Japan is known around the world for its great achievements in the medical field. With cutting-edge medical techniques, patients can receive proper treatment, which may be one of the reasons why Japanese people have a high life expectancy.
The advances in the medical field also attract scholars and students who want to participate in research in Japan. There are a total of 82 medical educational institutions, 51 of which are public and 31 of which are private. In this article, we will look at the top medical schools for undergraduates in Japan.
However, please note that admission information is subject to change by the university at any time, so check the link to the official website for the latest information. In addition, if you are currently looking for information about studying and universities in Japan, please read the articles below:
Top 10 Universities with the Best Arts Program in Japan
10 Most Popular International Universities in Tokyo
11 Most Popular Scholarships to Study Abroad in Japan
Contents
Why Studying at a Medical School in Japan?
Japan is one of the world’s most highly developed and innovative countries in terms of healthcare. In Japan, the health care system is very integrated and continues to grow so that the life expectancy in this cherry country is very high.
If you are looking to develop a career as a medical or healthcare professional in Japan, this choice could be a great opportunity of a lifetime. What does Japan have to offer qualified medical students? Please read below some of the reasons why so many foreigners choose to study medicine in Japan:
- Japan has a high quality education system that is on par with world standards.
- Japan is always innovating in various fields that support the life of the country as a developed country, especially in the health sector.
- The cost of medical education as well as other fields as a whole in Japan is more affordable compared to western countries such as the United States.
- The Japanese government also offers various scholarship and support programs for international students who wish to continue their education in Japan in any field, including medicine.
- On average, the top universities in Japan offer special programs in English that make it very easy for international students.
- You can enjoy and use a variety of sophisticated health technologies, even only 1 in the world, by becoming a medical student at a top university in Japan.
- Good job opportunities and career advancement in various healthcare sectors in Japan, which are constantly growing.
- You can enjoy Japan’s culture and natural beauty while completing your medical education.
- You can learn and enjoy Japanese culture and various Japanese people’s inspiring life philosophies in the health sector for you to apply in your life.
- Opportunity to build professional networks in Japan and other developed countries while studying and building a career in the Japanese healthcare industry.
In addition to the points above, you can of course improve your personal abilities to deal with various problems and challenges that arise when studying or pursuing a career as a health professional in Japan.
Do Japanese Medical Schools Accept International Students?
The answer is absolutely yes! Several well-known universities in Japan have special programs for foreign students who come from all over the world to receive the best quality education, including in the medical field. Please check out the list of 10 most popular & prestigious medical schools in Japan we have prepared below for your reference! Well-known public and private universities in Japan place great emphasis on the latest research in medicine by making full use of technology.
On the other hand, some of these well-known universities are even very proud of their international students. Especially for international students, the government and many companies in Japan even cooperate with each other to provide scholarships and various support for their education in Japanese universities.
This is very rare and hard to find in other countries, even other developed countries in the world. Japan is very accommodating and helps international students to study safely and comfortably at their best universities. You can also get help to learn Japanese in between your studies.
10 Most Popular & Prestigious Medical Schools in Japan
Listed below are the 10 most popular and prestigious medical schools in Japan. We really hope that you can find all the information you need about medical schools in Japan below:
1. The University of Tokyo – Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine
The University of Tokyo Faculty of Medicine consists of the School of Medicine and the School of Integrated Health Sciences. At the School of Medicine, students are expected to grow into physicians while being trained as medical researchers.
Furthermore, research aims to discover and contribute to the world in the fields of basic medical sciences (cancer research, allergy and immune system research, brain research, etc.), social medicine (medical ethics, biostatistics, medical economics, public health, etc.), and clinical medicine (new treatments for intractable diseases and new modalities of treatment).
On the other hand, in the School of Integrated Health Sciences, the curriculum covers health maintenance, disease prevention, nutrition, nursing, and care for the elderly and disabled. Students can gain the latest knowledge in the health sciences, from basic research in the life, behavioral, social, and information sciences to nursing and other clinical sciences.
Students in the Integrated Health Sciences program can study the full range of health sciences, from basic research in the life, behavioral, social, and information sciences to nursing and other clinical sciences that support patients’ innate potential for self-healing and recovery.
| Japanese Language | Required |
| MD-PhD Course | Provided in the School of Medicine |
| Admission | Special Selection Entrance Examination for International Students is provided. Grades and other records from educational institutions from which the applicants have graduated. Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU) TOEFL or IELTS score report. Scores from any standardized test taken in the applicant’s home country (optional). |
| Cost for six year *Approximately | 3,496,800 JPY (Including enrollment fee 282,000 yen and tuition fee 535,800 yen per year) |
| University Hospital | The University of Tokyo Hospital |
Please click on the button below to visit their official website:
2. Tokyo Medical and Dental University – Faculty of Medicine
The entire institution consists of the School of Medicine, the School of Dentistry, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, and the Graduate School of Health Care Studies.
