Kyushu University (locally known as Kyudai) has roots way back to 1903 when it was named Fukuoka Medical College, shortly afterwards in 1911, Kyushu University was established as the forth Imperial University after the University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, and Tohoku University.

In 1922, a year after he received the Nobel Prize, Dr Albert Einstein, who was at that time a professor at the University of Berlin visited Kyushu University, thus strengthening the university’s long tradition of international academic collaboration.

Currently Kyushu University is one of Japan's top 8 research-intensive universities and is able to attract students with an excellent academic record from across Japan and overseas.

The university includes approximately 12,000 undergraduates, and 1,700 postgraduates, as well as some 2,200 faculty members and 4,000 staff.

Some noteworthy alumni include; Robert T. Huang, Ryuko Sakurai, Tetsu Nakamura, Toshiya Uchiyama, Naoyuki Kawahara and Koichi Wakata.

In 2011 Kyushu University celebrated its centenary, in those 100 years KU has produced 130,000 undergraduate students and 70,000 graduate students.

Main Gate, College of Engineering, Kyushu Imperial University (1914),
the photo is provided from Kyushu University Archives.

Einstein’s visit to Kyushu University in 1923, the photo is provided from Kyushu University Archives.

Kyushu University is spread widely across the city of Fukuoka and comprises of five main campuses, these are Ito, Hakozaki, Hospital, Ohashi and Chikushi.

After receiving a KU student ID, members are free to access and utilize the vast resources of these five main campuses. A campus shuttle bus is provided to facilitate commuting between these sites.

The University library is spread over several locations and includes approximately 4,057,788 books, including some 1,773,967 English language titles. Inter library loans are possible between the various locations. Furthermore with the rapid proliferation of internet based materials, the library provides access to 55,183 e-journals including 34,475 licensed academic publications.

Bilingual software support is widely available including both Japanese and English OS.

Google Street View (Kyushu University Special Edition)
【Ito Campus】【Chikushi Campus】

Kyushu University is the 6th best research university in Japan according to the average citation counts in a 2013 survey conducted by the multinational media and information firm Thompson Reuters.

Its research excellence is especially distinctive in Materials Science (6th in Japan, 49th in the world), Chemistry (6th in Japan, 41st in the world), Biology & Biochemistry (4th in Japan, 95th in the world), Immunology (4th in Japan, 68th in the world), and Pharmacology & Toxicology (4th in Japan, 76th in the world)

The university is ranked 168th globally, 20th in Asia and 7th among Japanese universities (Qs University Ranking 2013).

Qs University Ranking

Kyushu University currently has the 5th highest number of international students of any university in Japan.

International exchange programs are numerous and consequently there are more than 2,000 international students resident here from approximately 80 countries.

Through the International Student and Researcher Support Center, the student’s daily lives and research activities are reinforced. The various responsibilities include; obtaining a visa, airport pickup, accommodation assistance, translation of documents, interpreter service and general assistance upon request.