Study at the University of Kitakyushu for International Applicants : Admissions, Tuition, Scholarships, Programs, and Student Life

Thinking about studying in Japan but unsure which city or campus fits you best? The University of Kitakyushu (UKK) blends a friendly, mid-sized public university with a practical, career-focused culture and strong ties to industry and city government. With two distinct campuses—Kitagata (main) for social sciences and humanities, and Hibikino for environmental engineering and tech—UKK offers a balanced environment for international students who want both rigorous academics and an easy-to-live city. Below you’ll find quick facts, strengths, student life, exchange options, climate and costs, plus graduate outcomes—all sourced from official pages to help you decide if UKK is right for you.

Quick Facts — The University of Kitakyushu

Snapshot data below are drawn from UKK’s official pages and the latest posted figures. For details, see the source links in the rightmost column.

Item	Value (Latest Available)	Source
Type	Public (Public University Corporation)	Official English Site
Total Students	6,775 (as of May 1, 2025)	Students & Staff (JP)
Campuses	2 — Kitagata (Main), Hibikino	Kitagata (EN) / Hibikino (EN)
Faculties/Schools (undergrad)	6 — Foreign Studies; Economics; Humanities; Law; Environmental Engineering; School of Regional Development	Faculties (EN)
Graduate Schools	4 — Social System Studies; Law; Environmental Engineering; Management	Graduate Schools (EN)
Tuition & Fees (annual)	Tuition (UG/Grad): ¥535,800 per year. Entrance fee (first year): ¥282,000 (Kitakyushu City resident) / ¥423,000 (others). Other yearly fees: ¥126,600–¥136,600; Insurance: ¥4,660.	Tuition 2025 (JP) / Fees & Entrance (JP)
Gender Ratio	University-wide: not officially published. Example (Faculty of Environmental Engineering, 2024-05-01): Male 76.7% / Female 23.3%.	Engineering Faculty Stats (JP)
International-Student %	≈300 international students (≈4.4% of 6,775 total)	International Center (JP) / Students & Staff (JP)
Students per Staff	≈25.7 : 1 (6,775 ÷ 264)	Students & Staff (JP)

Campus Maps

Kitagata (Main) Campus

Address: 4-2-1 Kitagata, Kokura Minami-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 802-8577, Japan

Open reviews & details  |  Directions

Hibikino Campus (Wakamatsu)

Address: 1-1 Hibikino, Wakamatsu-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 808-0135, Japan

Open reviews & details  |  Directions

Mission, History & Founding Story

The University of Kitakyushu traces its roots to postwar northern Kyushu, where higher education was needed to support rapid urban recovery and industrial restructuring. Over the decades, UKK evolved into a public university serving the city and wider region with a pragmatic mission: cultivate globally minded graduates who can think across disciplines and apply knowledge to real problems—from urban management and social policy to environmental engineering and data-driven governance. That mission shows in the structure of its two campuses: Kitagata hosts the social sciences and humanities (Foreign Studies, Economics, Humanities, Law, and the School of Regional Development), while Hibikino anchors the sciences and engineering at the Kitakyushu Science and Research Park, with laboratories designed for advanced materials, robotics, energy systems, architecture, and life science. For a concise institutional overview in English, see UKK’s own pages here and the campus introductions for Kitagata 和 Hibikino.

As a city university, UKK’s identity is tied to Kitakyushu’s transformation from a heavy-industry hub to a leader in environmental technology and circular-economy policy. The Environmental Engineering faculty and graduate school—housed at Hibikino—work closely with municipal projects and companies in the research park, an ecosystem that encourages internships, project-based learning, and joint research. Meanwhile, Kitagata nurtures linguists, policy experts, regional developers, and legal professionals who can respond to complex social change in Kyushu and beyond. The university summarizes its scale and staffing (6,775 students and 264 faculty as of May 1, 2025) on its official statistics page here (JP).

UKK’s mission is also outward-facing. Through the International Student Support Center and the Center for International Education & Exchange (CIEE), the university runs inbound Japanese-language and culture courses and facilitates outbound exchange, short-term study, and language training. English summaries of international activities are posted on the “International Exchange” page here, and you can contact the relevant offices via the Hibikino English contact page here.

Key Strengths & Unique Features

Environmental & Engineering Focus at Hibikino

UKK’s Hibikino campus sits inside the Kitakyushu Science and Research Park, home to high-spec shared facilities and industry collaboration. The Faculty of Environmental Engineering spans mechanical systems, information systems, architectural design, environmental life engineering, and energy/chemical fields. The official campus page outlines student labs and equipment, as well as industry links that support internships and hiring (EN). Department pages and the career outcomes dashboard for Environmental Engineering further illustrate consistent placement and graduate-school progression (JP).

