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Nihon University emblem

Nihon University

Tokyo, Japan • Founded 1889 • THE 2026 #1501-2191

Updated May 2026 · Source: nihon-u.ac.jp

Overview

English Name: Nihon University
Local Name: 日本大学
Founded: 1889
Institution Type: University
Control Type: Private
Rankings:
Times Higher Education 2026 #1501-2191 ARWU (Shanghai) 2020 #901-1000 CWTS Leiden 2025 #1582 SCImago 2026 #1126
Colours: Pink
Mascot: Phoenix
Nihon University academic and student spaces
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Established in 1889, the Nihon University (Nihon Daigaku) is a private higher education institution located in the large metropolis of Tokyo (population range of over 5,000,000 inhabitants).

Officially recognized by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, Nihon University is a very large-sized coeducational Japanese higher education institution. Nihon University offers courses and programs leading to officially recognized higher education degrees such as bachelor's degrees, master's degrees and doctorate degrees in several areas of study.

This 134-year-old Japanese higher-education institution has a selective admission policy based on entrance examinations. International applicants are eligible to apply for enrollment.

Nihon University also provides several academic and non-academic facilities and services to students including a library, as well as administrative services.

Location & Contact

Find Nihon University on the map and its contact channels below.

Address: 4-8-24 Kudan-Minami Chiyoda-ku
Postal Code: 102-8275
Phone: +81 (3) 5275 8110
Fax: +81 (3) 5275 8315
Social Media:

Academic Details

The numbers behind Nihon University: student body, academic staff, and recognising bodies.

Academic Year: April to March (April-September; October-March)
Recognition: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan
Accrediting Agency: Japan University Accreditation Association (JUAA)
Admission Requirements: Graduation from high school or equivalent or foreign equivalent, and entrance examination
Student Enrollment: over-50,000
Academic Staff Range: 2,500-2,999

Academic Structures

Nihon University's academic units are listed below, by type.

Unit 37 items
  • College of Art
  • College of Bioresource Sciences
  • College of Commerce
  • College of Economics
  • College of Engineering
  • College of Humanities and Sciences
  • College of Industrial Technology
  • College of International Relations
  • College of Law
  • College of Medicine
  • College of Pharmacy
  • College of Risk Management
  • College of Science and Technology
  • College of Sports Sciences
  • Graduate School of Art
  • Graduate School of Bioresource Sciences
  • Graduate School of Business Administration
  • Graduate School of Dentistry
  • Graduate School of Dentistry At Matsudo
  • Graduate School of Economics
  • Graduate School of Engineering
  • Graduate School of Industrial Technology
  • Graduate School of Integrated Basic Sciences
  • Graduate School of International Relations
  • Graduate School of Journalism and Media
  • Graduate School of Law
  • Graduate School of Literature and Social Sciences
  • Graduate School of Medicine
  • Graduate School of Pharmacy
  • Graduate School of Risk Management
  • Graduate School of Science and Technology
  • Graduate School of Social and Cultural Studies
  • Graduate School of Sports Sciences
  • Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine
  • Law School
  • School of Dentistry
  • School of Dentistry at Matsudo

Degrees

Also Postgraduate Professional Degree in Law

Other 64 programs
  • Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering
  • Animal Husbandry
  • Applied Chemistry
  • Architecture
  • Arts and Humanities
  • Biological and Life Sciences
  • Business Administration
  • Business and Commerce
  • Chemistry
  • Chinese
  • Civil Engineering
  • Civil Law
  • Computer Engineering
  • Dentistry
  • Design
  • Earth Sciences
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering
  • Electronic Engineering
  • Engineering
  • English
  • Fine Arts
  • Geography
  • Geography (Human)
  • German
  • History
  • Industrial Engineering
  • Industrial Management
  • Information Sciences
  • Information Technology
  • International Relations and Diplomacy
  • Japanese
  • Journalism
  • Law
  • Literature
  • Mathematics
  • Measurement and Precision Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Media Studies
  • Medical Technology
  • Medicine
  • Modern Languages
  • Music
  • Natural Resources
  • Natural Sciences
  • Naval Architecture
  • Nursing
  • Performing Arts
  • Pharmacy
  • Philosophy
  • Physical Education
  • Physics
  • Political Sciences
  • Private Law
  • Psychology
  • Public Law
  • Real Estate
  • Sociology
  • Structural Architecture
  • Transport Engineering
  • Veterinary Science
  • Visual Arts