Established in 1951, the Faculty of Medicine has two branches, the School of Medicine (six-year) and the School of Health Care Sciences (four-year). The Faculty is committed to “training professionals with knowledge and humanity”.
Courses offered in the School of Health Care Sciences are Nursing Science and in Medical Technology. The former deals with basic and clinical nursing and community health nursing, and the latter deals with laboratory science and laboratory technology.
| Japanese Language | Required |
| MD-PhD Course | Provided in the School of Medicine |
| Admission | “Special Selection Entrance Examination for Privately-financed International Students” is provided ・Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU) |
| Cost for six years *Approximately | 5,227,660 yen (including enrollment fee, tuition fee for six years and other fees) |
| University Hospital | Tokyo Medical And Dental University, Medical Hospital |
Please click on the button below to visit the university official website:
3. Osaka University – Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine
The Faculty of Medicine is divided into the Medical School and the School of Allied Health Sciences. The Medical School offers a six-year program in which students are expected to make correct diagnoses and provide patients with the best treatment in the dynamic and complex environment of medicine.
Aiming to cultivate students to become world leaders in medical and scientific research, the Medical School provides research opportunities in emerging fields of medicine, such as genomic medicine, medical robotics and regenerative medicine.
| Japanese Language | Required |
| Admission | *Special Entrance Examination for Privately-Funded Undergraduate International Students Living Overseas ・Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU) ・TOEFL score report |
| Cost for six years *Approximately | 3,496,800 yen (including enrollment fee 282,000 yen and tuition fee 535,800 yen per year) |
| University Hospital | Osaka University Hospital |
Please click on the button below to visit their university official website:
4. Keio University – School of Medicine
As “A Leading Teaching and Research University”, the School of Medicine is dedicated to “Expanding The Possibilities of Medicine”. The IPE (Inter-Professional Education) program is offered to students in the School of Medicine, the Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care, and the Faculty of Pharmacy. There is no doubt that medical care requires cooperation between doctors, nurses and pharmacists. By participating in the IPE program, students are expected to develop into health care professionals who are able to provide patient-centered care with a team approach.
In addition, there is collaborative research between IPE and the Faculty of Science and Technology, where students focus on the development of practical engineering knowledge in the medical field, such as the development of medical robots. The efforts made to face the changing world are also carried out in the collaborations with other departments and graduate schools, including the Faculty of Economics, Faculty of Letters, Graduate School of Health Management, and Graduate School of Media and Governance.
| Japanese Language | Required |
| MD-PhD Course | Provided |
| Admission | *Special Admission for International Students ・Letter of Recommendation ・Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU) ・TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic Module |
| Cost for six years *Approximately | 22,059,600 yen(Including enrollment fee 200,000 yen, tuition fee 3,040,000 yen, and other fees 603,350 yen for the first year, and tuition fee 3,643,250 yen per year from the second year) |
| University Hospital | No |
Please click on the button below to visit the university official website:
5. Chiba University – Graduate School of Medicine and School of Medicine
Students are expected to achieve three goals by graduation, which are ethics and professionalism, medical and related knowledge, medical practice, communication skills, contribution to medical science, medicine, health care and society, and scientific research.
The school also provides an environment for students who want to become research physicians with the professional knowledge in the early stage. In addition, the IPE (Interprofessional Education) program is established with students from the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
| Japanese Language | Required |
| Admission | *Special Admission for International Students ・Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU) score ・TOEFL or TOEIC L&R score report |
| Cost for six years *Approximately | 3,496,800 yen (including enrollment fee 282,000 yen and tuition fee 535,800 yen per year) |
| University Hospital | Chiba University Hospital |
Next, please click on the button below to visit their university official website:
6. Kyoto University – Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine
The faculty is composed of the Medical Science Department, which trains medical scholars, researchers, and doctors, and the Human Health Science Department, which trains nurses and other health professionals.
In the Medical Science Department, in addition to the pursuit of medical knowledge, the ability to use theory to solve problems and provide patients with proper treatment is necessary. At the same time, intensity in healing patients and concern for the medical system in society are also emphasized.
MD-PhD Course – Medical Science Division
The course is provided in two form:
- After completing the fourth year of the undergraduate program, students enroll directly in the Graduate School of Medicine. Upon completion of the M.D./Ph.D. program, students return to the School of Medicine to complete their clinical training. Upon reaching the graduation threshold, students are awarded MD and PhD degrees.