Global & Regional Problem-Solving at Kitagata

The Kitagata campus hosts Foreign Studies, Economics, Humanities, Law, and the School of Regional Development—fields that marry language, policy, culture, and law to real city issues. UKK emphasizes small-group education and early seminars, which is highlighted on faculty pages (for example, Economics notes balanced gender composition, smaller student–faculty ratios, and seminar-based learning) (JP). An English summary of faculties and programs is available here (EN).

English-Track Doctoral Specialization (AGI Collaboration)

For students planning advanced research in policy and development, UKK offers an English-track specialization in International Development Policy within the Doctor’s Program in Social System Studies, delivered in collaboration with the Asian Growth Research Institute (AGI) in Kitakyushu. You can review the outline of fields, features, and degree procedures on the program pages List of Courses in English / Fields of Study / Degree Procedures.

Flagship Undergraduate Areas (examples)

Environmental Engineering — Project-based learning with direct links to local industries and labs at Hibikino; consistent employment outcomes and graduate-school placements are visible in faculty data and the central career dashboard (JP) / Career Center DATA.
Foreign Studies — Language proficiency pathways in English and Chinese, plus intercultural courses and outbound study options; see Faculties (EN).

Student Life for Internationals

Clubs & Circles that Welcome Overseas Students

Student clubs (circles) are a cornerstone of campus life at UKK, from sports and culture to community projects. The club/activity overview is maintained on the university’s life pages (JP) Clubs & Activities. International students at Hibikino also join lab groups and maker/robotics teams through coursework.

Dedicated Support (Visa, Housing, Counselling)

The International Student Support Center coordinates visa status, dorm information, and daily support. The Hibikino English contact page lists phones, office hours, and emails for admissions and international-student support Contact (EN). Student guidance pages (EN) summarize counselling and services for Hibikino Student Life (EN).

Language-Exchange & Buddy Programs

Japanese and international students routinely collaborate through language classes, tutoring, and cultural exchange activities. The “International Exchange” page in English mentions Japanese lessons and a student-run tutoring program for internationals International Exchange (EN).

Partner Institutions & Exchange Options (Outbound)

UKK runs exchange, study-abroad, and short-term programs with partners across the U.S., UK, Australia, China, South Korea, and more; language support for TOEFL/IELTS is also noted. See the English overview here. For detailed outbound program guides and current partner lists, consult the International Center’s PDFs and pages (JP/EN) from the official site—for example, the concise English guide (PDF) and the latest 2025 Japanese guide (PDF) accessible from the International Center’s web pages Study Guide (EN, PDF) / Guide 2025 (JP, PDF).

Local Climate & Lifestyle

Weather (Recent Years) — What to Expect

Kitakyushu has warm, humid summers and cool winters. Typical year-round averages in the city: highs around the mid-80s °F (≈ 30°C) in August and lows around the high-30s °F (≈ 3°C) in late January. For a recent year snapshot, see Kitakyushu Airport 2024 weather history; for long-term averages, see the city profile 2024 Weather (Weatherspark) / Average Weather (Weatherspark).

Cost of Living & Safety (City Benchmarks)

Living costs in Kitakyushu are generally below Tokyo/Osaka levels. Benchmarks for typical expenses (e.g., meals, transit passes) can be compared on Numbeo’s Kitakyushu page (updated periodically by contributors) Cost of Living (Numbeo). Safety indices are likewise available (user-reported) Crime/Safety (Numbeo). For precise university fees and dorm costs, always rely on UKK’s official pages.

International Student Statistics

UKK does not publish a single consolidated, up-to-the-minute page with university-wide international student counts by country in English. Figures can vary by year and faculty, and some summaries appear in guides issued by the International Center. If you require exact current numbers or a regional breakdown, contact the International Student Support Center (EN) here or check the International Center’s downloadable guides (EN PDF) / (JP PDF).

Career & Graduate Prospects

UKK reports strong employment outcomes. For example, the university announced that the 2024 academic-year graduate employment rate reached 99.5% (released May 26, 2025) Official News (JP). The centralized Career Center’s DATA page lists recent employers and outcomes by faculty (Japanese) Career Center DATA. Environmental Engineering also posts detailed faculty-specific outcomes Faculty Outcomes (JP).

Practical Notes (Fees, Language, Contacts)

Tuition: For 2025, annual tuition is ¥535,800 across faculties; see the official fee page Tuition 2025 (JP). Program language: Most undergraduate programs are in Japanese; the English-track option is at the doctoral level in Social System Studies (AGI collaboration), overviewed here English Courses (Doctoral). Contacts: For admissions and international support, use the Hibikino English contact window Contact (EN).