Logo of Hokkaido University

Hokkaido University

Sapporo, Japan • Founded 1876 • QS 2027 #179 =

Updated May 2026 · Source: hokudai.ac.jp · How we collect data

Overview

English Name: Hokkaido University
Local Name: 北海道大学
Acronyms: Hokudai
Founded: 1876
Institution Type: University
Control Type: Public
Entity Type: Non-profit
Rankings:
QS World University Rankings 2027 #179 = Times Higher Education 2026 #351-400 ARWU (Shanghai) 2026 #201-300 CWTS Leiden 2025 #1383 SCImago 2026 #363
Motto: Boys, Be Ambitious
Colours: Green
Logo of Hokkaido University

Established in 1918, the Hokkaido University (Hokkaido Daigaku) is a non-profit public higher education institution located in the urban setting of the metropolis of Sapporo (population range of 1,000,000-5,000,000 inhabitants), Hokkaido.

This institution also has a branch campus in Hakodate and Hokkaido. Officially recognized by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, Hokkaido University (Hokudai) is a large-sized coeducational Japanese higher education institution.

Hokkaido University (Hokudai) offers courses and programs leading to officially recognized higher education degrees such as pre-bachelor's degrees (i.e. certificates, diplomas, associate or foundation), bachelor's degrees, master's degrees and doctorate degrees in several areas of study. This 105-year-old Japanese higher-education institution has a selective admission policy based on entrance examinations.

The acceptance rate range is 0-9% making this Japanese higher education organization an extremely selective institution.

International applicants are eligible to apply for enrollment. Hokudai also provides several academic and non-academic facilities and services to students including a library, housing, sports facilities, financial aids and/or scholarships, study abroad and exchange programs, as well as administrative services.

Location & Contact

Address, phone, email, and online links for Hokkaido University are listed below.

Address: Nishi 5 Kita 8, Kita-ku
Postal Code: 060-0808
Other Sites: Also Hakodate Campus; Medical, Dental, Veterinary Hospitals; Training Ships
Phone: +81 (11) 716 2111
Fax: +81 (11) 706 2095
Social Media:

Academic Details

Scale, staffing, and recognition figures for Hokkaido University are listed below.

Academic Year: April to March (April-September; October-March)
Recognition: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan
Accrediting Agency: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
Admission Requirements: Graduation from high school or recognized equivalent (Daiken), and entrance examination (Center Shiken)
Student Enrollment: 15,000-19,999
Academic Staff Range: 2,000-2,499
Campus Setting: Urban
Memberships & Networks
Open Education Consortium (OEC)

Academic Structures

Below is how Hokkaido University is organised academically — the schools, faculties, and units.

Unit 33 items
  • Graduate School of Agriculture
  • Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering
  • Graduate School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering
  • Graduate School of Dental Medicine
  • Graduate School of Economics and Business
  • Graduate School of Education
  • Graduate School of Engineering
  • Graduate School of Environmental Science
  • Graduate School of Fisheries Sciences
  • Graduate School of Global Food Resources
  • Graduate School of Health Sciences
  • Graduate School of Humanities and Human Sciences
  • Graduate School of Infectious Diseases
  • Graduate School of Information Science and Technology
  • Graduate School of International Media, Communication and Tourism Studies
  • Graduate School of Law
  • Graduate School of Life Science
  • Graduate School of Medicine
  • Graduate School of Public Policy
  • Graduate School of Science
  • Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine
  • School of Agriculture
  • School of Dental Medicine
  • School of Economics and Business
  • School of Education
  • School of Engineering
  • School of Fisheries Sciences
  • School of Humanities and Human Sciences
  • School of Law
  • School of Medicine
  • School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacy
  • School of Science
  • School of Veterinary Medicine

Faculties & Divisions

All faculties operate under Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan.

