Leaflet (PDF) Application Guidelines (PDF)

Study Science like a Japanese. International Undergraduate Program in Science

News

2024.10.09
A warm welcome to our new 2024 cohort.
On September 30th 2024, we had the great pleasure of welcoming our new students joining our International Undergraduate Program in Science (IUPS). Family members of the new students were also able to view a live stream of the ceremony.
At the ceremony, Prof. Kubo who is the director of the International College gave a warm greeting, followed by another greeting by Prof. Pozsgai-Alvarez, the Deputy Director of the International College, and a speech by a representative student. At the end of the ceremony, a rakugo performance, a traditional Japanese art form, was given in English, which the students watched with great interest.
Welcome to Osaka University and to our vibrant IUPS community! All members are very looking forward to students grasping this opportunity to forge lifelong connections, gaining invaluable insights in natural science, and paving the way for a future that transcends boundaries!
2024.09.26
IUPS Application Guidelines for April 2026 Enrollment has been uploaded.
2023.09.20
IUPS Application Guidelines for April 2025 Enrollment has been uploaded.
2022.11.17
IUPS Application Guidelines for April 2024 Enrollment has been uploaded.
2022.01.17
A revised version of the IUPS Application Guidelines for April 2023 Enrollment (dated January 17, 2022) has been uploaded. In this version, some no-longer applicable lines have been deleted from page 14.
2021.11.17
IUPS Application Guidelines for April 2023 Enrollment have been uploaded.
2021.01.06
Revised version of the IUPS Application Guidelines for April 2022 Enrollment (dated January 6, 2021) has been uploaded. The three amendments are shown in red and are on pages 9, 13 and 14.
2020.11.16
The IUPS Application Guidelines for April 2022 Enrollment have been uploaded.
2020.02.21
The application period starts on February 21 (Friday) 2020.
2019.07.12
This website was released.

Program Overview

The mission of Osaka University is to nurture outstanding individuals who possess a high sense of ethics and wish to become global citizens and leaders in a variety of fields worldwide under the objective of “Live Locally, Grow Globally”.
For this reason, the Department of Biological Sciences, the Department of Mathematics, the Department of Physics, and the Department of Chemistry in the School of Science have established the International Undergraduate Program in Science for international students.
Students will be enrolled in the program for 4.5 years in total (half a year as a research student and 4 years as an undergraduate student) culminating in the award of a Bachelor’s degree.
This program is overseen by the International College and the School of Science of Osaka University.

Entrance examinations are conducted in English by each department (or in English and Japanese in the case of the Department of Biological Sciences and the Department of Mathematics). Note that basic proficiency in Japanese (at the level of JLPT N3, N2 in the case of the Department of Biological Sciences) is required at application time.
For six months prior to regular enrollment, students attend intensive Japanese language education classes and some preliminary science classes at the Center for Japanese Language and Culture (CJLC). During this time, students will be enrolled as research students. The nature of the Japanese language education classes will depend on each student’s individual Japanese language ability.
Students will then be enrolled as undergraduate students. In the first year, students will take classes mainly in English, and study liberal arts and science major subjects.
Further advanced Japanese language education will be offered until the end of the second year of the undergraduate program.
Students will focus on specific subjects in the students' respective majors from the second year, and the classes will transition from mainly being taught in English to mainly being taught in Japanese.
Students will be assigned to a specific laboratory to conduct research in their final year.

See the table below for more details.

detail

Graduate School

After graduation, motivated students are welcome to proceed to graduate school in one of the six departments of our Graduate School of Science: Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Earth and Space Science, Macromolecular Science, Mathematics, Physics. See details on the webpage dedicated to graduate programs. In addition to programs in Japanese in each department, our Graduate School of Science offers degree (M.S. and Ph.D.) programs conducted in English for international students in Biological Sciences, Chemistry and Macromolecular Science (program name SISC) and Physics (program name IPC).

At our Graduate School of Science, research is active especially on the following topics.

