Try typing “Top Universities in Japan” into the search engine, I am pretty sure you will find Waseda University, whose Japanese name is 早稲田大学 (waseda daigaku) and is sometimes abbreviated to 早大 (soudai), on the list.
Or, those who have already done some basic research on Waseda University must have put this charming university on their college list. In this article, I’ll give you information about school ranking, acceptance rate, and other important information about Waseda University before you start to send your application.
Introduction to Waseda University
Located in Shinjuku, Tokyo, known as a multicultural area, Waseda University is a private university. The history of Waseda University can be traced back to October 21, 1882, when it was named “Tokyo Senmon Gakko”. This institution was founded by Shingenobu, a Japanese statesman who served as prime minister. It was not until 1902 that this institution was renamed Waseda University.
Brief Overview
- Waseda University has 9 campuses, 8 of which are in the Tokyo area and 1 in Fukuoka. Waseda Campus (main campus), Toyama Campus, Nishi-Waseda Campus, Kikuicho Campus, Nihonbashi Campus, Higashifushimi Campus, Tokorozawa Campus, Honjō Campus, and Kitakyūshū Campus.
- Waseda University has approximately 50,000 students.
- 10 faculty, including 13 undergraduate and 21 graduate schools.
| Faculty | Undergraduate school |
| Faculty of Political Science and Economics | School of Political Science and Economics |
| Faculty of Law | School of Law |
| Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences | School of Culture, Media and Society |
| School of Humanities and Social Sciences | |
| Faculty of Education and Integrated Arts and Sciences | School of Education |
| Faculty of Commerce | School of Commerce |
| Faculty of Science and Engineering | School of Fundamental Science and Engineering |
| School of Creative Science and Engineering | |
| School of Advanced Science and Engineering | |
| Faculty of Social Sciences | School of Social Sciences |
| Faculty of Human Sciences | School of Human Sciences |
| Faculty of Sport Sciences | School of Sport Sciences |
| Faculty of International Research and Education | School of International Liberal Studies |
Mission of the Waseda University
The reason why Waseda University has many distinguished alumni lies in the institution’s three principles: independence of scholarship, practical application of scholarship, and promotion of good citizenship. Independence of scholarship means that they encourage students to question what is being taught or the current society.
Practical application of scholarship means that they encourage students to put knowledge into practice and even have an impact on society. Fostering of good citizenship means after students acquire skill or knowledge, they hope the student can bring those back and make a contribution to society.
There is also a part of the lyrics of Waseda University’s anthem, which has been translated into English as below:
Her students change from year to year,
Meet and part with youth’s delight,
Yet all alike we seek to share
These ideals and their light.
In this lyric, Waseda wanted students to be altruistic and help those in need as they enter society.
Waseda University Alumni Association: 稲門会Toumonkai
One of the reasons for Waseda’s appeal is that the university has outstanding alumni who are active on the world stage in various fields. The famous actor Masato Sakai, the founder of UNIQLO Tadashi Yanai, the co-founder of SONY Masaru Ibuka, and the famous novelist Haruki Murakami are all notable alumni of Waseda University.
To date, there are more than 600,000 Waseda alumni who play important roles in various fields, and the association is not only located in Japan, but also has branches all over the world.
The Ranking and Acceptance Rate of Waseda University
World Ranking
Although Waseda University is a private university in Japan, we can see that the university has earned its reputation with numerous achievements. According to QS Global World Ranking, Waseda University is ranked 203. According to Times Higher Education (2021), Waseda University is ranked as the 13th best university in Japan.
According to a survey released by TOKYO SHOKO RESEARCH on October 14, 2021, which ranks the leading universities based on the number of alumni who are company presidents, Waseda University ranked third among the top 20 universities with 10,441 company presidents nationwide.
Top 20 Universities by Number of Company Presidents Among Alumni:
| University | University | ||||
| 1 | Nihon University | 20,890 | 11 | Kansai University | 3,861 |
| 2 | Keio University | 10,625 | 12 | Aoyama Gakuin University | 3,620 |
| 3 | Waseda University | 10,441 | 13 | Senshu University | 3,488 |
| 4 | Meiji University | 8.339 | 14 | Rikkyo University | 3,465 |
| 5 | Chuo University | 7,656 | 15 | Ritsumeikan University | 3,380 |
| 6 | Hosei University | 6,157 | 16 | Fukuoka University | 3,149 |
| 7 | Kindai University | 5,886 | 17 | Kwansei Gakuin University | 3,012 |
| 8 | Tokai University | 5,818 | 18 | Aichi Gakuin University | 2,671 |
| 9 | Doshisha University | 4,932 | 19 | Toyo University | 2,606 |
| 10 | University of Tokyo | 4.104 | 20 | Kyoto University | 2,504 |
Created based on data from TOKYO SHOKO RESEARCH.