Faculties & Divisions

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

Art (College) 9 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Cinema and Television
  • Design
  • Film
  • Fine Arts
  • Literature
  • Music
  • Photography
  • Radio and Television Broadcasting
  • Theatre
Bioresource Sciences (College) 13 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Agricultural Business
  • Animal Husbandry
  • Biological and Life Sciences
  • Chemistry
  • Development Studies
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Environmental Studies
  • Food Science
  • Forest Products
  • Forestry
  • Marine Science and Oceanography
  • Plant and Crop Protection
  • Veterinary Science
Commerce (College) 3 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Accountancy
  • Business Administration
  • Business and Commerce
Economics (College) 4 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Economic and Finance Policy
  • Economics
  • Finance
  • Industrial Management
Engineering (College) 8 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Applied Chemistry
  • Architecture
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Civil Engineering
  • Computer Science
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
Humanities and Sciences (College) 23 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Asian Studies
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Chinese
  • Computer Science
  • Cultural Studies
  • Earth Sciences
  • Education
  • English
  • Geography
  • German
  • History
  • Information Technology
  • Japanese
  • Literature
  • Mathematics
  • Philosophy
  • Physical Education
  • Physics
  • Psychology
  • Social Welfare
  • Sociology
  • Systems Analysis
Industrial Technology (College) 15 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Applied Chemistry
  • Architecture
  • Bridge Engineering
  • Civil Engineering
  • Computer Engineering
  • Computer Science
  • Construction Engineering
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering
  • Engineering Drawing and Design
  • Industrial Engineering
  • Industrial Management
  • Management
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Road Engineering
  • Structural Architecture
International Relations (College) 3 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Arts and Humanities
  • International Relations and Diplomacy
  • International Studies
Law (College) 9 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Commercial Law
  • Economics
  • Journalism
  • Law
  • Media Studies
  • Political Sciences
  • Private Law
  • Public Administration
  • Public Law
Science and Technology (College) 16 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering
  • Applied Chemistry
  • Architecture
  • Civil Engineering
  • Computer Engineering
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Electronic Engineering
  • Marine Engineering
  • Materials Engineering
  • Mathematics
  • Measurement and Precision Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Naval Architecture
  • Physics
  • Town Planning
  • Transport Engineering
Distance Learning (Department/Division) 8 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Business and Commerce
  • Economics
  • English
  • History
  • Japanese
  • Law
  • Literature
  • Political Sciences
Art (Graduate School) 6 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Design
  • Fine Arts
  • Literature
  • Music
  • Performing Arts
  • Visual Arts
Bioresource Sciences (Graduate School) 4 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Biological and Life Sciences
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Environmental Management
  • Natural Resources
Business (Graduate School) 4 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Health Administration
  • International Business
  • Management
  • Small Business
Business Administration (Graduate School) 3 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Accountancy
  • Business Administration
  • Business and Commerce
Dentistry (Graduate School) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Dentistry
Dentistry (Matsudo) (Graduate School) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Dentistry
Economics (Graduate School) 6 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Accountancy
  • Economic and Finance Policy
  • Economics
  • Finance
  • Fiscal Law
  • Small Business
Engineering (Graduate School) 8 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Architecture
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Civil Engineering
  • Computer Engineering
  • Computer Science
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering
  • Materials Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
Industrial Technology (Graduate School) 10 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Applied Chemistry
  • Architecture
  • Civil Engineering
  • Computer Engineering
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering
  • Industrial Engineering
  • Industrial Management
  • Information Technology
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Structural Architecture
Integrated Basic Sciences (Graduate School) 4 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Chemistry
  • Mathematics
  • Mathematics and Computer Science
  • Physics
Intellectual Property (Graduate School) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Civil Law
International Relations (Graduate School) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • International Relations and Diplomacy
Journalism and Media (Graduate School) 2 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Journalism
  • Media Studies
Law (Graduate School) 3 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Political Sciences
  • Private Law
  • Public Law
Literature and Social Sciences (Graduate School) 10 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Chinese
  • Education
  • English
  • German
  • History
  • Japanese
  • Literature
  • Philosophy
  • Psychology
  • Sociology
Medicine (Graduate School) 2 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Medicine
  • Social and Preventive Medicine
Pharmacy (Graduate School) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Pharmacy
Science and Technology (Graduate School) 18 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering
  • Applied Chemistry
  • Architecture
  • Civil Engineering
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Electronic Engineering
  • Geography
  • Information Sciences
  • Marine Engineering
  • Mathematics
  • Measurement and Precision Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Medical Technology
  • Naval Architecture
  • Physics
  • Real Estate
  • Structural Architecture
  • Transport Engineering
Social and Cultural Studies (Graduate School) 11 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Cultural Studies
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Foreign Languages Education
  • International Business
  • International Economics
  • International Relations and Diplomacy
  • Management
  • Political Sciences
  • Psychology
  • Statistics
Veterinary Medicine (Graduate School) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Veterinary Science
Dentistry (School) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Dentistry
Dentistry (Matsudo) (School) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Dentistry
Law (School) 8 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Civil Law
  • Criminal Law
  • Fiscal Law
  • International Law
  • Labour Law
  • Law
  • Private Law
  • Public Law
Medicine (School) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Medicine
Pharmacy (School) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Pharmacy