Department of Biological Sciences:
biochemistry; biophysics; cell biology; comparative physiology; developmental biology; ecophysiology; epigenetics; evolutionary biology; genetics; genome informatics; molecular biology; molecular genetics; nanobiology; neurobiology; neuroethology; neurogenesis; oncogenesis; phylogenetic biology; plant ecophysiology; plant science; protein crystallography; structural biology; theoretical biology.
Department of Chemistry; Department of Macromolecular Science:
analytical chemistry; bio-nanotechnology; bioinorganic chemistry; biomolecular chemistry; bioorganic chemistry; biophysical chemistry; condensed matter physical chemistry; coordination chemistry; functional proteomics; informative polymer science; inorganic chemistry; macromolecular assemblies; macromolecular precise science; macromolecular structure, macromolecular structure, properties and functions; macromolecular synthesis and reactions; molecular beams; molecular biophysics; nanoporous materials; natural products chemistry; organic biochemistry; organic chemistry; organic fine chemicals; physical chemistry; physical organic chemistry; polymer assemblies; polymer functional chemistry; polymer physical chemistry; polymer reaction; polymer synthesis; polymeric materials design; protein crystallography; protein informatics; protein organic chemistry; protein physical chemistry; quantum chemistry; radiochemistry; radioisotopes; reaction dynamics; semiconductor materials; structural organic chemistry; structural thermodynamics; supramolecular chemistry; supramolecular crystallography; surface chemistry; synthetic organic chemistry; thermal and entropic science.
Department of Mathematics:
algebraic analysis; algebraic geometry; applied analysis; applied mathematics; combinatorics; commutative algebra; commutative ring theory; complex analysis; complex differential geometry; complex geometry; complex functions of several variables; complex manifolds; cryptography; differential geometry; dynamical systems; discrete geometry; discrete mathematics; discrete structures; discrete subgroups; fractals; information geometry; information theory; knot theory; mathematical engineering; mathematical physics; number theory; partial differential equations; probability theory; spectral theory; topology; transformation groups.
Department of Physics; Department of Earth and Space Science:
accelerator physics; astrophysics and cosmology; biophysics; condensed matter physics (theory and experiment); Earth and planetary material science; fundamental theoretical physics; geophysics; infrared and X-ray astronomy; intense laser science; interdisciplinary physics; mass spectrometry; non-equilibrium physics; nuclear physics (theory and experiment); particle physics (theory and experiment); physics of matter under extreme pressure and magnetic fields; planetary science; quantum physics; solid-state spectroscopy.

Departments for undergraduate studies in the IUPS

Department ofChemistry

The Department of Chemistry comprises more than 20 laboratories of inorganic chemistry, analytical chemistry, physical chemistry, organic chemistry, and macromolecular science. Faculty members are involved in high-level education and research, collaborating with overseas researchers.

Department ofMathematics

The Department of Mathematics consists of 6 research groups:algebra, geometry, analysis, global geometry and analysis, experimental mathematics, and mathematical science, all of which have been making substantial contributions to the development of mathematics.

Department ofPhysics

The Department of Physics offers a world-class education to its undergraduate and graduate students. Established in 1931, its current activities include elementary particle physics, nuclear physics, condensed matter physics, computational physics, interdisciplinary physics, and earth and space science.

Department ofBiological Sciences

The Department of Biological Sciences comprises more than 20 laboratories of chemical biology, development and evolution, interdisciplinary biology, molecular cell biology, neurobiology, protein function and structure, and signal transduction biology. Here you will find many world-class researchers conducting world-class research.

Fees, costs
and financial support

The fees due to Osaka University are the following.

Application fee 26,800 yen
Enrollment fee for the preliminary coursework84,600 yen
Tuition fee for the preliminary coursework
(6 months)
173,400 yen
Enrollment fee for the undergraduate program in any of the majors282,000 yen
Tuition fee for the undergraduate program in any of the majors267,900 yen per semester

The monthly living costs for students are estimated to be like in the following. All values are approximate and should be taken as indicative. The total for one month is estimated to be around 100,000 – 120,000 yen. Detailed information about living in Japan is available at the Support Office.

Dormitory (including bills for electricity, water, gas, Internet connection)25,000 yen
Rent for a small private apartment (including bills for electricity, water, gas)
Note: rooms in shared apartments are also available and cheaper
45,000 yen
Food40,000 yen
Medical expenses (including insurance)4,000 yen
Communication and transport10,000 yen
Others (including e.g. entertainment and leisure activities)20,000 yen

Students enrolled in this program will be assigned to on-campus dormitories for the first year on a preferential basis.

Financial Support

There are various scholarships that IUPS students can apply for, such as:

  1. Scholarships from local governments or international associations
  2. Scholarships from private foundations

All Osaka University students are eligible to apply for tuition fee exemption. See also the Osaka University webpage about financial support, which includes information about scholarships (click the link below).

Campus life
and extracurricular activities

International students can learn and experience more of Japanese culture also through events and activities organized at the university. Dedicated members of the staff are available for any type of advisement international students may want.

Campus life

Clubs

Many clubs for extra-curricular activities are available on campus. International students can be part of any club together with Japanese students.

Osaka University Dorm Tour

How to apply
and contact information

The image below shows the general timeline for the application process. All details are given on the Admissions page.

Contact information

Osaka University International College Office

1-2 Machikaneyama-cho, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043 Japan
E-mail: internationalcollege@office.osaka-u.ac.jp