APU Graduate School Facts
APU’s History
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) first opened its doors in 2000 thank to a collaboration between the Ritsumeikan Trust, Oita Prefecture and Beppu City. With an entirely new multicultural learning environment consisting of half international students and half Japanese/domestic students, APU’s aim was to provide an international education that lead to the development of global leaders, working in a diverse range of fields and industries. In these past fifteen years, this goal has not only been reached as APU now has over 10,000 alumni from over one hundred thirty countries and regions.
Leading the Way in Internationalization
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) was Japan’s first genuinely
international university. Our graduate schools welcome students into fully
English-based curriculum within a uniquely multicultural environment. APU’s graduate
schools are accredited by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science
and Technology (MEXT). Since 2016, the Graduate School of Management has been
accredited by AACSB International.
Since the opening of APU’s Graduate Schools, efforts have been made to
further its education and research initiatives and expand its
contributions to the Asia Pacific region. The Graduate Schools at APU
focus on Asia Pacific studies, with study options geared towards tackling
the complex issues facing the societies and environments of the Asia
Pacific region, as well as management, with a focus on the Japanese
business style and the dynamic world of international business.
A Truly International Environment
APU’s campus is a unique doorway to the world, attracting students and
faculty from all over the globe. Our Japanese faculty members also come
to use with diverse international careers and academic experiences. This
extremely rich mixture of language and culture has earned APU the
reputation of being Japan’s ‘global village’. Our aim is to bring together
talented individuals to study and live within this unique environment. APU
encourages all students to bring and share their own unique thoughts and
ideas. In this one of a kind environment, students naturally acquire
intercultural communication skills.
As APU’s graduate programs are offered entirely in English, students are
not required to know any Japanese to gain admission. English speaking
students come to APU and study their degree in English, are taught by
international professors and lecturers, and study alongside English
speaking classmates from around the world. Our system has made it possible
for outstanding scholars to study in Japan in an unprecedented
international learning environment.
World Class Education
APU’s graduate programs have been selected for several prestigious scholarship schemes in recent years. These include the Joint/Japan World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program and the Asian Development Bank-Japan Scholarship Program, which provide support to students from member countries to undertake graduate studies at renowned institutions of higher education around the world. APU is also among the very few institutions to be selected by the Japanese government for scholarships such as the Student Priority Placement Program. Some of the other organizations that have sponsored students to study in our graduate programs include the Indonesian Ministry of Finance, Japanese corporations, local government bodies and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). This is a testimony to the value placed on APU’s graduate programs by both public and private sectors in Japan and throughout the world.
The Japanese Experience
Japan has a long and rich history and is a diverse cultural mix of East and West, old and new, and natural and highly engineered. Having gone through various stages of development, the nation’s rich and unique culture is what led it to emerge as a world leader in terms of economy and technology. Its strong economy, combined with a culture that places a great deal of importance on respect for others, also make it one of the safest countries in the world. For international students, it is an ideal environment in which to live and study.
international accreditation

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University is an accredited member of AACSB International — The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
- AACSB International Announcement (August 10, 2016)
- Click here for details
-As of August 2020-
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University is an accredited member of
AMBA
— The Association of MBAs.
- AMBA Accredited Business Schools (August 2020)
- Click here for details
APU GRADUATE SCHOOLS FACTS AND FIGURES
-
190
total students
-
95%
international by students
-
59
countries and regions represented by students
-
3:1
student-faculty ratio
-
50%
international faculty
-
25
countries and regions represented by faculty
-
100%
of classes taught in English
-
90%
of students receive a scholarship
-
136
countries and regions represented by alumni
-
"Global Hub Universities"
Selected as one of Japan's Top "Global Hub Universities"
Countries/Regions Represented by APU Alumni

(Countries and regions represented by students Countries and regions represented by alumni)
EUROPE
- Armenia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
- France
- Georgia
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Italy
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyz Republic
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Moldova
- Montenegro
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Romania
- Russia
- Serbia
- Slovak Republic
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Tajikistan
- Turkmenistan
- UK
- Ukraine
- Uzbekistan
- Portugal
- Slovenia
MIDDLE EAST
- Afghanistan
- Bahrain
- Iran
- Israel
- Jordan
- Kuwait
- Oman
- Saudi Arabia
- Syria
- Turkey
- United Arab Emirates
- Yemen
OCEANIA
- Australia
- Fiji
- New Zealand
- Palau
- Papua New Guinea
- Samoa
- Solomon Islands
- Tonga
- Tuvalu
AMERICAS
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Belize
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Canada
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Cuba
- Ecuador
- Guatemala
- Guyana
- Honduras
- Jamaica
- Mexico
- Nicaragua
- Peru
- Trinidad and Tobago
- United States
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
AFRICA
- Angola
- Benin
- Botswana
- Cameroon
- Comoros
- Cote d’Ivoire
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- Gabonese Republic
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Kenya
- Liberia
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mali
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Nigeria
- Rwanda
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- South Africa
- Sudan
- Tanzania
- Uganda
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
ASIA
- Bangladesh
- Bhutan
- Brunei
- Cambodia
- China
- India
- Indonesia
- Japan
- Laos
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mongolia
- Myanmar
- Nepal
- Pakistan
- Philippines
- Republic of Korea
- Singapore
- Sri Lanka
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- Viet Nam