Discover APU in 5 Minutes | Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University

Get your bachelor's degree at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU)

Get your bachelor's degree
at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU)

Spend Your Next Four Years at the Most International University in Japan

Welcome to Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU). We are a leading international university located in Beppu City, Oita Prefecture on the southwest island of Kyushu in Japan. Our students have an unparalleled intercultural experience thanks to the vibrant learning environment, English-based programs, and diverse student body, making us one of the top learning destinations for international students in Japan.

APU at a Glance

Information current as of November 2025.

119

Countries/Regions Represented in Student Body
50%

International Students
45%

International Faculty
98%

Classes Offered in Both English and Japanese

Rankings

Information current as of November 2025.

＃ 1

International Student Ratio in Japan,
QS World University Rankings 2026
＃ 1

International Faculty Ratio in Japan,
QS World University Rankings 2026

Photo Gallery

Fast Facts About a Bilingual University in Japan

Fast Facts About APU

Have you ever thought about studying abroad, perhaps even in Japan? Hear from our students as they share some facts about APU and well as their thoughts on diversity, scholarships, life in Beppu, internships, and more.

Choose from one of our three programs, all taught in English

APS

COLLEGE OF ASIA PACIFIC STUDIES
Areas of Study
APM

COLLEGE OF INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT
Areas of Study
ST

COLLEGE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND TOURISM
Concentrations

APU Scholarships for International Undergraduate Students

Tuition Reduction Scholarship
Tuition

Tuition Reduction Scholarship

Our most common scholarship, this reduces tuition for the standard period of time until graduation and is offered in amounts of 30%, 50%, 65%, 80%, or 100%.

VIEW MORE Scholarships Before Enrollment

**First Year: 1,300,000JPY (8,553 USD*)**

Fees for Inistial Year of Study (First Year)

Admission Fee	200,000JPY (1,316 USD)
Tuition	1,300,000JPY (8,553 USD)
Comprehensive Insurance	12,740JPY (84 USD)
AP House Entrance Fee	234,000JPY (1,539 USD)
AP House Fee	AP House 1 & 2: 50,000JPY (329 USD) AP House 5: 52,000JPY (342 USD)

*US dollar equivalents are for REFERENCE ONLY, based on the rate of 1 USD to 152 Japanese yen.

You can apply to APU entirely online — just follow the steps below.
*This information is for 2026 applications.

STEP 1

Create your APU Online Application System account.

STEP 2

Enter your information and upload your documents.

Academic documents
Proof of language proficiency
Application essays
Extracurricular activities documents, etc.

STEP 3

Pay the application fee and submit your application.

STEP 4

Complete the recorded interview before the deadline.

STEP 5

Receive your application results, APU Tuition Reduction Scholarship results*.

*If applicable

Welcome to APU!

*This information is for 2026 applications.

You must fulfill both Requirement 1 and Requirement 2:

Requirement 1: Educational Qualifications
Requirement 2: Language Proficiency

First year applicants: 12 years or equivalent of standard education completed by the day before enrolling at APU.

Educational Qualifications Chart

Answer a few questions to roughly determine your eligibility as a first-year student.

Have you completed or will you complete either of the following before your date of enrollment* at APU?

A 12-year standard education curriculum at an accredited educational institution that follows the laws and regulations of where the institution is located
A 12-year standard education curriculum at an international school recognized by the government of the country where the school is located

*The date of enrollment is April 1, 2026 for April enrollment and September 21, 2026 for September enrollment.

If you are not sure if your school or country offers a 12-year standard education curriculum, please contact your local Japanese embassy for confirmation.

Yes No

According to this basic check, you meet the academic eligibility requirements for applying to APU.

Please make sure that you also meet APU’s language requirements. If you have further questions about your eligibility, please contact us via the Inquiry Form.

(Please note that this is a basic confirmation test and does not guarantee your application eligibility.)

Apply Now

Have you completed or will you complete one of the following educational qualifications before your date of enrollment^*1 at APU?

International Baccalaureate Diploma
Abitur
Baccalaureate Diploma
GCE A Level (two or more subjects^*2)
International A Level (two or more subjects^*2)
European Baccalaureate Diploma

^*1The date of enrollment is April 1, 2026 for April enrollment and September 21, 2026 for September enrollment.
^*2Two subjects is the minimum requirement but we highly recommend submitting three.

Yes No

According to this basic check, you meet the academic eligibility requirements for applying to APU.

Please make sure that you also meet APU’s language requirements. If you have further questions about your eligibility, please contact us via the Inquiry Form.

(Please note that this is a basic confirmation test and does not guarantee your application eligibility.)

Apply Now

Have you completed or will you complete a 12-year standard education curriculum at an international school accredited by one of the following, before your date of enrollment* at APU?