Acceptance Rate and Admission Information: English-based Undergraduate Programs
According to the official website of Waseda University, they offer English-based programs in seven undergraduate schools. Let me show you the acceptance rate of the English-based undergraduate programs in the statistics below.
Admission information
- Various types of standardized test scores are accepted (SAT, ACT, IB, A-Level, GAOKAO, GSAT, CSAT, HKDSE, AISSCE, O-NET, Baccalaureat, Abitur, Provincial Exams of Canada, etc.).
- The required documents vary depending on the school.
- Japanese language ability is not required for application.
- Application period: Jan 7, 2022 ～ 17:00, Feb 24, 2022 (JST)
Application Period for 2022 September Entry
| School Name | Major / Program | Application Period | Announcement of Results |
| School of Political Science and Economics | 1. Political Science 2. Economics 3. Global Political Economy | Jan 7, 2022 – Feb 24 (5 pm), 2022 | Apr 28, 2022 |
| School of Social Sciences | Transnational and Interdisciplinary Studies in Social Innovation Program (TAISI) | First round: Jan 7 – 17, 2022 | Mar 3, 2022 |
| Jan 18, 2022 – Feb 24 (5 pm), 2022 | Apr 15, 2022 | ||
| School of International Liberal Studies (SILS) | International Liberal Studies | Early Admission: Jan 7, 2022 – Jan 17, 2022 | Apr 15, 2022 |
| Regular Admission: Jan 18, 2022 – Feb 24 (5 pm), 2022 | Apr 15, 2022 | ||
| School of Culture, Media and Society | Transcultural Studies Global Studies in Japanese Cultures Program (JCulP) | Jan 7, 2022 – Feb 24 (5 pm), 2022 | Apr 21, 2022 |
| School of Fundamental Science and Engineering | 1. Mathematical Sciences 2. Computer Science and Communications Engineering | Jan 7, 2022 – Feb 24 (5 pm), 2022 | Apr 28, 2022 |
| School of Creative Science and Engineering | 1. Mechanical Engineering 2. Civil and Environmental Engineering | Jan 7, 2022 – Feb 24 (5 pm), 2022 | Apr 28, 2022 |
| School of Advanced Science and Engineering | 1. Physics 2. Chemistry 3. Bioscience | Jan 7, 2022 – Feb 24 (5 pm), 2022 | Apr 28, 2022 |
The links go directly to the admission page of the school. More detailed admission information (requirements, application documents, academic fees), please check the links.
Acceptance Rate
Below are the statistics derived from Statistics Data of English-based Undergraduate Programs, with acceptance rate calculated by the writer of this article.
| School of Political Science and Economics | Applicants | Acceptance | Acceptance Rate(approximately) |
| 2019 entry | 394 | 202 | 51.2% |
| 2020 entry | 378 | 76 | 20.1% |
| 2021 entry | 444 | 146 | 32.8% |
| School of Social Sciences | |||
| 2019 entry | 273 | 63 | 23% |
| 2020 entry | 194 | 76 | 39.1% |
| 2021 entry | 292 | 57 | 19.5% |
| School of International Liberal Studies | |||
| 2019 entry | 671 | 279 | 41.5% |
| 2020 entry | 602 | 146 | 24.2% |
| 2021 entry | 868 | 344 | 39.6% |
| School of Culture, Media and Society | |||
| 2019 entry | 88 | 36 | 40.9% |
| 2020 entry | 78 | 34 | 43.5% |
| 2021 entry | 99 | 35 | 35.3% |
Fundamental / Creative / Advanced Science and Engineering | |||
| 2019 entry | 267 | 72 | 26.9% |
| 2020 entry | 315 | 130 | 41.2% |
| 2021 entry | 377 | 164 | 43.5% |
From the form above, it is easy to see that the School of International Liberal Studies (SILS) is the school with the most applications, while the School of Culture, Media and Society is the opposite.
The schools with the largest increase in applicants over the three years are the School of International Liberal Studies, with an increase of about 200 people, and Fundamental / Creative / Advanced Science and Engineering, with an increase of about 100 people.
The School of Political Science and Economics did not see a significant difference in the number of applicants, but the school did see an apparent drop in acceptance rate, which dropped 18.4 percent compared to the 2021-2019 rate.
Summary
Waseda University is not only a prestigious university in Japan, but also a popular choice among international students. As a university with so many outstanding alumni, Waseda University is certainly a great place that provides students with great resources.
We hope that the above information about the history background, admission information, world ranking and acceptance of Waseda University can meet your needs!
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