- Students who have completed the MD degree may enroll in the Graduate School of Medicine to pursue a PhD.
| Japanese Language | Required |
| MD-PhD Course | Provided in Medical Science Division |
| Admission | ・Taking university entrance examination ・Academic Transcript ・Certificate of Graduation |
| Cost for six year *Approximately | 3,496,800 yen (including enrollment fee 282,000 yen and tuition fee 535,800 yen per year) |
| University Hospital | Kyoto University Hospital |
Please click on the button below to visit the university official website:
7. Nagoya University – School of Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine
Under the Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya offers the School of Medicine and the School of Health Science. In the School of Medicine, students take a six-year curriculum including premedical education, introduction to medicine, basic medicine, social medicine, clinical medicine, bedside learning, clinical clerkship (selective) I,II, basic clinical skills training, and lecture and practice on evidence-based medicine (EBM).
| Japanese Language | Required |
| Admission | *Special selection for privately-financed international applicant ・Academic Transcript ・Certificate of Graduation ・TOEFL or IELTS Academic Module ・Scores from any standardized test taken in the applicant’s home country |
| Cost for six years *Approximately | 3,496,800 yen (including enrollment fee 282,000 yen and tuition fee 535,800 yen per year) |
| University Hospital | Nagoya University Hospital |
Please click on the button below to visit their university official website:
8. Nara Medical University – School of Medicine
Nara Medical University was founded in 1945 as Nara Medical College. Located in Kashihara City in Nara, the institution features in conducting MBT (Medicine-based Town). This is a plan mainly expecting the students to make social contributions with the professional skill they possess.
The School of Medicine is divided into the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, and Faculty of Nursing. To graduate from the Faculty of Medicine, students must complete the curriculum of general education and professional education. General education includes liberal arts, general subjects and basic medical knowledge. The admission quota per year is about 113 students (data based on 2022 enrollment).
| Japanese Language | Required |
| Admission | ・Taking university entrance examination ・Academic Transcript ・Certificate of Graduation |
| Cost for six years *Approximately | 4,016,800 yen (including enrollment fee 802,000 yen and tuition fee 535,800 yen per year) |
| University Hospital | Nara Medical University Hospital |
Please click on the button below to visit the university official website:
9. Kyushu University – School of Medicine
Founded in 1903, the School of Medicine consists of the Department of Medicine (six-year), the Department of Health Sciences (four-year), and the Department of Biomedical Sciences (four-year). There is an emphasis on training physicians, health care professionals and researchers to serve the world.
The MD-PhD program is also available in the Department of Medicine, where students enroll for the PhD degree after completing the fourth year of undergraduate studies. Upon receiving the PhD degree, students continue with the remaining two undergraduate years.
In addition to the School of Medicine, the School of Dentistry and the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences are also established at Kyushu University.
| Japanese Language | Required |
| MD-PhD Course | Provided in the Department of Medicine |
| Admission | Special selection for privately-financed international applicants is provided ・TOEFL iBT, TOEFL ITP, Plus for China, IELTS, IELTS Indicator (choose one) ・Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU) |
| Cost for six years *Approximately | 3,496,800 yen (including enrollment fee 282,000 yen and tuition fee 535,800 yen per year) |
| University Hospital | Kyushu University Hospital |
Please click on the button below to visit their university official website:
10. Tohoku University – School of Medicine
Tohoku University is a Japanese national university located in Sendai, Miyagi. You may remember the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, the campus of Tohoku is also damaged, some students life has been taken away. After the disaster, Tohoku had a further understanding of the value of local medical, and attach more importance to this part.
The School of Medicine consists of the Department of Medical Sciences and the Department of Health Sciences. Admission quota for Medical Sciences is about 105 students, and for Health Sciences is about 144 students.
There are 12 educational goals for a six-year undergraduate program in the Department of Medical Sciences, which students are required to achieve in order to become a doctor or researcher. The Department of Health Sciences consists of three programs, which are Nursing Program, Radiological Technology Program and Medical Laboratory Science Program.
| Japanese Language | Required |
| MD-PhD Course | Provided in the Department of Medical Sciences |
| Admission | A special selection for privately-financed international applicants is provided. ・TOEFL iBT score report ・Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU) |
| Cost for six year *Approximately | 3,496,800 yen (including enrollment fee 282,000 yen and tuition fee 535,800 yen per year) |
| University Hospital | Tohoku University Hospital |
Please click on the button below to visit the university official website:
FAQ About Medical Schools in Japan
Below are some questions you may have about studying medicine in Japan. We hope that our answers will enlighten and strengthen your understanding!
What do you think? Please share in the comments if you have any other questions!
Summary
As you can see from the information above, the medical schools at these schools don’t offer all-English programs. Most of the courses offered are conducted in Japanese.
In view of this, if you are considering studying in the medical school in Japan, the ability of well comprehension of the lectures that are delivered in Japanese is what you have to achieve.
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