Education and Research for Topological Science and Technology (Centre) 2 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Mathematics and Computer Science
  • Technology
Environmental and Health Sciences (Centre) 2 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Environmental Studies
  • Health Sciences
Field Science Centre for Northern Biosphere (Centre) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Environmental Studies
Information Initiative Centre (Centre) 3 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Computer Science
  • Information Technology
  • Multimedia
Translational Research (Centre) 3 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Biological and Life Sciences
  • Genetics
  • Medicine
Agriculture (Faculty) 8 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Agricultural Economics
  • Agriculture
  • Agrobiology
  • Animal Husbandry
  • Biological and Life Sciences
  • Chemistry
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Forestry
Engineering (Faculty) 16 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Applied Chemistry
  • Applied Physics
  • Architecture
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Bioengineering
  • Civil Engineering
  • Computer Networks
  • Computer Science
  • Electronic Engineering
  • Engineering
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Information Sciences
  • Information Technology
  • Materials Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Natural Resources
Letters (Faculty) 2 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Arts and Humanities
  • Modern Languages
Agriculture (Graduate School) 15 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Agricultural Economics
  • Agriculture
  • Agronomy
  • Animal Husbandry
  • Applied Chemistry
  • Biological and Life Sciences
  • Biology
  • Botany
  • Ecology
  • Environmental Studies
  • Food Science
  • Forest Products
  • Forestry
  • Horticulture
  • Molecular Biology
Chemical Sciences and Engineering (Graduate School) 6 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Biochemistry
  • Bioengineering
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Chemistry
  • Materials Engineering
  • Molecular Biology
Dental Medicine (Graduate School) 15 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Anaesthesiology
  • Anatomy
  • Dental Technology
  • Dentistry
  • Gerontology
  • Oral Pathology
  • Orthodontics
  • Periodontics
  • Pharmacology
  • Physiology
  • Radiology
  • Rehabilitation and Therapy
  • Social and Preventive Medicine
  • Stomatology
  • Surgery
Economics and Business Administration (Graduate School) 4 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Accountancy
  • Business Administration
  • Economics
  • Management
Education (Graduate School) 9 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Clinical Psychology
  • Continuing Education
  • Education
  • Educational Psychology
  • Educational Sciences
  • Health Education
  • Pedagogy
  • Physical Education
  • Social Sciences
Engineering (Graduate School) 11 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Applied Physics
  • Architectural and Environmental Design
  • Energy Engineering
  • Engineering
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Environmental Management
  • Environmental Studies
  • Materials Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Natural Resources
  • Structural Architecture
Environmental Science (Graduate School) 3 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Earth Sciences
  • Environmental Management
  • Environmental Studies
Fisheries Sciences (Graduate School) 13 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Aquaculture
  • Biology
  • Biotechnology
  • Environmental Management
  • Environmental Studies
  • Fishery
  • Food Science
  • Food Technology
  • Genetics
  • Marine Biology
  • Microbiology
  • Natural Resources
  • Safety Engineering
Health Sciences (Graduate School) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Health Sciences
Information Science and Technology (Graduate School) 8 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Bioengineering
  • Computer Engineering
  • Computer Networks
  • Computer Science
  • Electronic Engineering
  • Information Sciences
  • Information Technology
  • Systems Analysis
International Media, Communication and Tourism Studies (Graduate School) 3 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Communication Studies
  • Media Studies
  • Tourism
Law (Graduate School) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Law
Letters (Graduate School) 13 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Art History
  • Arts and Humanities
  • Behavioural Sciences
  • Cultural Studies
  • Ethics
  • History
  • Linguistics
  • Literature
  • Philosophy
  • Psychology
  • Regional Studies
  • Religious Studies
  • Sociology
Life Science (Graduate School) 3 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Biological and Life Sciences
  • Biomedicine
  • Pharmacology
Medicine (Graduate School) 41 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Anaesthesiology
  • Anatomy
  • Applied Chemistry
  • Biochemistry
  • Cardiology
  • Cell Biology
  • Dermatology
  • Embryology and Reproduction Biology
  • Endocrinology
  • Epidemiology
  • Forensic Medicine and Dentistry
  • Gastroenterology
  • Haematology
  • Histology
  • Immunology
  • Medical Technology
  • Medicine
  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Nephrology
  • Neurological Therapy
  • Neurology
  • Neurosciences
  • Obstetrics and Gynaecology
  • Oncology
  • Ophthalmology
  • Orthopaedics
  • Otorhinolaryngology
  • Paediatrics
  • Pathology
  • Pharmacology
  • Physiology
  • Plastic Surgery
  • Psychiatry and Mental Health
  • Public Health
  • Radiology
  • Rehabilitation and Therapy
  • Respiratory Therapy
  • Rheumatology
  • Social and Preventive Medicine
  • Surgery
Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacy (Graduate School) 10 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Applied Chemistry
  • Biochemistry
  • Biophysics
  • Genetics
  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Pharmacology
  • Pharmacy
  • Toxicology
Public Policy (Graduate School) 3 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • International Relations and Diplomacy
  • Political Sciences
  • Public Administration
Science (Graduate School) 8 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Astronomy and Space Science
  • Biological and Life Sciences
  • Communication Studies
  • Earth Sciences
  • Mathematics
  • Natural Sciences
  • Physics
  • Seismology
Veterinary Medicine (Graduate School) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Veterinary Science
Genetic Medicine (Institute) 2 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Genetics
  • Medicine
Isotope Science (Institute) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Chemistry
Low Temperature Science (Institute) 2 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Meteorology
  • Physics
Meme Media Laboratory (Laboratory) 3 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Media Studies
  • Robotics
  • Software Engineering
Advanced Tourism Studies (Research Division) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Tourism
Ainu and Indigenous Studies (Research Division) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Indigenous Studies
Catalysis (Research Division) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Chemistry
Creative Research Institution 'Sousei' (Research Division) 2 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Natural Sciences
  • Technology
Electronic Science (Research Division) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Electronic Engineering
Environmental Nano and Bio Engineering (Research Division) 3 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Bioengineering
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Nanotechnology
Experimental Research in Social Sciences (Research Division) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Social Sciences
Hokkaido University Archives (Research Division) Faculty details available