Programs Offered

Browse Nihon University's programmes by level, or filter by name.

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

Doctorate 19 programmes

Graduate School of Art
Visual Arts

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

Graduate School of Bioresource Sciences
Natural Sciences

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

Graduate School of Commerce
Business & Management

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

Graduate School of Dentistry
Dentistry

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

Graduate School of Dentistry at Matsudo
Dentistry

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

Graduate School of Economics
Economics

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

Graduate School of Engineering
General Engineering

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

Graduate School of Industrial Technology
General Engineering

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

Graduate School of Integrated Basic Sciences
Liberal Arts

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

Graduate School of International Relations
Politics & International Relations

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

Showing 10 of 19.

Scholarships in Japan

Financial-aid options for studying in Japan, applicable across institutions including Nihon University.

How to apply to Nihon University

A five-step guide to applying to Nihon University.

  1. 1
    Research programmes at Nihon University

    Begin by reviewing the programmes section above. Nihon University offers 56 programmes grouped by qualification level. Decide on a target tier (bachelor's, master's, or doctoral) before narrowing by subject.

  2. 2
    Review admissions criteria

    Each programme at Nihon University has its own entry requirements — academic minimums, language proficiency, supporting documents, and sometimes interviews or portfolios. Check the programme-specific page or contact admissions to confirm eligibility.

  3. 3
    Gather supporting documents

    Most applications require certified academic records, identification documents, language test certificates (IELTS, TOEFL, or equivalent for English-medium programmes), CV/résumé, and a statement of purpose. Allow extra time for document authentication.

  4. 4
    Lodge your application

    Apply directly via Nihon University's online portal at www.nihon-u.ac.jp. Complete the application form, upload supporting documents, and pay any application fee. Confirmation emails typically arrive within a few business days.

  5. 5
    Confirm receipt and track progress

    After submitting, confirm receipt with the admissions office and track your application status through the portal. Reach the institution by phone at +81 (3) 5275 8110. Set reminders for any interview requests, additional document submissions, or admission decision deadlines.

Frequently Asked Questions about Nihon University

Quick reference for Nihon University: founding, control type, and recognition status.

In what year was Nihon University established?

Nihon University was founded in 1889 (approximately 137 years ago).

In which city is Nihon University?

Nihon University is based in Tokyo, Japan.

Is Nihon University a public or private institution?

Nihon University is a private institution.

How many students study at Nihon University?

Nihon University has approximately over-50,000 students.

Where does Nihon University stand in university rankings?

Nihon University is ranked THE 2026 #1501-2191.

How many faculties does Nihon University have?

The institution comprises 37 academic units.

Who recognises Nihon University?

Yes, Nihon University is recognised by Japan University Accreditation Association (JUAA).

How do I find Nihon University online?

Nihon University's official website is www.nihon-u.ac.jp.

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