Study In Japan: MEXT Eases Enrolment Caps, Clears Tohoku, Hiroshima, Tsukuba Universities To Increase International Student Intake From 2026
· Free Press Journal
Study In Japan: In a move aimed at strengthening Japan’s appeal as a global study destination, the country’s education ministry has cleared three leading national universities to increase their intake of international students beginning the 2026 academic year.
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The decision, approved by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), relaxes long-standing enrolment caps that had previously discouraged institutions from admitting more overseas students. Under earlier rules, universities that exceeded prescribed student limits risked losing approval to open new faculties, a penalty that often made institutions cautious about expanding foreign enrolment.
The revised policy applies to specific faculties at Tohoku University, Hiroshima University and University of Tsukuba. In total, 11 faculties across the three institutions have been granted flexibility to raise international student numbers beyond the earlier cap.
For large universities with an overall student capacity of 4,000 or more, faculty-level enrolment limits can now be increased from 105 per cent to 110 per cent for programmes that admit at least 300 students. The change signals a broader push by Japan to internationalise its higher education system and compete more actively for global talent.
However, the expansion comes alongside fee adjustments. While the ministry has not mandated higher tuition, it has encouraged institutions to consider revising fees to maintain educational quality.
Eligibility
Admission to designated faculties at the three approved national universities
Must meet academic and language requirements set by individual programmes
International (non-Japanese) student status
Fees
Tohoku University: 900,000 yen per year for new international undergraduate and master’s students from 2027
University of Tsukuba: 608,800 yen annually for newly enrolled overseas students
How to apply
Apply directly through the respective university’s official admissions portal
Submit academic transcripts, language proficiency scores and required documents
Follow faculty-specific entrance examination or screening procedures
With demographic challenges and a shrinking domestic student base, Japan’s latest policy shift reflects a strategic effort to open its classrooms wider to the world.