Specialisations & Subjects

No specified subjects listed.

Information Law and Policy (Research Division) 2 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Information Sciences
  • Law
Integrated Quantum Electronics (Research Division) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Electronic Engineering
Integrative Mathematics (Research Division) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Mathematics
Language Learning (Research Division) 2 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Cultural Studies
  • Modern Languages
Research and Education Centre for Brain Science (Research Division) 3 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Behavioural Sciences
  • Cognitive Sciences
  • Neurology
Slavic Studies (Research Division) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Slavic Languages
Sustainability Science (Research Division) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Environmental Engineering
Zoonosis Control (Research Division) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Zoology
Dental Medicine (School) 5 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Dental Technology
  • Dentistry
  • Oral Pathology
  • Orthodontics
  • Rehabilitation and Therapy
Economics and Business Administration (School) 4 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Accountancy
  • Business Administration
  • Economics
  • Management
Education (School) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Education
Fisheries Sciences (School) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Fishery
Law (School) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Law
Medicine (School) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Medicine
Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacy (School) 2 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Pharmacology
  • Pharmacy
Science (School) 8 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Astronomy and Space Science
  • Biological and Life Sciences
  • Chemistry
  • Earth Sciences
  • Mathematics
  • Mathematics and Computer Science
  • Natural Sciences
  • Physics
Veterinary Medicine (School) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Veterinary Science

Programs Offered

Every programme Hokkaido University currently runs, grouped by degree level and searchable.

33 programmes on record. Each level below shows a sample. Compare these on the programs page All programs in Japan

Bachelor's Degree 12 programmes

Showing 10 of 12.

Master's Degree 17 programmes

Showing 10 of 17.

Doctorate 3 programmes

Professional Doctorate 1 programme

How to apply to Hokkaido University

Five steps that capture how applications to Hokkaido University flow.

  1. 1
    Identify the right programme

    Start by exploring the programmes section on this page. Hokkaido University runs 33 active programmes across multiple degree levels. Narrow by qualification tier and read each programme description before shortlisting.

  2. 2
    Check entry requirements

    Before applying to Hokkaido University, confirm you meet the academic, language, and document requirements for your chosen programme. International applicants should also check visa eligibility for Japan.

  3. 3
    Prepare your application documents

    Standard documents: official transcripts, identity proof, language test results, personal statement, and references. Confirm exact requirements with Hokkaido University's admissions office before assembling, as expectations vary by programme.

  4. 4
    Submit via the institution

    Lodge your application through the official website (www.hokudai.ac.jp). Online forms are the standard route. Save your draft frequently and submit before the programme deadline.

  5. 5
    Get in touch with admissions

    Verify your application has been received by the admissions team. Reach the institution by phone at +81 (11) 716 2111. Monitor the portal for status updates, interview invitations, or document requests, and respond within the stated deadlines.

Frequently Asked Questions about Hokkaido University

A short Q&A covering Hokkaido University's essentials — founding, location, and structure.

How old is Hokkaido University?

The institution opened in 1876 (approximately 150 years ago).

Where can I find Hokkaido University?

The institution is located in Sapporo, Japan.

What is Hokkaido University's control type?

Hokkaido University is a public institution.

How many students does Hokkaido University have?

The institution has a student body of 15,000-19,999.

What is Hokkaido University's ranking?

Hokkaido University is ranked QS 2027 #179 =.

What is Hokkaido University's academic structure?

Hokkaido University is organised into 33 academic units across its disciplines.

Who recognises Hokkaido University?

Hokkaido University is accredited by Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).

What is Hokkaido University's official website?

You can find Hokkaido University online at www.hokudai.ac.jp.

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