies,” reflecting strong industry reputation, especially in sectors like automotive, electronics, construction, IT, energy, and infrastructure.
Career Data (2023/2024) · SIT in Data (Employment)

Student Life for Internationals

Clubs & Circles

SIT lists 50+ athletic and cultural clubs plus numerous student societies, with participation approaching half the student body. International students often join language circles, cultural groups, and technical clubs (robotics, design, automotive, etc.). A student interview highlights SISA (Shibaura International’s Association), which organizes campus events in the GLC and welcomes newcomers.
Clubs & Societies (Data) · Student Voice (SISA)

Support Offices (Visa, Housing, Counseling)

The Division of Global Initiatives and the Global Learning Commons (GLC) help international students settle in, practice language, and connect with campus events. SIT operates an international dormitory on the Omiya campus (~¥35,000/month including utilities). There is no dorm at Toyosu; the university helps students locate apartments near campus.
GLC · FAQ (Housing & Dorm)

Language‑Exchange & Buddy‑Style Activities

GLC hosts informal conversation meetups and student‑staffed sessions that connect Japanese and international students. During the COVID era, SIT even ran a Virtual‑GLC for daily online language practice; in‑person activities have since resumed, and gPBL/CEP projects naturally pair mixed teams—often the best “buddy” experience of all.
Virtual‑GLC (news) · gPBL Program Examples

Partner Institutions & Exchange Options (Outbound Focus)

SIT maintains 200+ global partner universities across Asia, Europe, North America, and beyond, facilitating semester exchanges, research internships, and course‑taking (the “Sandwich” program). A few examples (check the live list before you apply): The University of Queensland and RMIT (Australia), The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Indian Institutes of Technology (e.g., IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad), Addis Ababa University (Ethiopia), among many others.
Partner Universities (live list) · Exchange Programs · Course‑Taking Sandwich (fees)

Local Climate & Lifestyle

Weather patterns (recent years): Tokyo (Toyosu) summers are warm‑hot and humid; winters are cool with limited snowfall. Based on Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) tables, recent five‑year data show August mean daily highs around 31–33 °C and January mean daily lows around ~2–3 °C for central Tokyo. Saitama (Omiya) is similar but can feel a touch hotter in mid‑summer and cooler overnight in winter. For day‑to‑day planning and monthly averages, see the official data below.
JMA Tokyo Monthly Tables · Saitama Climate (overview)

Location	Typical Aug. Avg. High	Typical Jan. Avg. Low
Toyosu (Tokyo)	~31–33 °C	~2–3 °C
Omiya (Saitama)	~32 °C	~2–3 °C

Safety & cost of living: Japan consistently ranks among the world’s safer countries, and Tokyo is known for reliable transit and low street crime. For budgeting, official guidance suggests monthly housing averages of about ¥41,000 nationwide and ~¥57,000 in Tokyo (actual rents vary by neighborhood and style of housing). Groceries, transit, and utilities add to typical student budgets—many SIT students use commuter passes and share apartments near Toyosu or Omiya.
Study in Japan (Cost of Living)

International Student Statistics

SIT’s latest published breakdown indicates ~1,280 international students (including short‑term) from diverse regions. Asia is the largest source region, followed by Europe; the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East represent smaller but active cohorts. Percentages below are shares of the international‑student total.

Region	Headcount	Share
Asia	961	~75.1%
Europe	234	~18.3%
Latin America & Caribbean	50	~3.9%
North America	17	~1.3%
Africa	15	~1.2%
Middle East	3	~0.2%

If you’re aiming for a multicultural classroom and project teams, the numbers support it—SIT’s gPBL, labs, and GLC activities draw students from across these regions every year.

Source: SIT in Data (Global)

Career & Graduate Prospects

SIT graduates head into a wide range of industries: automotive and heavy industry, electronics, IT/communications, construction and civil infrastructure, chemicals and materials, and energy. Department‑level “career” pages describe common pathways (for example, machinery/control graduates in manufacturing and energy; electronics/information graduates in communications, systems engineering, and devices). The career center offers counseling (English support available by appointment), fairs, and a job‑search engine.

For the class of March 2024, undergraduate employment rates by department were typically ~98–100%, with many students (especially in engineering and architecture) choosing to proceed to graduate school first. SIT’s own “in data” page also tracks the proportion of graduates hired by major, well‑known companies—useful if you’re benchmarking prestige outcomes.
Career Data (2023/2024) · SIT in Data (Employment) · Career Support (Our Mission)