WASC
CIS
ACSI
NEASC
Cognia
NCA CASI
NWAC
SACS CASI
COBIS

*The date of enrollment is April 1, 2026 for April enrollment and September 21, 2026 for September enrollment.

Yes No

According to this basic check, you meet the academic eligibility requirements for applying to APU.

Please make sure that you also meet APU’s language requirements. If you have further questions about your eligibility, please contact us via the Inquiry Form.

(Please note that this is a basic confirmation test and does not guarantee your application eligibility.)

Apply Now

Have you completed or will you complete an 11-year standard education curriculum in Belarus, Kazakhstan, Myanmar, Peru, Russia, Sudan, Ukraine, or Uzbekistan before your date of enrollment* at APU?

*The date of enrollment is April 1, 2026 for April enrollment and September 21, 2026 for September enrollment.

Yes No

According to this basic check, you meet the academic eligibility requirements for applying to APU.

Please make sure that you also meet APU’s language requirements. If you have further questions about your eligibility, please contact us via the Inquiry Form.

(Please note that this is a basic confirmation test and does not guarantee your application eligibility.)

Apply Now

Have you passed an official examination equivalent to completing a 12-year standard education curriculum, such as the GED, and will be at least 18 years of age before your date of enrollment* at APU?

*The date of enrollment is April 1, 2026 for April enrollment and September 21, 2026 for September enrollment.

Yes No

According to this basic check, you meet the academic eligibility requirements for applying to APU.

Please make sure that you also meet APU’s language requirements. If you have further questions about your eligibility, please contact us via the Inquiry Form.

(Please note that this is a basic confirmation test and does not guarantee your application eligibility.)

Apply Now

Have you completed or will you complete your education at an institution designated by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) before your date of enrollment* at APU?

List of schools 1, List of schools 2 (Japanese only)

*The date of enrollment is April 1, 2026 for April enrollment and September 21, 2026 for September enrollment.

Yes No

According to this basic check, you meet the academic eligibility requirements for applying to APU.

Please make sure that you also meet APU’s language requirements. If you have further questions about your eligibility, please contact us via the Inquiry Form.

(Please note that this is a basic confirmation test and does not guarantee your application eligibility.)

Apply Now

According to this basic check, you may not meet the academic eligibility requirements for applying to APU.

If you would like to request verification of your educational background for application eligibility, fill out and submit our Education History Confirmation Request Form. Please note that it may take some time to receive a response. We recommend requesting verification at least four weeks prior to the application deadline.

If you are an English-basis applicant, you must meet one of the following English proficiency requirements.
If you are a Japanese-basis applicant, see the Application Eligibility page for details.

Minimum English Proficiency Requirements for English-basis Applicants (First Year)

IELTS	6.0*
IELTS Online	6.0*
TOEFL iBT® Test	75
TOEIC® L&R / S&W Test	1600
Duolingo English Test	110
Cambridge English Qualifications	169
Linguaskill	169
PTE Academic	60
EIKEN	2304

*A minimum of 5.5 is required for each section
For TOEIC® (L&R/S&W), multiply the S&W score by 2.5 and add to the L&R score.
EIKEN also includes EIKEN S-CBT and EIKEN S-Interview. Regardless of the test type and whether the test is passed or failed, the EIKEN CSE 2.0 score will be evaluated.

Asal Ibragimova

(Uzbekistan)

College of Sustainability and Tourism
Second Year Student
Hirotaka Kanazawa

(Japan)

College of International Management
Second Year Student
Fathya Aully Zelinda

(Indonesia)

College of Asia Pacific Studies
Third Year Student

When is the application deadline?

▼ April 2026 Enrollment

General Application Period
June 9, 2025 Mon - October 15, 2025 Wed

▼ September 2026 Enrollment

General Application Period
September 1, 2025 Mon - March 4, 2026 Wed

	General Application Period
April 2026 Enrollment	June 9, 2025 Mon - October 15, 2025 Wed
September 2026 Enrollment	September 1, 2025 Mon - March 4, 2026 Wed

If you reside in Japan, China, Indonesia, India, Korea, Thailand, or Viet Nam, or if you wish to apply as a third year transfer applicant, you will follow a separate application period. View the Application Schedule page for more details.

Does APU offer a fully-funded scholarship?

APU does not offer fully funded scholarships. However, international students may apply for the APU Tuition Reduction Scholarship. View the Scholarships Before Enrollment page for more details.

I've never been to Japan and I don't speak Japanese. Can I still study at APU?

Yes! Many of our English-basis international students have never visited Japan or studied Japanese before coming to APU. Almost all courses at APU are offered in both English and Japanese, meaning you only need proficiency in one of these languages at the time of enrollment. In addition to your degree studies, you will also take Japanese language classes during your time at APU.